Karl

The 2-5 favorite in the first Hambletonian elimination, Karl didn’t disappoint, going first-over from third on the last turn, taking the lead in the lane and winning by a length and a quarter in a career-best clocking of 1:50.3. Karl’s last quarter was 26.4.

Karl, the Dan Patch Award winner for 2-year-old male trotters, won three legs and the final of the Kentucky Championship Series and his Bluegrass Series division (all at The Red Mile), his Breeders Crown elimination and the final at Harrah’s Hoosier Park and the Kindergarten Series final and the Valley Victory final at the Meadowlands in 2023. So far at age 3, in addition to his Hambletonian elimination, he won two legs and the final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes and a W.N. Reynolds Memorial division.

trainer Nancy Takter: On the loss and naysayers after the Dancer Memorial on July 13 – I think everybody was a little hard on him. He had a really tough trip and he’d raced one time in six weeks, so he definitely needed that race. Obviously, we didn’t want to lose, but it happens. They’re horses, they’re not machines. He bounced back (in his elim), and I think this is probably the best he’s ever looked. Yannick (Gingras) said it was probably the best he’s ever left the gate in his entire life. So, he’s definitely on the upswing.

I don’t mind pressure. That’s my job. I don’t like to lose, and I don’t want to lose. So, I would have liked for him not to lose. But you know what, everybody loses once in a while. It just happens. He’s a horse, and he bounced back great. I’m not worried about the loss.

On whether the elim was Karl’s ideal trip – I don’t really think it matters. I think he’s pretty versatile. I think Yannick probably could have moved him at the half if he had wanted to. They probably would have gone a little faster to the half if that would have happened. But I don’t really think it matters. He’s got such a strong kick and he’s a strong horse and very quick. So, either way is fine.

On his schedule up to Hambo – I think he’s going to be peaking at the right time. He only had one start in six weeks (earlier), which was a little bit by design because we can’t over-race horses and it’s a long season. You kind of want to peak them for certain races, and this is definitely the race that we No. 1 wanted to peak for. You’re building a mountain, and you just want to build a good foundation and hopefully we get to the top next week.

On going for a second straight Hambletonian win – I think that would be pretty cool. I think my dad was the last one to do it (in 2014-2015). I’ve always tried to fill his shoes, which hasn’t always been easy, so if we can get it done, that would be great.