by John Pawlak, USTA marketing director

East Rutherford, NJ — David Scharf and Steve Jones’ Pedigree Snob won the battle of the short-priced favorites in Friday night’s (August 1) $431,500 Sweetheart Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies, and set a stakes record and personal best of 1:51.4 in the process.

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Tim Tetrick drove Pedigree Snob to a 1:51.4 win in the Sweetheart Final.

Driven by Tim Tetrick, the daughter of Allamerican Native and the Arturo mare Hallmark Hanover found a spot along the pylons, in fourth, while the field motored through the backstretch after having reached the quarter pole in :27.

The betting public had made one of last week’s elimination winners, Girls Nite Out (John Campbell) their 6-5 choice, and made the eventual winner a 7-5 proposition. In the early going, it was advantage Campbell, but perhaps at a price.

“I was hoping that the first quarter took something out of John (Campbell),” Tetrick said about Girls Nite Out, who looked strong as the field raced past the half-mile pole in :55.4 and the three-quarter marker, reached in 1:24.3.

By the time Girls Nite Out had led them to the start of the final bend, Tetrick had his filly in the first-over position, and as the field straightened away for home it was apparent that Campbell and his filly no longer had the advantage.

“She’s big and strong and tough,” Tetrick said about Pedigree Snob. “When I pulled the plugs she went by (the leader) strong.”

Right Right (Andy Miller), who had scrimmaged for the early lead, was strong in the stretch and got up for a best-of-the-rest second, 2-3/4 lengths back. Notjustaprettyface (Cat Manzi) finished third, another half-length back, and Twist N Clout (David Miller) was fourth at the wire, 3-1/4 lengths back of the winner.

Pedigree Snob, who has now won twice in four tries, and who has banked $280,150, was bred by her co-owner, Steve Jones, who will have — most people think — a pretty good shot at winning Saturday’s $1.5 million Hambletonian Final with another horse he bred, the heavily favored Deweycheatumnhowe.

The Sweetheart winner is trained by Jim Arledge, Jr.