Breeders Crown: Takter wins six, Miller five; cap night with Open Pace win by Always B Miki

cover photo by Michael Burns

by Jay Bergman

Jimmy Takter and David Miller completed an incredible Breeders Crown night by capturing the final event, the Open Pace with Always B Miki, in a sensational 1:49.3 mile over a rain-soaked surface on Saturday (Oct. 24) at Woodbine.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Always B Miki capped off a big night for driver David Miller and trainer Jimmy Takter.

The victory, a year removed from when the son of Always A Virgin had to be scratched from the Crown final at The Meadowlands, came at the expense of stablemate JK Endofanera and Mach It So.

State Treasurer and driver Chris Christoforou blasted to the early lead in a :26.3 opening quarter, but the driver was looking in the rear view mirror and when Miller came with Always B Miki on the backstretch he was anxious to yield. The half was a solid :55.2 and Always B Miki pushed it into another gear on the turn as Foiled Again attempted to come up without cover but couldn’t make a dent in the leader’s margin.

Always B Miki hit three-quarters in 1:23 and then was high-lined to the wire with a :26.3 final quarter, an awesome closing quarter given the conditions.

It was the third win in as many starts this year for Always B Miki, capturing the $400,000 Breeders Crown and pushing his lifetime bank account over $1 million.

Owned by Bluewood Stable, Roll The Dice Stable and Christina Takter, the victory was the sixth of the 12 Breeders Crown races for trainer Jimmy Takter and the fifth by winning driver David Miller. Takter now has 27 Breeders Crown victories lifetime, while Miller has 19.

“He’s pretty special,” said Miller about Always B Miki. “It’s a thrill to sit behind him and to feel his power.”

The 2-5 favorite in the field, Always B Miki impressed the trainer as well.

“He’s a very unique horse. I put him in the top horses to ever compete in this sport,” said Takter.

Takter finished 1-2 with JK Endofanera’s finish.

All Bets Off earned fourth money. Foiled Again was placed fifth after being lapped on a breaking State Treasurer at the finish.

As for Takter wrapping up his record night, “It was almost like 100 percent,” Takter said.

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