Tetrick has sights on equaling Meadowlands Pace record

From his earliest days of harness racing driving on the Grand Circuit, Tim Tetrick has enjoyed success in the Meadowlands Pace.

He captured his first Pace in 2007 at the age of 25, making him at the time the youngest driver to ever win the race, and has added five more trophies since then. Tetrick will head to Saturday’s $650,000 edition of the event for 3-year-old pacers with the opportunity to equal John Campbell’s record of seven Meadowlands Pace triumphs when he drives Mirage Hanover (Bettor’s Delight), 9-2 on the morning line, at The Meadowlands.

Tetrick recently took time to look back at his six Pace victories, and ahead to Saturday’s final.

Southwind Lynx, 2007

Tetrick and Southwind Lynx captured the $1 million Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway in early June, then grabbed another million-dollar race by taking the Meadowlands Pace by 1-1/2 lengths over Tell All in 1:49.1.

Southwind Lynx, trained by George Teague Jr., was seventh and trapped along the pylons entering the stretch, but Tetrick found an inside seam to get to the finish line first.

“It was a great race,” Tetrick said. “I got locked in and shuffled, but like (Meadowlands announcer) Sam McKee said, the Red Sea parted, and I got my picture taken. If I had been third- or fourth-over, I wouldn’t have won. Everybody came off the rail and it worked out.

“Southwind Lynx was pretty special. I got to win the Rooney, and that was cool. The Meadowlands Pace gave him two million-dollar races in the same year, so that was really special. That was kind of my first year driving on the Grand Circuit. George always had my back, thought I could drive, and gave me a lot of opportunities when I was young.”

Tetrick won a still-record 1,189 races in 2007 and then-record $18.3 million in purses.

One More Laugh, 2010

Tetrick’s victory with One More Laugh, who defeated favorite Rock N Roll Heaven by a head in 1:47.4, made him the first driver to win the Meadowlands Pace twice before turning 30. It also made trainer Ray Schnittker the sixth conditioner in history to capture both the Meadowlands Pace and Hambletonian, which he won in 2008 with Deweycheatumnhowe.

“I got lucky and got a good spot and a perfect trip,” Tetrick said at the time. “I give my horse all the credit in the world. He’s been right there every week, but just hasn’t had good luck. Today, I did my job, and he was right there.”

Tetrick added now, “He was really cool. He was one of the first good horses I drove for Ray. I kind of started him along, and he was a great 2-year-old (winning nine of 12 races including the Governor’s Cup) and went on to be a really solid 3-year-old. He was just a hard-knocking tough horse.”

Captaintreacherous, 2013

Captaintreacherous, trained by Tony Alagna, had the lead before the opening quarter and breezed to victory by 3-1/4 lengths over Odds On Equuleus in 1:48.1. He became only the third colt to win the Woodrow Wilson at age 2 and win the Pace the following year. The others were Niatross and Nihilator. Captaintreacherous joined those two horses in the Hall of Fame in 2019.

“With Captain, and later with Huntsville, it was my race to win or lose on both of them,” Tetrick said. “Especially with Captain. I remember we had a really good post (five), and nobody really left, and he crossed right over. It was over at the eighth pole.

“He’s probably the best horse I’ve ever driven. He was tough, he showed up from day one. He was a great 2-year-old, a great 3-year-old (being named Pacer of the Year both years). He battled and would always find ways to win. Even on his off days, he was just a great animal. And now he’s gone on to be a great stallion.”

He’s Watching, 2014

Tetrick picked up the drive with He’s Watching prior to the North America Cup final, where he finished third behind JK Endofanera and Tellitlikeitis. In the Pace, Tetrick and He’s Watching got a second-over trip behind JK Endofanera and sprinted home in :25.3 to win by 2-1/2 lengths over Always B Miki in a world-record-equaling 1:46.4.

“He was a lucky pickup,” Tetrick said about the Dave Menary-trained colt. “In the Pace, he just came ready. He flew off cover. It was probably the fastest for a piece that I’ve ever been coming down the lane. He felt like he was flying, just floating through the air. I was down two (lengths) turning for home, and when he got daylight, it was done. I fist-pumped halfway down the lane. He was just so fast.”

Huntsville, 2017

Tetrick and Schnittker teamed for another Meadowlands Pace victory with Huntsville, who held off Downbytheseaside by a head in 1:47.4 as the 1-5 favorite.

“I baby raced him and drove him all the way through his career,” Tetrick said about the colt, who finished worse than second only twice in 25 career starts, winning 15. “He was one that just overpowered them and went down the road and got the job done.”

Confederate, 2023

Tetrick got Meadowlands Pace win No. 6 with Confederate, who covered his last quarter-mile in :25.4 to beat Hungry Angel Boy by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:47. The winning time was just one-fifth of a second off the stakes record set in 2014 by He’s Watching, and the margin of victory the largest since Well Said won the Pace by six lengths in 2009. The victory extended trainer Brett Pelling’s record for Meadowlands Pace trophies to five.

He was probably the easiest best horse I’ve ever had to drive,” Tetrick said. “There was really no pressure with him because you could put him anywhere on the racetrack. He was just so fast off a helmet. One of the most dominating performances I’ve seen was in the Pace. He was just out of this world.

“He was a special horse. He went on to be Horse of the Year, so that was even more special. He was a fun ride.”

As for this year’s Meadowlands Pace final, Tetrick will drive Mirage Hanover from post four for trainer Jake Leamon. Mirage Hanover finished second to Legendary Hanover in his elimination, going to the lead at the start and holding that position into the stretch. Legendary Hanover came home in :24.4 to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:48.

For his career, Mirage Hanover has hit the board in 12 of 15 races, winning six.

“I’m excited about him,” Tetrick said. “I think the horse has got a really good shot. He’s raced super every start this year, he just got out-sprinted last time. I don’t see him being on the lead (in the final). He cut some on the lead last year as a 2-year-old, but that’s not his game. He can just get in gear so fast and sprint so fast, that’s going to be more his game. I think he’s going to be one of the favorites.”

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA