The Hambletonian is the most prestigious and recognizable race on the harness racing calendar in North America. It was first conducted in August 1926 at the Syracuse, New York Fairgrounds and won by Guy McKinney.
He was driven to victory that day by the Canadian born horseman Nat Ray, who apart from winning that initial Hambletonian trophy also won four American Great National Steeplechases as a jockey.
On Saturday 3rd August the 2024 edition of the Hambletonian will be conducted at The Meadowlands racetrack in New Jersey.
In August last year the handsome three year old colt Tactical Approach achieved something special that hadn’t occurred in the history of the famous race, certainly not since the stallion making race has been conducted at The Meadowlands track for the past 40 years.
The Nancy Takter trained pupil won from the dreaded 10 barrier position, courtesy of a patient and genius drive from “Mr Canadian Cool” Scott Zeron. There was no option than to drag Tactical Approach back from his horror draw and then take the shortest way home on the pylons.
Nancy Takter summed it up perfectly about the big striding son of Tactical Landing.
“He’s been in lots of spots where horses shouldn’t win from, to be able to sprint with such a big stride in such a short amount of track and get it done is amazing.”
This was the catalyst for a remarkable three year old season for Tactical Approach. He made a clean sweep of the big three events for three year old Trotters in North America – the Hambletonian, the Kentucky Futurity and the Breeders Crown.
He accumulated $1,507,989 for the season and was then Voted the USTA Three Year Old Trotting Colt of the Year and more importantly the USTA Trotter of the Year.
His trainer Nancy Takter was certain he would have become one of the greatest Trotters in history had the owners not chosen to retire him at the completion of his three year old season.
“He was a very smart horse with a great set of lungs and so much charisma. His relaxed temperament and easy manner of looking after himself would have made him an ideal horse to take to Europe and compete on the grand stage of French and Scandinavian tracks.”
Now to put things into perspective Tactical Approach is the first horse since the champion Muscle Hill in 2009 to win those three majors – The Hambletonian , The Kentucky Futurity and the Breeders Crown in the one season.
In those 15 years since Muscle Hill there have been many outstanding Colts that have tried and failed to win the Big Three including Tactical Landing 1.50.2, the sire of Tactical Approach.
Tactical Landing did however win 9 races as a thee year old including the Breeders Crown Final, replicating the deeds of his dam Southwind Serena who was also a Breeders Crown winner.
His oldest progeny were only three year olds in the 2023 season and he has already achieved a rare feat as a sire.
Last year he became the first stallion since Balanced Image in 2001 to sire the winners of both the two and three year old Breeders Crown Colt winners – they being Tactical Approach and Karl.
Tactical Approach will become the first USTA Trotter of the Year to shuttle to Australia when he arrives at Alabar in late August.
Already he has some wonderful mares booked in including many Group 1 winners and dams of Group 1 winners.