On the Tab won Saturday night's 56th Yonkers Trot, first jewel of the
Trotting Triple Crown.
Dave Miller, with his first Trot victory, did the honours for trainer
Jimmy Takter, who won this race for a second consecutive season.
Yonkers Raceway's premier trotting event, worth $573,770, saw
pole-sitting Senor Glide (Cat Manzi) led the octet through a :29.2 opening
quarter-mile.
Shaq Is Back (Steve Smith) tried the mix it up early, but jumped it off in
the first turn.
That left Carnegie (Stephane Bouchard) to patrol the pocket, with Hard
Livin (Ron Pierce)--like Senor Glide an elim winner a week ago--away third.
On The Tab, leaving from post position No. 3 as the third member of the
Takter triumvirate, moved from fourth. Senor Glide stole a 60-second
intermission before On The Tab was able to turn it up. Take My Picture (Jeff
Gregory) was well-placed second-over, with Carnegie continuing in the
two-hole.
Senor Glide found a 1:29.2 three-quarters, owning a half-length lead into
the lane.
On
The Tab was relentless, going by his barn buddy and also holding off the
rival in his rear-view mirror. He defeated Take My Picture by a half-length
in 1:58.4, by Senor Gide third, Hard Livin fourth and Carnegie fifth.
Waldorf Hall (Jordan Stratton), Big Stick Lindy (Ray Schnittker) and the
miscuing Shag Is Back rounded out the order
"I was very impressed with him last week [second to Hard Livin]," Miller
said. "They weren't gong much and he came home well.
"Tonight, it was the same thing. No speed up front, and he did it
first-up. In the lane, I saw Cat [Manzi] asking his colt, and I thought I
had him beat. I was a bit concerned with the other one [Take My Picture],
but my horse hung in there. It's a great race to win."
"I'm obviously very happy to win this race," Takter said. "It's one we
always point to, because I understand the history of it. I used to have
nothing but bad luck in it, but hopefully that's turned around.
"[On the Tab] was the one that Marcus [Johansson, Takter's son-in-law]
really liked and wanted to drive here [before his accident at the
Meadowlands].
"He wasn't an expensive horse [$30,000], but he always showed me
something," Takter said. "I appreciated winning [the 2009 Trot] with Judge
Joe, but he was a very talented horse when he came to me [from the Ackermans].
It's special to win with one you've developed, and I look forward to trying
to win it again."
For On The Tab, a three-year-son of Cantab Hall, co-owned by Takter's
wfie, Chistina of East Windsor, New Jersey, John Fielding of Toronto, ON,
Louie Camara of Puslinch, ON and Falkbolagen Ab of Malmo, Sweden, he (and
his posse) returned $2.20 for his first win (with six seconds) in eight
seasonal starts. The exacta (Take My Picture a parimutuel second) paid
$8.90. There was no triple wagering.
