Takter on ballot for consideration of Hall of Fame

Jimmy Takter, who came early on to the U.S. – “The Land Of Opportunity” as he calls it -- and has since bloomed into the world’s leading trainer of trotters and pacers alike was selected to be placed on the ballot of election to the Harness Racing Living Hall of Fame. Takter's selection came about through the annual committee meetings held  amidst the traditional Fourth of July Grand Circuit week and Hall of Fame Dinner in Goshen NY.

 

Takter will go before the voters, qualified members of the U. S. Harness Writers Association (USHWA) and members of the Living Hall of Fame, this summer, and if garnering 75% of the yes-no voting will be inducted into the Living Hall.

 

Takter, Trainer of the Year in 2010, is having another terrific season in 2011 – but a little surprisingly, the stable this year is headed by a pacer instead of any number of trotters, who are used for harness racing exclusively in Takter’s native Sweden. That pacer, the sensational 3-year-old filly See You At Peelers, currently is ranked #1 in the weekly Top Ten poll of harness racing’s best performers. “Peelers” is currently undefeated in 18 lifetime starts, set a world record of 1:49.2 at Tioga earlier this year, beat colts in the Rooney, and if staying on schedule will get another chance to go up against colts later this year – in the prestigious Little Brown Jug.

 

Takter, a transplanted New Jerseyite, has by no means given up training trotters, ample evidence being Pastor Stephen, last year’s Two-Year-Old Trotting Colt of the Year and among everybody’s top contenders for harness racing’s biggest race, the Hambletonian, in August.

 

Other top horses trained by Takter over the year include the international champion Moni Maker and Hambletonian winner Malabar Man. Takter is the only conditioner to have been named Trainer of the Year three times (1996-2000-2010) by the U.S. Harness Writers.

 

Joining Takter in the Hall of Fame mailing this summer will be a ballot containing this year’s two nominees for the Communicators Hall of Fame: Jean Emerson, publisher of the respected New England Harness News and tireless worker for harness racing; and Moira Fanning, whose knowledge, polish, and demeanor has helped her work her way to one of the most important jobs in the sport, coordinating countless areas for the Hambletonian Society and their championship year-end series, the Breeders Crown. (U.S. Harness Writers Association)