by Ken Weingartner, USTA Media Relations Manager

Delaware, OH — Alexa’s Power and driver Tim Tetrick took on leader Strong Opinion on the backstretch, cleared to the front coming off the final turn, and then held off longshot E Dee’s Well Said in the stretch to win Wednesday’s (Sept. 19) $230,700 Jugette for 3-year-old female pacers by one length in 1:51.2 at the Delaware County Fair.

Strong Opinion finished third. Youaremycandygirl, who was the 6-5 second choice behind 4-5 favorite Alexa’s Power, went off stride at the start and was never a factor.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Alexa’s Power was a 1:51.2 winner in the Jugette on Wednesday.

“I had a hundred different ideas going through my head behind the gate, and when I saw (Youaremycandygirl) make a misstep, I didn’t want to get too far back,” Tetrick said. “I knew I could maybe get the two hole and I thought I could out-muscle most of them from there. My mare raced her butt off tonight. She was super.”

Strong Opinion, who started from post one, got the early lead and Alexa’s Power settled behind in second. Tetrick was content to sit in the two hole through an opening quarter-mile of :26.4 and half in :55.2 before moving to the outside under pressure from third-place Sansovina Hanover.

Alexa’s Power was alongside Strong Opinion at the three-quarter mark, reached in 1:22.4, before wrestling away the lead at the top of the stretch.

“It turned out to be a great drive, but it could have been one of my worst ones too,” Tetrick said. “But she raced good. (Trainer Jim Campbell) had the mare on top of her game.

“She’s been good all year. That’s definitely the hardest I’ve ever raced her. She’s always been a trip mare, but today she showed that she’s a Jugette winner. So that’s pretty awesome.”

The win was Campbell’s first in the Jugette. Tetrick had one previous victory in the race, with I Luv The Nitelife in 2013.

“I’m just so excited,” Campbell said. “We’ve had a very good year with Alexa. We’ve had a lot of fun and today was fun.”

About Tetrick’s drive, Campbell said, “That’s why these guys are good; they act on impulse. Timmy wasn’t going to go down getting locked in the two hole. If she didn’t win, he still made the right move.”

Conrad photo

Tim Tetrick and Jim Campbell celebrate in the winner’s circle with Alexa’s Power.

Campbell made an equipment change for the Jugette, adding a pull-down bridle at Tetrick’s suggestion following her previous start. It was the first time Alexa’s Power wore the bridle, which gives the driver the ability to go from an open bridle to closed bridle during the race. Tetrick used it at the top of the stretch.

“I knew that we went a pretty good three-quarters and she was going to be tired,” Tetrick said. “I wanted to keep her up on the bit. She raced all the way to the wire. I’m really proud of her today.”

Alexa’s Power is owned by Jeff Snyder, who bred the filly, and Michael Snyder. She is a daughter of Somebeachsomewhere out of Michelle’s Power. The filly has won 9 of 16 races this year and earned $429,891. For her career, she has won 12 of 29 starts and $520,545.

Alexa’s Power paid $3.80 to win.

“When she was coming around the last turn I started to get really excited,” said Campbell. “Then when she was in the middle of the stretch I was ecstatic. Timmy really has done such a great job with her.”

— Kim French also contributed to this report