Kadabra proves magical to local owner

East Windsor resident Jimmy Takter’s 3-year-old trotter is a finalist for Horse of the Year.

By: Ken Weingartner
   EAST WINDSOR — Jimmy Takter has worked magic with a number of horses during his career in harness racing.
   So perhaps it’s no surprise that it has happened again — with Kadabra.
   Mr. Takter, a 42-year-old native of Sweden who now is a U.S. citizen living in East Windsor, recently completed a magical year with Kadabra. The 3-year-old trotter won 11 of 14 races and earned $1.22 million on his way to being named a finalist for 3-year-old trotting colt/gelding of the year.
   Like A Prayer, trained by Upper Freehold’s Brett Pelling and driven by Millstone’s Ron Pierce, is the other finalist in the category. He won seven of 18 races and $1.09 million. The winner, selected by the U.S. Harness Writers Association, will be announced Feb. 9 in Atlantic City.
   Mr. Takter, who trained 1997 Horse of the Year Malabar Man and 1998 Horse of the Year Moni Maker, said Kadabra "was one of the better ones" to pass through his stable. Kadabra himself has a chance to be named Horse of the Year next month.
   "I don’t like to compare great horses," Mr. Takter said. Then, with a satisfied chuckle, he added about Kadabra, "He sure likes to win."
   Among Kadabra’s top triumphs were the Canadian Trotting Classic, the Breeders Crown, and the Stanley Dancer Trot.
   "He’s always able to bring out his best," Mr. Takter said. "He’s a big, powerful horse. He has strength, speed, balance, and coordination. He’s amazing like that. He’s very unique."
   Mr. Takter got started in harness racing by working around his father, Bo, one of the top trainers in Sweden. He came to the United States in the early 1980s, and got his first win at The Meadowlands in 1983. In 1996, Mr. Takter was named Trainer of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association. He shared the title in 2000 with Mark Ford.
   Originally owned by Connie and Homer Hochstetler of Illinois, Kadabra won 12 of 14 races as a 2-year-old. The Hochstetlers sold the colt to R. Peter Heffering’s Abra Kadabra Stable for $800,000 last February and he was turned over to Mr. Takter at that time.
   "I could see he had a lot of ability," Mr. Takter said. "It’s been a pleasure to work with him."
   Real Desire, a 4-year-old pacer who won 10 of 13 races and $1.06 million, is the favorite for Horse of the Year. Real Desire won the Canadian Pacing Derby, the Breeders Crown, and the U.S. Pacing Championship. But Kadabra will get a lot of support, too.
   "I’m partial to my horse," Mr. Takter said. "We get a great pacer like (Real Desire) every year. A trotter like Kadabra doesn’t come around often. It’s going to be a close vote. It would be an honor to win."
   Kadabra will enjoy some time off before resuming his career later this year. Mr. Takter has no formal plans for him at this point — he might race in Europe or the United States — but the trainer wants to be careful with his star.
   "We have a lot of different options," Mr. Takter said. "Four-year-old is a tough season. He has to go from being a boy into being a man. Normally, 4 is a tough year because you have to step up against aged horses. I’ll try to protect the horse. I expect him to reach his full potential as a 5-year-old."
   A winner of 23 of 28 lifetime starts, and not even to his full potential? Mr. Takter and Kadabra still might have plenty of magic in them.