Why Tactical Approach Should Be HOY

[Miguel_Sanchez]

The HOY should be a horse with the most Major wins and significance to the sport of harness racing.  What other horse has the significant / major wins besides Tactical Approach? His resume includes:

1. Hambletonian Champ
2. Kentucky Futurity Champ
3. Breeders Crown Champ
4. 2nd against ages trotters in the TVG

Now look at Confederate -
1. Loses NA Cup
2. Wins Meadowlands Pace with no IMS
3. NO LBJ
4. Wins Breeders Crown
5. Get obliterated in a very slow TVG against older horses.

There is no comparison in my opinion.  Tactical Landing also raced without the benefit of stable of rabbits doing the heavy lifting to set up races for him.

[Harness racer]

Couldn't agree more!  TA beat everyone he was asked and was very competitive with older crowd!  He never dodged anyone!

[Parked]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[Crash]

The HOY should be a horse with the most Major wins and significance to the sport of harness racing.  What other horse has the significant / major wins besides Tactical Approach? His resume includes:

1. Hambletonian Champ
2. Kentucky Futurity Champ
3. Breeders Crown Champ
4. 2nd against ages trotters in the TVG

Now look at Confederate -
1. Loses NA Cup
2. Wins Meadowlands Pace with no IMS
3. NO LBJ
4. Wins Breeders Crown
5. Get obliterated in a very slow TVG against older horses.

There is no comparison in my opinion.  Tactical Landing also raced without the benefit of stable of rabbits doing the heavy lifting to set up races for him.

Weak year…. 75 claimer any other year. Another Amigo Hall.

[Miguel_Sanchez]

Weak year…. 75 claimer any other year. Another Amigo Hall.

Not even close to Amigo Hall.  Tactical Approach was a very good 2nd in the TVG against older horses that were a very good bunch.  If he were just another "Amigo Hall" he wouldn't have been a solid 2nd.  Had Ake not stepped on the gas early and got away from him in the turn it may have been closer.

[seen2much]

It should be a close vote. A good case could be made for Tactical Approach or Confederate.

[Miguel_Sanchez]

I just think it should be more like T-breds and go by Major Wins.  Confederate didn't win anything significant other than the Breeders Crown.  The other two things I don't like about Confederate are the midnight blood draw scandal and the fact he had a team setting up his races for him.  He either needed help to win or he needed to get loose on the lead.  He skipped the 1/2 because they knew it would be a disaster.  He raced against "real" horses in the TVG and absolutely caved into very soft fractions.  This big difference was he didn't get things his own way and the horse on the front didn't collapse when he got to his bridle.  I give Timmy T a lot of credit for protecting him all season and getting the most out of him.  He's the only one that really knows and I bet you deep down when Timmy has a few too many drinks he would tell you that Confederate is a huge coward and that's why he was never on the front end.

[pocketrocketwinner]

Karl or Confederate

Tactical approach lots of losses against a very weak 3yo trotting colt year. The tvg was also a weak open field.

Karl was near perfection

[Parked]

I had a nice SS horse that raced against a horse that won a lot of races. The driver I used was committed to the other horse and luckily I didnt draw in against him until the final. He drew the rail and I got the 7 hole so no shot of beating him on a half.  I once said to my driver.  That horse is tough. The driver replied “he is fast but he is common. Look him in the eye and he will hang it up”.  Never told anyone that as they would think it was sour grapes.  The horse went to stud and was a complete flop. 
Confederate has a very good chance of being a flop.  We will all know in a few years.. 

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

Karl or Confederate

Tactical approach lots of losses against a very weak 3yo trotting colt year. The tvg was also a weak open field.

Karl was near perfection

If I had a vote, it would be Karl.

[Miguel_Sanchez]

If I had a vote, it would be Karl.

I heard Jimmy Takter once say "A two yr old should never be in the conversation for HOY because it's not real racing" I have to agree with him.  Karl was only in a race once and he lost.  He raced against a horrible group of KYSS and only ventured to Grand Circuit a small amount.  He's a very very nice horse don't get me wrong.  I would gladly love to own but to say he's the best horse in Harness racing is a far stretch.

The best horse has to face all comers and Karl never raced against 3 or 4yo's.  Confederate and Tactical Approach both took on ALL COMERS.  What about the Brian Brown 2yo Filly?  She only lost one race?  Why isn't she in the conversation?

[Mailbox Money]

The entire process is controlled by the USTA GOOD OLD BOYS! The person that "donates" the most cash gets the nod,and a good kickback from the Breeders. If it wasn't for the "favors" the committee receives,all them 70 yr old members would have been retired by now! They don't like the work,they like the perks that work provides them!

[shotgunner]

Karl or Confederate

Tactical approach lots of losses against a very weak 3yo trotting colt year. The tvg was also a weak open field.

Karl was near perfection

Karl will be splitting votes in his own division.

[shotgunner]

I had a nice SS horse that raced against a horse that won a lot of races. The driver I used was committed to the other horse and luckily I didnt draw in against him until the final. He drew the rail and I got the 7 hole so no shot of beating him on a half.  I once said to my driver.  That horse is tough. The driver replied “he is fast but he is common. Look him in the eye and he will hang it up”.  Never told anyone that as they would think it was sour grapes.  The horse went to stud and was a complete flop. 
Confederate has a very good chance of being a flop.  We will all know in a few years..

LOL the horse would race through the bridle going past horses. He's not common, but I think he might be a little like fragile. Sweet Lou didn't handle a lot of training and racing back to back well. I think Pelling over trained him and he bounced.

[Parked]

I’d sooner question the horse than Pellings training ability.