Karl Tonite

[Miguel_Sanchez]

Once again the bridge jumpers took a major beating. Out of $167,000 bet to place $148,000 was bet on Karl. If Karl had held second he would have paid $2.10. Why in the world do people make a bet like this to make 5%? I also noticed Yannick didn’t try to urge Karl on when the other horses were coming. He must of sensed something wasn’t quite right with the horse.

Yannick hasn't touched him all season because he can't or he will run!

[Grandstand Handicapper]

The arm-chair and internet trainers will be out in full force ranting and raving and preaching from their soapbox. However, let us not forget, one very important piece of information. Team Takter actually trains the horse. They don't play a trainer on the internet. Fact is, that horse got completely abused tonight. YG drove him like a moron. You can say victim of circumstance, but I don't remember John Campbell looking that inept. He got used and abused getting to the top. Based upon the drive and his trip, he didn't do anything other than disappoint the people who were calling him the greatest trotter of all time. It ain't over yet, except the in-house trainers are saying it is.

On a related note, Svanstedt is a genius.

[Miguel_Sanchez]

The arm-chair and internet trainers will be out in full force ranting and raving and preaching from their soapbox. However, let us not forget, one very important piece of information. Team Takter actually trains the horse. They don't play a trainer on the internet. Fact is, that horse got completely abused tonight. YG drove him like a moron. You can say victim of circumstance, but I don't remember John Campbell looking that inept. He got used and abused getting to the top. Based upon the drive and his trip, he didn't do anything other than disappoint the people who were calling him the greatest trotter of all time. It ain't over yet, except the in-house trainers are saying it is.

On a related note, Svanstedt is a genius.

What are you watching?  He has raced the exact same every start.  1/2 in 55 and he was abused?  Are you kidding me?  He's lame.  He can't leave the gate or go the last turn. 

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

Karl will end his career as the greatest trotter ever.

[Here they come]

Karl changed front shoes steel to aluminum. He looked bumpy warming up earlier. I’m sure he’ll be going back to steel. He still seems is better than this group of 3 yr old trotters. He’s still the one to beat.

[TimTimTimbo]

He looked like a shell of himself tonight. He is way better than that

I would be more worried about TCI, he looked like a maiden trotter tonite

I still think Karl is way, way better and if Ake trained him, he would be even better. Takter, Jimmy or his daughter aren't in the same zip code as Ake.

Even Gural said Ake is the best trainer in US and it's not close

[Grandstand Handicapper]

What are you watching?  He has raced the exact same every start.  1/2 in 55 and he was abused?  Are you kidding me?  He's lame.  He can't leave the gate or go the last turn.

You rant and rave and all you have talked about is soundness speak. You are focusing all your attention on lame, soundness, rigging, etc., and ignoring reality to suit some foolish point because you know better than Takter. Same way every start? 6 wide and not being able to go forward through the first turn, never a chance to settle, out every step? Sure a 55 half is not egregious, but one, what was his half and two, he didn't clear until into the far turn, with a back half on the board of 54.3.....in a 150 mile...... and with being about 6 or 6 1/2 off, after being that wide, right, that was the same every start. The other division went in 51 and 1 and I don't see everyone screaming about TCI who spit it tonight like a kid eating liver. Getting beat by two tripped out horses, but good horses, doesn't spell lame. He may not be 100% sound, but I don't see Team Takter coming to you to help them. You're the typical nobody who is telling one of the leading professionals in the game that you know better. Good luck with that.

I don't care if they retire him tomorrow. It doesn't give any credibility to what you are saying. This is a pretty talented colt. He was the class leader from day one and all the others are starting to catch up to him. Very common. Happens a lot with a standout leader. If they couldn't keep him winning, they are far more focused on a Saturday afternoon in August than they are about tonight. IMO YG did not do a good job on this horse at all tonight. Even with that, he still only got beat 2 and he didn't slash him when he knew he was beat.

Now Funtime Bayama.......some thing not good happened to him tonight. DD pulls the pocket () and backs through the field, brought to a slow jog and is beat 30 plus lengths? Maybe he bled bad or something. I don't know but that was not good.

And....Ake is a genius. This guy is the premier trotting trainer in North America. He doesn't have the depth or bench Takter, or others, have and he won't win every sire stake or stakes race on the calendar. But when the big money is on the line, this guy is showing up to the big dances and his horses have got their dancing shoes on and are ready to rock and roll. Pure genius. Excellent, top horseman.

[Parked]

Karl was the 2 nd. horse in the race to get beat.  Will we  to wait another month before he races again ?   I’d hate to get his vet bill for next 3 weeks. 

[Grandstand Handicapper]

Karl was the 2 nd. horse in the race to get beat.  Will we  to wait another month before he races again ?   I’d hate to get his vet bill for next 3 weeks.

LOL. Unless something is wrong, I am sure Saturday, August 3rd is still circled on their calendar. But, if he wins, I am guessing the vet bill won't be an issue, LOL.

On a related note, Highland Kismet certainly did not show up last night.....and what was Bob McClure doing? I know he gapped off the gait in a previous start, but what was that? He looked like he could barely get a hold of the track until the backstretch, and even then he wasn't making up ground. Made up ground to get beat what, 3 lengths?

