from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Lather Machine may have what it takes to defeat even-money favorite JK CU Later in the $70,000 Exit 16W on Saturday (Feb. 24) at the Meadowlands: red-hot driver Tim Tetrick.

Rated at 4-1 on the morning line, Lather Machine and Tetrick will start from post seven as they try to snap JK CU Later’s seven-race winning streak. Trained by Robert Clark, 4-year-old Lather Machine sports a career slate of 12 wins in 23 starts and has finished off the board only three times. Tetrick, 25, is currently the leading dash winning driver in North America with 158 wins and $1.5 million in earnings. He leads the colony at Dover Downs, where he recently had a five-winner night, and will steer six horses on the Saturday card at the Meadowlands.

“In the Exit 16W Final, my horse has the option of leaving or taking back,” said Delaware-based trainer Robert Clark. “Tim Tetrick has the green light to do what he wants; he came in here to drive in a stakes race for me. Tony Morgan (veteran reinsman and Tetrick’s chief rival at Dover) said this kid was up-and-coming about a year ago in an article. Tim has impressed me. He set a world record at Dover Downs on Tuesday of 1:50 with Poppy Lustre N.”

Lather Machine made his Meadowlands debut in the first round of the Exit 16W and rallied from far back to finish second. In last week’s second leg, he popped out of the pocket to win by a neck over Western Shore in 1:51.3.

“The first week of the Exit 16W series, he really didn’t have a chance,” Clark said. “He hadn’t raced in 10 days and I tried to get him as tight as I could. I didn’t want him to leave from post 10 and get roughed up. I told Tim I’d rather race him from off the pace and see what we could gather up late. Devilfish made a break right in front of us when Timmy was getting ready to go. He ducked back inside and didn’t have a clear shot.”

Gary and Barbara Iles of Harrington, Delaware bred and own Lather Machine. The son of Badlands Hanover is out of the prolific In The Pocket mare Pocket Comb. Clark and the Iles have made money with all five of the mare’s offspring: Scissor Magic, $120,258; Love That Cut, $257,788; Hot Lather, $122,454; Lather Machine, $170,723; and Lockes Of Love, $14,960.

“I raced Pocket Comb’s full brother, Crew Cut Zach (1:51.2, $1,006,055),” Clark noted. “I’ve had the Iles’ horses for 10 or 12 years. Gary bred all of them. He does all of the bloodlines. It took him a while to get that line going. I finished second to Sanabelle Island a couple of times with Pocket Comb. She always had some lameness issues, but she’s kicking out nothing but winners now.”

Lather Machine was a late bloomer at two and made just five starts before being turned out to the paddock.

“He won a leg of the sire stakes (at Harrington) and set a track record (1:55.4 on October 5, 2005),” Clark said. “He had some traffic issues and then a sick scratch before getting roughed up in the final. I won it with my other horse anyway (Quick Trim).

“We turned him out after his 2-year-old season, gave him some time off,” Clark continued. “He won the $100,000 Delaware Sires Final (April 13, 2006 at Dover) and I kept him off the half-mile track. He went on to set a track record of 1:50.1 at Chester Downs winning the Battling Brad Series Final (December 10, 2006). He’s a good, honest horse who wins a lot and we’ve just picked our spots with him. At Dover Downs, we buried Fake Denario N (on January 8, 2007) before he beat us twice, but we weren’t on our game.”

A third generation horseman, Clark has 20 horses stabled on his farm in Milford, Delaware.

“My father was a presiding judge for about 15 to 20 years down here (in Delaware), so I couldn’t race much here at the time because they wouldn’t allow it,” he explained. “I would go to Pocono Downs, Liberty Bell, Rosecroft and Freehold. It was okay with me because they weren’t going for much money in Delaware back then until the slots arrived.

“I usually have five or six babies a year and I’ve been lucky enough to do well with them,” he continued. “I might have a couple of 2-year-olds at the Meadowlands this year, but I enjoy being a big fish in a smaller pond.”

The fourth race on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, the $70,000 Exit 16W shares the spotlight with the $74,000 Aquarius and $90,400 Junior Trendsetter finals. The evening also features drawings for luxury suite tickets to New Jersey Devils and Nets games. Post time is 7:30 p.m.

