from WEG communications

Campbellville, ON — Check Me Out, with Tim Tetrick at the controls, hung on to edge rival Maven by a nose in a stakes, track and Canadian record 1:52.1 to win the C$530,000 Elegantimage Stakes on Saturday (June 16) at Mohawk Racetrack.

Last year’s champion 2-year-old trotting filly was placed in a perfect third position throughout by Tetrick, as Valdonna took the field through an opening quarter in :27.3, before yielding to Win Missy B.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Check Me Out was a 1:52.1 winner for driver Tim Tetrick.

Win Missy B reached the half in :56.2 and was still in front when the fillies charged for home after three-quarters in 1:24.2. But Tetrick had Check Me Out in full flight in the middle of the track, collared the pacesetter, then just had enough left to hold off a lunging Maven for the win, her third in four starts this year.

Last season, the daughter of Donato Hanover was acclaimed the best on both sides of the border, winning 14 of 16 starts, with two seconds, for $900,619 under trainer and co-owner Ray Schnittker.

“My mare kept fighting all the way to the wire,” said Tetrick. “Give Maven tons of credit. She fought tooth and nail. It was a great horse race all the way down the lane.

“I wanted to make sure I got away close. I thought there might be a little more speed than there was. But the front two were setting enough pace.

“I was going to move to the front, but Brian (Sears, on Win Missy B) beat me to the punch. I was stuck first over. But around the last turn I got to get back in behind him for a little bit and braved my mare back up. She just trotted a heckuva last quarter to win the race in a very, very tight photo.

“My mare raced great. She raced a super, super mile. And I just can’t say enough good things about her. She made it a great horse race.”

Both Check Me Out and Maven had emerged victorious in last week’s eliminations. Check Me out had registered a 2-1/2 length decision in 1:54.3, while Maven, who had beaten Check Me Out in a PA Sire Stakes at the Meadows in mid-May, took her elim in a much faster 1:53.1.

With the C$265,000 winner’s share, Check Me Out passed the $1 million mark in career earnings, now with C$1,236,801.