from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Tim Tetrick’s debut in Saturday’s $1.5 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands is one more first in his remarkable year.

Harness racing’s latest challenge to the throne of top driver has found his princess — a Pampered Princess at that.

“It’s a rollercoaster that’s going fast, and I’m going to ride it and enjoy it for as long as I can,” Tetrick said after driving filly Pampered Princess to a 1:53 win in her Hambletonian elimination race last Saturday. “This time last year I was getting geared up for the State Fair at Springfield; now I’m getting geared up for the Hambletonian. It’s a big step.”

This coming from a man that has taken more big steps than Paul Bunyan this season. If the 25-year-old whiz kid wins the Hambletonian, it would mark the third million-dollar race he captured this year. Now comes the biggest challenge of all, and one Tetrick has spent his short lifetime pursuing. Pampered Princess is a leading contender to dethrone even-money favorite Donato Hanover in the Hambletonian, race 11 on a matinee card that begins at 11:30 a.m. The Hambletonian and its companion event, the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks, will be broadcast live on NBC from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. on Saturday.

On June 2, Tetrick became the youngest driver to win a million-dollar race when he guided Southwind Lynx to victory in the Art Rooney Pace at Yonkers. On July 14, he did it again by winning the Meadowlands Pace, also with Southwind Lynx. If he pulls off the hat trick in the Hambletonian, Tetrick will join the elite company of John Campbell and Bill O’Donnell, who have also won three races in one year having a purse of at least $1 million. O’Donnell was the first to achieve the feat, in 1985, with Nihilator (Meadowlands Pace), Prakas (Hambletonian) and Barberry Spur (Governor’s Cup). Campbell did it in 1995, with David’s Pass (North America Cup and Meadowlands Pace) and Tagliabue (Hambletonian).

“It’s always what I wanted, it’s just happened faster than I thought it would,” he said. “It’s great. I’m glad I made the move (from Illinois) last fall.”

And since making that move, Tetrick has been the busiest man in the sport. With 712 wins this year (through August 1), he is already the youngest driver to garner 3,000 career victories. He picked up a record 120 victories in the month of June and is in hot pursuit of Walter Case, Jr.’s season’s record of 1,077 victories, which was set in 1998. The closest anyone has come to that mark was last year when Tony Morgan won 1,004 races.

Tetrick not only leads North America in victories, but also purses, with $9.2 million. He could become the first driver since Jack Moiseyev in 1991 to lead both categories.

Originally from Geff, Illinois, Tetrick now lives in Dover, Delaware in order to be closer to his work places. He is a regular driver at Harrah’s Chester, near Philadelphia; Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in Northeast Philadelphia; and, of course, the Meadowlands.

Despite his new residence, he still logs 1,400 miles in his Chevy Silverado each week.

“It hasn’t all sunk in yet because I’ve been traveling here, traveling there,” Tetrick said. “I’m tired; I’m worn down. But, I keep winning, so it keeps pushing me.”

The ultimate win is within reach now, and Tetrick is excited about the horse he is going to war with. Like Tetrick, Pampered Princess is somewhat of a rarity. She is attempting to become the first filly to win the Hambletonian since Continentalvictory did it in 1996.

“She’s awesome,” Tetrick said about the Jimmy Takter-trainee. “She’s a machine. Every foot goes in the right spot; she just trots so good and nice. She’s just a great horse; really a great horse.”

Last Saturday’s elimination was the first time Tetrick handled Pampered Princess. Her regular driver, six-time Hambletonian winner John Campbell, co-owns a horse, Flirtin Man, in the Hambletonian, so Takter turned to Tetrick.

“What are you going to do? John’s got a horse,” said Takter, who won the 1997 Hambletonian with Malabar Man. “But who is hotter than Tim? He’s been very lucky. I hope it stays with him for a while.”

Tetrick was temporarily trapped along the rail in the Hambletonian elim, but was able to find open space in mid-stretch and Pampered Princess trotted to a 2-3/4 length win.

“I don’t ever like to get locked in, that’s usually not my strategy,” he said. “But it’s a big track with a long stretch and they went big fractions. It’s a filly against the boys and sometimes you’ve got to use strategy and stay in longer.

“Thank God it worked out, because if I’d gotten shuffled (back) I would have been the bad guy,” he added. “I never drove her; I didn’t know how she would be if I ripped her out there.”

But, as is usually the case on this journey, Tetrick landed in the winner’s circle.

Broadway star to sing National Anthem at Hambletonian

Tony-nominated actor Jonathan Groff of Broadway’s smash hit Spring Awakening will perform the National Anthem on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands.

Groff was nominated as best actor for his role as Melchior. The show won eight Tony awards this year, including Best Musical.

Groff is the son of trainer Jim Groff of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a well-known name on the Pennsylvania harness racing circuit.

After Groff performs the National Anthem, he will return to Manhattan for afternoon and evening performances of Spring Awakening. His family will be attending their first Hambletonian.

Nat Ray part of the 2007 World Cup Trot

The participants in Saturday’s $300,000 Nat Ray at the Meadowlands will have the opportunity to earn points towards an invitation to the World Cup Trot Final on September 30 at Paris-Vincennes in France.

This is the second year the Nat Ray has been included in the World Cup Trot, which is now in its 13th year. The 2007 series is comprised of seven races in five different countries — Italy, Sweden, France, the United States and Canada.

The Nat Ray Invitational has drawn a field of 12 of the world’s best free for all trotters, including Vivid Photo from the United States, Jaded and Giant Diablo from Sweden, and Equinox BI from Italy. The Nat Ray is race eight on Saturday afternoon’s 15-race card, with an estimated post time of 2:35 p.m.

The field for the Nat Ray, from the rail out: Flamewalker, San Remo Kosmos, Vivid Photo, Man About Town, Jaded, Corleone Kosmos, Giant Diablo, Sand Vic, Majestic Son, Med Vac, Swan Image, and Equinox BI.

European horses have won the Nat Ray twice in the last five years. In 2002, Victory Tilly and Stig H. Johansson established a 1:50.4 stakes and world record. Two years later, it was Revenue S and Lutfi Kolgjini who beat their American rivals in 1:53.

The French horse Jeanbat du Vivier was the last European horse to participate in 2005. He finished seventh in the race won by Hellava Hush.

“This is possibly the strongest field we have had in the history of the Nat Ray,” said Meadowlands Director of Standardbred Racing Tad Stockman. “We are honored to participate again in the World Cup Trot and hope that the Nat Ray continues to spark interest within the international racing community. We hope our participation in the series will encourage the top North American trotting stars to take on the world’s best in France this September.”

The participants in the World Cup Trot Final, to be held September 30 in France, are selected by a point system. The seven horses with the highest point standings accumulated from the European and North American eliminations are eligible to the final at Paris-Vincennes.

Oiseau de Feux, driven by Jean-Michel Bazire, won the first leg of the 2007 World Cup Trot, the Hugo Abergs Memorial, on July 31 in Malmo, Sweden.

Information on the series is available at www.worldcuptrot.com.

The 2007 World Cup Trot Stakes: July 31 – Jägn – Hugo Åbergs Memorial; August 4 – The Meadowlands/USA – Nat Ray Trot; August 15 – Montecatini/Italy – Gran Premio Citta di Montecatini; August 25 – Cagnes-sur-mer/France – Grand Prix du Conseil General Alpes Maritimes; September 1 – Woodbine Racetrack/Canada – Breeders Crown; September 15 – Mohawk Racetrack/Canada – Maple Leaf Trot; September 30 – Paris-Vincennes/France – 2007 World Cup Trot Final.