Jimmy Takter is a Swedish-born trainer and driver who owned and operated a stable with his wife, Christina, in New Jersey. He has rewritten the record books in training Standardbred racehorses and leads in almost every major stakes races won category, including 4 Hambletonians, 8 Hambletonian Oaks, 34 Breeders Crowns Championships and, numerous International races; the Elitlop, Prix d’ Amerique, Canadian Trotting Classic and many more.
Though now retired, Jimmy’s successful stable had been home to many world champions and some of the greatest Standardbred horses of all time, including Father Patrick, Bar Hopping, Moni Maker and Tactical Landing among others.
Jimmy Takter was selected as the Dan Patch Trainer of the year, an unprecedented 6 times, spanning 20 years, between 1996 and 2016. He is the only trainer to be inducted into 3 Hall’s of Fame; United States, Canadian and Swedish.
Recently, when asked who is the greatest trainer of all time, well known and very successful Standardbred trainer Ron Gurfien wrote “That leaves me with my one of a kind trainer of the century or of all time as you prefer, Jimmy W Takter. The man has truly done it all, but on one night, October 24th, 2015, he painted a mural. On that evening at Woodbine Racetrack, Sir James won six Breeders Crowns, four on the trot and two on the pace. That, after winning his fourth Hambletonian two months before.”
Most important in Jimmy’s life, is his love for his family, his faith, his horses and the industry and those in it. Jimmy and Christina’s daughter Nancy, has followed in his footsteps and is a very successful trainer in her own right.
As a founder of EquineX, Jimmy is concerned about the future of the Standardbred industry and recognizes that its survival depends on rooting out and eliminating the cheaters in the sport. Jimmy also believes that through technology, the industry is in the best position that it has ever been, to address and solve these problems.
While retired from the day to day training of horses, Jimmy now has the time to make his voice heard on how to solve the integrity issues facing our industry as well as the thoroughbred and quarter horse industries. Making trainers and their staff, veterinarians and their practices accountable to owners, regulatory bodies, associations, racetracks and ultimately, their horses, is the only way to ensure the survival of horse racing across all three categories. Jimmy recognizes how essential it is to eliminate cheating from the sport in order to attract and inspire the next generations of new owners.
