Southwind Lynx wins The Meadowlands Pace
July 16, 2007,by Harness Racing Communications, a division of the USTA
Southwind Lynx and the country’s winningest driver, Tim Tetrick, teamed up to pace up the inside to win their second million dollar race of the year in a 1:49.1 victory in The $1 million Meadowlands Pace on Saturday night. The victory was number 647 for Tetrick and just the third of the season for Southwind Lynx.
Lisa Photo
Tim Tetrick and Southwind Lynx teamed up to win he $1 million Meadowlands Pace on Saturday night.
Pandoras Sox and Kenneth J were first out of the gate, with Kenneth J hitting the quarter in :26.1 and leading Pandoras Sox and Running Book in to the back stretch.
Running Book (George Brennan) made a strong bid for the lead in the middle of the backstretch and he lead the field when the :53 half came up. Running Book was still on top at the 1:20.4 three quarters, with Tell All (Jody Jamieson) trailing him and Kenneth J behind him, then Always A Virgin (Brian Sears).
As the field paced home, horses were across the track, with Tell All bidding for the lead outside Running Book and Always A Virgin behind him. Southwind Lynx was buried along the rail with no racing room. Tell All made up some room on the field, with Always a Virgin getting to his wheel and then making a break that took him out of contention.
Tell All seemed in the clear for the win, until the green and yellow colors of Tim Tetrick appeared behind Southwind Lynx along the rail to pace home for a length and a half win. Southwind Lynx is owned by K and R racing and Teague, Inc of Delaware.
Tim Tetrick hadn’t held out much hope for a win in a race where he was constantly struggling to find racing room,”I thought I was [sunk]. I said, “It’s hopeless. I’m never going to get out. I never had the option to get out, there was never enough room, so I stuck to the rail and thank God it opened up late. Mid stretch, I was looking for a place, I had a lot of horse and no where to go. He’s still a little rolly tonight, it’s hard for him to go fast and smooth all the time, but he can go rough and fast so that is OK,” he laughed. Tetrick also drove Southwind Lynx when he won the million dollar Rooney Pace at Yonkers Raceway, “I never thought I’d win one million dollar race, let alone two so I’m just happy to be here.”
“The trip didn’t go well down the backside, but Tim ducked him inside and he did what he was supposed to do,” said trainer and co-owner George Teague. “Last week I was really impressed, because he was off four weeks (from June 9 to July 7) and still went a good race. In the backstretch, I thought we were pretty much [sunk]. This is where he’s best, coming off cover, he can sprint with the best of him. It’s a pretty good feeling at this point.”
USTA Photo
“I thought he was going be real close, but he got caught in a bad spot with the whip and he ran,” said trainer Joe Holloway of the 7-5 favorite Always A Virgin’s late race miscue.
Tell All was second, with Jody Jamieson driving for trainer and co-owner Blair Burgess. “I’m real happy with him,” said Jamieson. “I took my shot up the rail. I thought leaving the gate I would get caught in when they were swarming around me. I held my position on the rail and waited for George (Brennan with Running Book) to go. In the stretch, I got a lane and he was grabbing at the bit and digging in like he always does. He showed he can go with these colts.
Attendance was 17,015.