Tim Twaddle seeks first Adios Pace triumph

WASHINGTON, PA, June 26, 2024 — It was the 2022 Standardbred Horse Sale at Harrisburg, and harness racing trainer Tim Twaddle and a group of his owners were hot after Timeisonmyside, a Sweet Lou half-brother to Fourever Boy, the star of the Twaddle stable. But someone whose identity Twaddle couldn’t determine was locked in a bidding war with him.

“The bidding stalled for a moment at $125,000, and we thought we had him,” Twaddle recalls. “Then the other party bid again. We chased him a little, but we were out at $160,000. The winning bid was $165,000.”

Then came the “Aha! Moment.” The top bidder turned out to be none other than TheStable.ca, Anthony MacDonald’s fractional ownership group which already had a number of horses in Twaddle’s stable. Even though he was the under-bidder, Twaddle became Timeisonmyside’s trainer without having to shell out a nickel for him.

“It was the best of both worlds,” Twaddle says.

Now, Twaddle, MacDonald and TheStable.ca are all united in one goal: win Saturday’s $350,000 Delvin Miller Adios Pace for the Orchids final with Timeisonmyside, who leaves from post 6 with MacDonald aboard.

First post Adios Day is 11:45 AM, with the Adios going as race 15 on the 16-race card at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. The final of the Pace for the Orchids anchors a blockbuster program that features six Grand Circuit stakes. In addition, the card will offer a total of $200,000 in pool guarantees spread over 11 wagers, making Saturday’s card the “Richest Day in PA” for bettors.

Timeisonmyside has raced well enough for Twaddle. He’s banked more than $71,000 and taken a mark of 1:51.1 at The Meadows. Yet he lacks a signature victory, and he slipped into the Adios final as a 47-1 long shot. Can he actually win this race?

“A couple in there stand out,” Twaddle says, “but he’s every bit as good as the rest of them. He probably would need a trip similar to last week’s but not necessarily in the Lightning Lane. That’s not his cup of tea. He’s much more comfortable if he’s coming to the outside. He bobbled a bit when Anthony put him in the Lightning Lane last week, but you don’t always get a choice.”

Twaddle’s Adios experience is limited. Even as a top driver earlier in his career, he never had an Adios assignment. As a trainer, he’s sent only two colts after the Orchids: Utah Beach, who finished sixth in his 2015 elim and failed to reach the final, and the aforementioned Fourever Boy, who didn’t find his best stride until later in his sophomore campaign — he’s still racing and recently surpassed $1 million in earnings — and finished sixth in the 2022 championship. What would a win mean for Twaddle?

“It would be great — and never mind the money. This is the race for everyone around here. If you don’t get hyped up about the Adios, you don’t love racing.”

by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association