quotes by James Platz / race details by Frank Cotolo for the Breeders Crown

Michelle Crawford said breeding a Breeders Crown winner might just be better than winning one as an owner.

On Friday (Oct. 27) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Karl, the 2-year-old trotting colt Crawford Farms LLC bred, won the Crown final over rival T C I with a track- and stakes-record 1:51.4 performance.

“When [Karl] came out, [farm manager] Heather [Reese] and I just loved him,” Crawford said. “He grew up right in my backyard and I was able to see him every day. We don’t usually take a lot of the colts, but we took a little piece.

“He is out of the mare Avalicious, who is named for my daughter that’s older now. So, to have something like this hit is just fabulous and so much fun.”

Karl was sold for $135,000 at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale to Christina and Nancy Takter, Barry Guariglia’s Black Horse Racing and Bender Sweden Inc., with Crawford buying back in.

Guariglia is famous for owning trotting mare Manchego, who was conditioned by Karl’s trainer, Nancy Takter.

“I’ve never had a stud, so hopefully [Karl] will be the first one,” Guariglia said. “It’s just great. Being in a race like this, with a horse like that, is awesome. He couldn’t have been any better tonight. [T C I] is a great horse, but it was no competition tonight, quite frankly, but it happens that way sometimes.”

Crawford said she couldn’t breathe during the race even though Karl “looked fabulous” when he warmed up.

“I know they were working on some shoeing changes between the Red Mile and the clay track… I was very confident in talking to her that he was very prepared… We’re just so happy that we’ve had this ownership group to share it with as well.”

Karl, a son of Tactical Landing driven by Yannick Gingras, settled in fourth following the start. Security Protected got control leaving quickly, followed by second-choice T C I, who then rushed to gain the top as the :26.4 first panel was recorded.

Gingras moved Karl to the front in a :56.1 half and reached three-quarters in 1:25.

T C I chased Karl to make it look like a two-trotter race down the lane, but victory was never in doubt for Karl as he drew away to win by three lengths. The previous stakes record, 1:52.4, was set by On A Streak at Hoosier in 2020.

T C I’s driver David Miller said, “[Karl] was just really good tonight and hats off to him. That’s a pretty good mile.”

The record-setter gave trainer Nancy the ninth Breeders Crown winner of her career. T C I held for second over Security Protected, with Private Access fourth.

Karl paid $3.40 to win as the 3-5 favorite.

With the sterling win, Karl’s earnings expanded to $709,760. He has won seven of eight starts, with his only setback coming by a nose to T C I on Oct. 6 at Red Mile.

Gingras was aglow by the performance.

“He was fine in the hole, but first off, all the credit goes to Nancy,” he said of the trainer. “The horse I had last week wasn’t the same horse I had tonight. She changed the shoes, the bit [and] a bunch of things on the horse. She gambled and it paid off. She sent me a video of him yesterday and he looked tremendous.”

Gingras knew he was flying behind Karl.

“He’s so fast. He has so many gears,” he said. “I think he’s the best horse I’ve ever sat behind. He has so much ability. I was high on him in the beginning of the year; he’s the best 2-year-old I have ever driven.”

Gingras said he looks forward to resuming the rivalry between Karl and T C I next year.

“Both trainers are great trainers,” he said about Takter and Ron Burke, who conditions T C I. “His horses come back fast and strong every year. He has shown that for 12 years in a row, so I know [T C I] will come back fine and the battle will be on.”