25-year-old Tim Tetrick added another milestone to his record-setting season when he became the youngest driver to win the $1 million Meadowlands Pace for 3-year-old pacers with 6-1 third choice Southwind Lynx on Saturday night before a crowd of 17,015 at the East Rutherford oval.
Entering the stretch, Tetrick and Southwind Lynx were seventh, buried along the pylons, until 9-1 Running Book drifted out and opened up a path for them. Tetrick rocketed up the inside to score a 1 1/2-length victory over 5-2 second choice Tell All in 1:49 1/5 for the one mile on a fast track at Meadowlands Racetrack. Artriverderci rallied off a third-over trip to finish another 1/4 length behind them in third.
Winning driver Tim Tetrick said, "At the early part of it, I thought I was screwed. I got pushed down on the rail and I thought it was hopeless and I'd never get out. I just kept my patience and, thank God, it opened up late for me. Mid-stretch, I was just looking for a place to go. I had a lot of horse but nowhere to use my horse. Late, (Pandoras Sox) and those guys started clearing to go to the outside but after that, I just kept on the rail. (Running Book) drifted off and I took what he gave me and I'm lucky he got through there. He was still a little rolly tonight. He still had some trouble. It's hard for him to go real fast and smooth all the time, but he can go rough and go fast, so that's okay."
Winning trainer George Teague Jr. said, "The trip didn't look good down the backside, but Timmy ducked him inside and did was he supposed to do. Last week, I really was impressed. He was off four weeks and still qualified for the Pace final. I thought last week's race would launch him into a good night here. I thought we were in a good spot in the stretch, but on the backside, I thought we were screwed. I think that's where he's best at, coming off cover."
Brian Sears, driver of beaten favorite and last place finisher Always A Virgin said, "I thought he was going to be real close, but he got caught on a bad spot with the whip and he ran."
On the Pace undercard, 3-10 favorite Donato Hanover strengthened his position as the Hambletonian favorite when he breezed to his eleventh straight win in the $400,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial. Driver Ron Pierce nudged Donato Hanover to the lead before the half and, admittedly, "just sat there" as he cruised to a 1:54 2/5 victory. Mythical Lindy closed off a second-over trip to finish a length behind in second, while Please Poppy was third.
"I was thinking everybody who was behind me was in a little trouble, because they were racing for second money at that point [in the stretch]," Pierce said. "I haven't asked him for anything yet. I was just sitting there
