by Kimberly Rinker, managing editor, Hoof Beats

Campbellville, ON — Tim Tetrick steered Artistic Fella to a 1:49.2 clocking in the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace on Saturday (September 1) at Mohawk, giving the 4-year-old son of Pacific Fella his 20th career victory.

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

Tim Tetrick is interviewed by Greg Blanchard after Artistic Fella’s Breeders Crown win.

“It was a very tight finish, but I’m sure glad we got there first,” Tetrick noted. “It was good for this horse to go back and race in some Opens and get his confidence level back up. It’s obviously paid off for him, because he was razor sharp tonight. This horse was very strong throughout the mile and I kept waiting and waiting for a bunch of horses to come at him, but that never really happened until right at the end, when we had to battle Mister Big (David Miller). It was a great race.”

Artistic Fella left hard from post eight, cleared Took Hanover and Boulder Creek to a :26 first quarter. He led the field through a :54.3 half and a 1:22.2 third quarter, pacing strongly throughout. Miller pulled Mister Big at the three-quarters and began to challenge Artistic Fella in a dramatic photo finish.

The win pushed Artistic Fella’s career earnings to over $1.6 million for owner Joseph Alborano of New Egypt, N.J and trainer Steve Elliott. Elliott had captured the World Trotting Derby at Du Quoin earlier in the day with Hambletonian winner and 2-year-old trotting champion Donato Hanover.

Tetrick, 25, is having a banner year as North America’s leading reinsman.

“This is a dream come true for me,” Tetrick, a native of Geff, Ill., said. “My dream was to become a driver and compete at the highest level, and that’s happening now, so I’m just riding the wave while I can. It’s great.”

Mister Big nailed second, while Zooka (Mario Baillargeon) finished third. The rest of the field finished as: Lis Mara, Boulder Creek, Western Shore, Mypanmar, and Took Hanover. Total Truth was scratched sick on August 31.