And, on the pacing side, like her or not, Casie's colts and Tony Beaton run 1-2 in the Meadowlands Pace! And Jody Jamieson picks up the last check getting 5th. J-Mac, Louie Roy, Casie and Tony bring home all the money! Looks like her business model worked at least last night. I wonder if she's going to stick with it or completely give it up like she said she was considering.

[SDST2009]

You rant and rave and all you have talked about is soundness speak. You are focusing all your attention on lame, soundness, rigging, etc., and ignoring reality to suit some foolish point because you know better than Takter. Same way every start? 6 wide and not being able to go forward through the first turn, never a chance to settle, out every step? Sure a 55 half is not egregious, but one, what was his half and two, he didn't clear until into the far turn, with a back half on the board of 54.3.....in a 150 mile...... and with being about 6 or 6 1/2 off, after being that wide, right, that was the same every start. The other division went in 51 and 1 and I don't see everyone screaming about TCI who spit it tonight like a kid eating liver. Getting beat by two tripped out horses, but good horses, doesn't spell lame. He may not be 100% sound, but I don't see Team Takter coming to you to help them. You're the typical nobody who is telling one of the leading professionals in the game that you know better. Good luck with that.

I don't care if they retire him tomorrow. It doesn't give any credibility to what you are saying. This is a pretty talented colt. He was the class leader from day one and all the others are starting to catch up to him. Very common. Happens a lot with a standout leader. If they couldn't keep him winning, they are far more focused on a Saturday afternoon in August than they are about tonight. IMO YG did not do a good job on this horse at all tonight. Even with that, he still only got beat 2 and he didn't slash him when he knew he was beat.

Now Funtime Bayama.......some thing not good happened to him tonight. DD pulls the pocket () and backs through the field, brought to a slow jog and is beat 30 plus lengths? Maybe he bled bad or something. I don't know but that was not good.

And....Ake is a genius. This guy is the premier trotting trainer in North America. He doesn't have the depth or bench Takter, or others, have and he won't win every sire stake or stakes race on the calendar. But when the big money is on the line, this guy is showing up to the big dances and his horses have got their dancing shoes on and are ready to rock and roll. Pure genius. Excellent, top horseman.

While I agree with you a lot of the time and don't necessarily disagree with you on some of the points above, I do have a different viewpoint on a few things:
If Karl is as good as a lot of people (myself included) believe he is, last night was NOT a tough trip for him. This horse, with the talent he's shown all along, should have been able to tackle that trip in his sleep.
If you thought that horse looked sound warming up, I truly don't know what to tell you. If you want to call that armchair veterinarian-ism, that's ok. But I have eyes and have had seen (and had) my fair share of unsound horses. He is not right.
I can't say if that alone is why he was disappointing last night. No one on here (that I can tell) is close to the horse/stable at all, so that's for the Takters to figure out. Hopefully they can.

I am not screaming about TCI, personally, because he hasn't looked like the horse we saw last year pretty much at all this year. I assumed he would lose tonight, quite frankly. I assumed incorrectly it would be to Highland Kismet, who disappointed tremendously. I am a little more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt (he's way greener, has never raced anywhere else, maybe wasn't getting over the surface the best) but I had him pegged as better than that.

And, we agree Ake is an absolute genius and elite level trainer, but he has a stable of 100+, I believe, and was trainer of the year multiple times in Sweden with huge stables there, too. I am not sure who has more horses (him or Takter) but it's not like he's operating a small bench or doesn't have the experience. His horses appear to be rounding into form at a pretty ideal time, while the other three top contenders (in my mind, at least) are trending the other way.

I truly believe Karl is the fastest and most talented of them all, but his connections better get their horse in order or August 3rd is going to be a tough one for them. I don't really call that armchair anything. It's facts. He's going to have to do better to win the Hambo.

[The Thorn]

And....Ake is a genius.  this guy is showing up to the big dances and his horses have got their dancing shoes on and are ready to rock and roll. Pure genius. Excellent, top horseman.

Yes Ake is a genius.  Super high win % and it doesn't matter how long they have been off.  But when ready he takes their "dancing shoes" off.   

[White Rabbit]

Karl been beat before so that’s not surprising. Trying to float the lead from his spot was a little taxing in my opinion. I don’t think that N.T. has him completely race fit , or peaked rt now, when the money and fame are on the line I think they will have him condition wise at his best aka Hambo day.
Most people on Plop and in general racing don’t understand that you only get so many starts where the horse is at 100% across the board. That’s why I have always said Brett Pelling is the best at having a horse ready for stake races better then anyone.

[jupiter]

He won't feel a thing, will be good to go for elim and final. Takter's have been here a few times, wouldn't count him out. What about TCI, 2 off performances in a row? Ake WORLD class long before he came here.

[Pacingqueen]

Karl has no chance at Hambo. Operation Hambo over.

[chester]

Was at the Meadowlands last night and Karl and kismet did not warm up good.  Karl was hopping and kismet was all lathered up.  My buddies took a shot leaving Karl out in picks, but didn't use the 2. I was in Mohawk when kismet raced in the big race and he warmed up giant but was against him as he had never raced outside of mohawk and felt shipping would be an issue.  I was also in Vernon last week for TCI and been totally disappointed in his last couple.  I did not think he could lose last night.

On another issue last night, there was some strange betting last night,  French champaine was bet early and often like they had results in the paper before the race was official.
Situationship last flash 7-2 to 9-5, thought he had a figure, but that much money
Legendary Hanover all the late money