The field for the Exit 16W:

H, PP, Horse, Driver, Trainer, Odds
1, 1, Stately’s Hoss, Y. Gingras, L. Remmen, 10-1
1A, 5, Civil Attack, M. Lachance, L. Remmen, 10-1
2, 4, Carr’s Character, D. Dube, M. Silva, 6-1
2A, 6, Ideal Michael, B. Sears, M. Silva, 6-1
3, 2, Trueland Hanover, A. Miller, M. Burke, 12-1
4, 3, J K CU Later, R. Pierce, M. Burke, Even
5, 7, Western Shore, G. Brennan, E. Miller, 5-1
6, 8, Pembroke Touch, B. Sears, R. Bendis, 15-1
7, 9, Lather Machine, T. Tetrick, R. Clark, 4-1
8, 10, Wonderful One, D. Miller, C. De Pinto, 15-1

Update your bookmarks: Meadowlands moves to a new URL

The new online home of the world’s greatest harness racing is www.meadowlandsracetrack.com.

The Meadowlands’ new URL will be activated Saturday, February 24. The current URL, www.thebigm.com, will remain active to bring book-marked users to the new site. A new look for the web site is also in the works and will be unveiled this summer.

Chrebet and McDermott take on The Meadowlands Insider

On this weekend’s Meadowlands Racing Insider web radio show, the dynamic duo of trainer Kevin McDermott and retired New York Jets wide receiver Wayne Chrebet speak with Mike Curci about their on-track success and goals for the future.

Plus, Yannick Gingras previews his winter series final drives for this weekend, Hollywood Heyden delivers his Backstretch Buzz and more.

Click here to listen: http://www.sportsnetamerica.com/harness_racing_insider.html.

Around The Meadowlands: winter series preview

Trainer Ray Remmen qualified four finalists for Saturday’s winter series finals: the entry of Stately’s Hoss and Civil Attack in the $70,000 Exit 16W and Mr Lifeguard and Spin Rate in the $90,400 Junior Trendsetter.

“He’ll be out there trying to get a check,” Remmen said of Stately’s Hoss (race four, post one, #1). “JK CU Later lays over the field. It’s a tough race. If both of my horses get some money in here, we’ll be thrilled. Civil Attack’s (race four, post five, #1A) got some talent, but against these, it’s going to be very tough.”

Of his Junior Trendsetter duo, Remmen said: “Mr Lifeguard went a big race last time. He hadn’t shown a whole lot before that. If things go his way, don’t be surprised if he’s right there. Spin Rate’s in a similar spot to Mr Lifeguard. They both need to work things out their own way, but he’s got some ability, too. He’s been second and third in this series. If he gets a break or two, he can be right there.”

Trainer Erv Miller will send out Pirate Image (race six, post one) in the Junior Trendsetter and Western Shore (race four, post five) in the Exit 16W.

“I bought Pirate Image for the owner (Nick Capparelli of Elmont, New York) to be a fair horse,” Miller noted, “but he’s already made back more than we gave for him.

“Western Shore’s got a big chance,” he continued. “I’m quite happy with how he’s done so far this year. The reason he has only 13 races combined at ages three and four? He’s a narrower type of horse. I wanted to add some weight to him. Last year, he went two heats in the Hoosier Cup and bled. Now he’s on Lasix. I’ve made some bridle changes on him this week in hopes he’ll be smoother in the turns.”

Driver Daniel Dube rated two of his Saturday contenders, Carrs Character (race four, post four, #2) and St Pete Star (race six, post five).

“Nobody was leaving last week so I raced him up front,” Dube said of Carrs Character. “He raced well, although he’s probably a little better if he can race from off the pace and close some. This is a tough field, the best horses he’s faced. He’s going to need a great trip against these kinds of horses.

Of St Pete Star, Dube said: “I two-moved him last week to the top. He just got beat a nose. The week before was the first time I drove him and he had a lot of traffic. So far, so good with him.”

Aquarius finalist Fox Valley Appeal (race eight, post six) may be pint-sized but he has a powerful engine, according to trainer Jeff Smith.

“He’s a little guy, not much bigger than a pony,” Smith said. “When I bought him, it was to be a raceway horse, mostly on the half-mile. He’s turned out to be a lot more than that.

“He’s a bit of a trip horse,” Smith continued. “If he gets towed into it, he’s a winner. He loves to finish. He trained super on Wednesday. Last year, he was chasing horses like Artistic Fella around. He’s not the kind of horse who can go out there and rough it, especially not against this kind. But, I’m very much looking forward to the race. I feel he’s got a big shot, as good as any.”