quotes by James Platz / race details by Jay Bergman for the Breeders Crown

Tactical Approach’s part-owner Robert Leblanc said his colt’s performance winning the $672,000 Breeders Crown final for 3-year-old trotters on Saturday (Oct. 28) at Harrah’s Hoosier Park should erase all doubt about which horse is the best in the division.

“We’ve heard some criticism, like, he got lucky in the Hambo or he got lucky in the Kentucky Futurity, so this one here he had to come three wide, three over in the stretch and won convincingly,” Leblanc said. “He is definitely the best 3-year-old trotter in the country and we’re super proud of him.

“He is in every race and he finds a way to win. He’s got that desire and you just put him in a place where he can go and he goes. What a thrill.”

Leblanc credited trainer Nancy Takter and her father, Jimmy, for Tactical Approach’s success as a 3-year-old. Jimmy trained Tactical Approach’s father, Tactical Landing.

“As a 2-year-old, he started strong,” Leblanc said. “He had a couple wins in the Commonwealth and Kentucky Sire series and in the final he was a little off. We qualified him and were going to put him in the Valley Victory. Jimmy Takter drove him that day and he said he was just a little off. He said, ‘He’s like his father. He’s going to be a great 3-year-old.’ It was the end of the season, and he said let’s shut him down and we’ll get him ready to win the Hambo. I thought, ‘Oh sure,’ because there were a lot of good horses, like Oh Well and others. They brought him back early and he’s been strong since his very first start in April at The Meadowlands and all the way through, so credit goes to Nancy and her team for what they’ve been able to do to keep this horse so sharp.”

Driver Scott Zeron captured two of the three legs of the Trotting Triple Crown with Tactical Approach by finding room inside deep in the stretch. On Saturday night, Zeron guided Tactical Approach to a live third-over cover trip and then responded in the homestretch to win with a 1:51.2 mile.

Tactical Approach started from the second tier in post 10, making Zeron’s handling key to the outcome. With local favorite Helpfirstedition making a few moves to gain control, Zeron managed to follow the cover of Ari Ferrari J and Celebrity Bambino before the half and that pair kept him in contention with an honest pace set by Helpfirstedition.

In the homestretch Tactical Approach, bred by Steve Stewart and Oakwood Farms, kicked into high gear, with Zeron asking him and the colt responding as he has all season long. Only Up Your Deo and driver Ake Svanstedt threatened in the deep stretch after finding room in the passing lane. Up Your Deo settled for second, beaten by 1-1/4 lengths, with French Wine coming on late for third ahead of Air Power and Dire Straits.

Now a winner in half of his 22 career starts, Tactical Approach, out of the mare Sarcy, increased his career bankroll to $1.35 million for owner Leblanc, John Fielding, Joe Sbrocco & JAF Racing.

“On the opening turn, I was right where I wanted to be,” said Zeron of his driving strategy. “I was following two very nice horses.”

The win gave Nancy her second Breeders Crown of the weekend and 10th of her career. It was Zeron’s seventh trophy.

Tactical Approach, who earlier this year won the Hambletonian and Kentucky Futurity, paid $6 to win as the 2-1 favorite. He was an $85,000 yearling sold at the 2021 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.