Team Tetrick edges Team Miller by one point

Team Tim Tetrick edged out Team David Miller by just one point to claim victory in the Pro-Am Challenge competition at Pompano Park Monday evening, but the real winners were the charitable beneficiaries New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program and Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.

Pompano Beach, FL,  February 15, 2022 – The annual Pro-Am event between teams led by Hall of Fame drivers Tim Tetrick and David Miller, sponsored by the Florida Amateur Driving Club, took place Monday at Pompano Park with the Tetrick team winning the hotly contested, point based competition in a photo finish by a “nose”—65 to 64.

The three-race event, benefiting Tetrick’s charity, New Vocations, and Miller’s Make-A-Wish Foundation, was decided in the final strides of the final race when Tetrick, himself, rallied Little Big Rigs to victory to set up the come-from-behind win.

In the first of the trio of Pro-Am events, the Team Tetrick’s Steve Oldford got the jump when he guided his own trotting gelding A Royal Line ($14.60), trained by Maurice Goldschmidt, Jr., to a photo finish win in 1:59.1, his margin a neck over Keystone Blade (Joe Pennacchio for Team Miller) with Shoshie Deo (Kevin Banting for Team Tetrick) just another nose back in third. Team Miller occupied the next four spots in the order of finish (Miller finishing sixth with the favorite) and, after round one, Team Miller had a 27 to 24 lead in the point standings.

In round two, it was Miller rallying with the Jen Sanssome trained, Celebrity Farms owned Encore Encore trotter Don’t Sass Me ($8.80) to score a one length win over Swan Before All (Ron Cusimano for Team Miller) with Celebrity Serena (Tim Tetrick) next. Tim’s team provided more point power with fourth and fifth place finishes to close the gap and, after round two, Team Miller had an extended lead of 55 to 47.

Going into the final round, Tetrick’s team faced the challenge of having to finish one-two to have any chance to win the hotly contested battle with the outcome having to be determined with the complete official order of finish.

Tetrick took things into his own golden gloves giving the Chet Poole, Jr. trained, Johanna Calvert owned Little Big Rigs to a 1:58.4 score over Mr Houdini (Jamie Marra for Team Tetrick) second. Miller finished third with Chav Hanover with Muskingum finishing fourth making the final outcome determined on the next two finishers.

While the final tally was 65 to 64, New Vocations and Make-A-Wish finished in a “dead-heat” of their own with each receiving $5,000 for their very worthy causes.

The USTA’s Mike Tanner was in attendance for this event and added to the festivities with presence and added $500 to each of the donations.

Said Tanner after the final round, “This was something special to witness and shows what our great sport can do for charitable causes on a local, regional and national level. I applaud the Florida Amateur Driving Club for their continuing effort benefiting these great organizations with their generosity!”

Representatives for both New Vocations and Make-A-Wish graced the winner’s circle with New Vocations Winnie Nemeth saying, “This event is such a blessing for us and helps relocate so many horses when their racing days are over. We appreciate the amateur drivers so much and thank Mr. Tetrick for his help and generosity and caring for our efforts to protect our wonderful equine athletes.”

In response, Tetrick said, “These horses give us everything they’ve got on the racetrack, and it does my heart good to know that organizations like New Vocations are around to look out for their aftercare after their racing days are over!”

As for Make-A-Wish, Developmental Manager Kevin Fantis related, “Mr. Miller just made another youngster’s wish come true. We make a wish come true for youngsters every 14 hours and it’s so great that people like him step up and care enough about the children less fortunate to make another wish fulfilled.

After the event, Tetrick and Miller stayed in the winner’s circle to autograph hats in celebration of this event.

The Florida Amateur Driving Club (FADC) had now donated over $230,000 to worthwhile causes since their inception, made possible by the generosity of the entire membership donating all of their driving in FADC to their statement cause.

Adding to this vein, amateur driver Tony Dinges has stated that he is donating all of his driving earnings during the 2020 and 2021 earnings to the cause further inflating the club’s future donations.

More FADC events are scheduled in the near future, including an event luring horsemen and women from overseas and an event between some of the greatest veteran drivers and the future stars of our sport.

For full race results, click here.

by John Berry, for the FADC