EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Sometimes it might seem that Jimmy Takter never has a bad day, but that wasn’t the case Monday at the Meadowlands as the draw for the 90th edition of the Hambletonian was anything but good news for the trainer.

Takter entered a powerful quintet of five horses in the Hambletonian, which will be held Saturday, but it’s generally thought that his two best horses are Pinkman and Canepa Hanover. They drew into the same heat and drew the two outside posts. Pinkman was assigned post 10 and Canepa Hanover got the nine.

“Of course it did,” Takter said when asked if his confidence had waned after the draw. “Nine and ten is like a nightmare. They also drew into what I think is the way tougher division of the two.”