Tetrick tactics win $260,000 Kentuckiana Trot

R Melina (Chapter Seven) rode a perfect Tim Tetrick steer to a lucrative harness racing win in the $260,000 Kentuckiana Stallion Management for two-year-old trotting fillies at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Friday night (Sept. 22nd).

Tetrick blasted R Melina off the gate from post seven but was immediately relegated to the pocket as the rival to her direct outside, Ponda Title (Kyle Wilfong) insisted on making front. They raced that way through a 27.0 quarter and a 56.4 half with no movement from the backfield. That lack of movement allowed the leader to steal a 29.1 third quarter at which point the top two turned on the jets and opened four lengths on their rivals in a flash.

R Melina popped the pocket at the head of the lane and she raced as a team with Ponda Title until they passed the eighth pole. At that point, R Melina started to edge clear, and she hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front in 1:53.1, trotting her own final quarter in 27.0 to get the job done. Ponda Title was four lengths clear of Dozen (Scott Zeron) who closed for third ahead of Bonn (Peter Wrenn).

R Melina was winning for the fifth time in seven starts for owners M&L of Delaware and Alabama Harness Associate of Alabama. The John Butenschoen trainee has now earned over $223,000. She paid $10.10 as the third choice.

R MELINA REPLAY

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting Results

by Garnet Barnsdale, for Harnesslink