Born: 6/23/1981 – Birthplace: Malmo, Sweden – Resides: Allentown, NJ.
Nancy Takter, 39, started Don’t Let’em in the 2019 Hambletonian. The colt finished second in his elimination and went off stride in the final.
She made her Hambletonian final debut in 2014 with Resolve, finishing fifth. She has started two other horses in elims, one each in 2015 and 2016, but did not reach the final.
On July 18, Takter-trained Tall Dark Stranger won the Meadowlands Pace. Tall Dark Stranger was the Dan Patch Award winner for the best 2-year-old male pacer in 2019. No trainer has ever won the Meadowlands Pace and Hambletonian in the same year.
Takter was 1 when she moved with her family from Sweden to the U.S. Her father is Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter, a four-time winner of the Hambletonian and record eight-time winner of the Hambletonian Oaks. Nancy was the caretaker of Muscle Massive, who won the 2010 Hambletonian for her father.
In 2013, Takter started her own training stable. In 2014, she guided 2-year-old female pacer JK She’salady to Horse of the Year honours. JK She’salady is the only 2-year-old filly pacer to be named Horse of the Year.
Takter received the Rising Star Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association in 2014.
Last year, Takter set career highs with 72 wins and $4.59 million in purses. Her earnings ranked seventh among all trainers in North America.