Takter wins record 5th Trainer of the Year award

FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) Jimmy Takter is harness racing's Trainer of the Year for a record fifth time.

Driver David Miller and owner George Teague Jr. also were voted year-end winners for the second time in the announcement Monday by the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

Miller was named Driver of the Year and Teague got Owner of the Year thanks to Wiggle It Jiggleit, harness racing's Horse of the Year.

Takter set a record by training six Breeders Crown champions, and won the Hambletonian with Pinkman.

Takter, elected to harness racing's Hall of Fame in 2011, won 183 races and $12.94 million in purses this year.

Miller, who also captured the honor in 2003, won a record five Breeders Crown events this year. He ranks second among drivers in North America in purses this season, with a career-best $12.36 million. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2013.

Teague's Wiggle It Jiggleit won 22 of 26 races this year and led all harness racing horses in North America with $2.18 million in purses.

Teague co-owned and trained 2004 Horse of the Year Rainbow Blue.