by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner

Freehold, NJ — Trainer George Teague, Jr.’s trio of Wink N Atcha, Feel Like A Fool, and Wind Me Up head to Saturday’s (August 28) eliminations for the million-dollar Metro Pace for 2-year-old pacers at Mohawk Racetrack in Ontario from different places, but with similar results — plenty of wins. Wink N Atcha, who has raced in Pennsylvania, is 5-for-5 while Feel Like A Fool and Wind Me Up, who have raced primarily in New York, combined for five victories in eight starts.

There will be four divisions of Metro eliminations Saturday. The final is September 4.

“I think mine are equipped to go,” Teague said. “I don’t think they’re slackers. All of them have different dimensions, but they can go pretty good.

“Regions are regions and when you get to the Grand Circuit, you run into a little bit of a mix of everything. It’s the best from wherever they’re coming from. But I’m pretty content to be where I’m at.”

Chris Gooden photo

Wink N Atcha is unbeaten in five career starts.

Wink N Atcha was purchased as a yearling for $40,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale. He is a son of Dragon Again-Kiss My Lips. His mother is a full sister to 2001 Art Rooney Pace winner Fully Loaded and a half sister to 2005 Cleveland Classic winner Jo Pa’s Shark. His granddam, Disarmed, is a half sister to Her Airness, who foaled millionaire Blueridge Western.

In his most recent start, on August 16, Wink N Atcha won a division of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes by two lengths over Hugadragon in 1:53.4 at The Meadows. He has three sire stakes victories to his credit, as well as wins in divisions of the Reynolds and Arden Downs stakes.

“He’s done nothing wrong,” Teague said. “He’s been really impressive every start. I hope he has a little bit of luck come Saturday. He seems to be quite a horse. He’s won from on the pace, off the pace; he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. So far he’s been pretty handy.”

Fotowon photo

Feel Like A Fool has banked $48,693 in his young career.

Feel Like A Fool was purchased as a yearling for $30,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale. He is a son of Art Major-Fool That I Am and his third dam, I’m No Fool, is the mother of 2003 Breeders Crown champion I Am A Fool (who also won the Governor’s Cup and was second in the Metro) and multiple-stakes-winner Cam’s Fool.

On Monday, Feel Like A Fool finished third in a division of the Nassagaweya at Mohawk. Feel Like A Fool went off stride after the start and spotted the leader more than 17 lengths, but rallied with a :26.4 last quarter-mile to be beaten by 4-3/4 lengths by Big Jim in 1:51.1. It was his first loss in four starts, although he also went off stride while winning a division of the New York Sire Stakes at Batavia Downs in New York.

“He’s a little funny about his face; when dirt hits him in the face, he has some issues with that,” Teague said. “But I don’t think he’s the kind of horse that runs a lot. He stepped over a boot when he ran at Batavia. He jumped over that. He does see stuff; he gets a little funny. His name kind of suits him; he can be a fool sometimes.

“He’s got a great turn of speed, though. It’s just a matter of keeping his head on straight. I think he’s got great upside.”

Wind Me Up, a son of Bettor’s Delight-Breathe, was purchased as a yearling for $20,000 under the name Air Speed Wagon at the Standardbred Horse Sale. His mother is a full sister to multiple-stakes-winner Northern Sky, who is the dam of recent Valley Forge consolation winner Northwest Hanover.

On Monday, Wind Me Up was fourth in his division of the Nassagaweya, beaten by 2-3/4 lengths by Shadyshark Hanover in 1:52.2. Among Wind Me Up’s two victories this season is a win in a division of the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga Downs in New York.

“The next two weeks, I hope it’s the next two weeks, will tell us a lot,” Teague said.

NO ‘DELIGHT’ IN METRO: Fashion Delight, the winner of last weekend’s $473,000 Woodrow Wilson at Meadowlands Racetrack, is bypassing the Metro. Trainer Jim Campbell and owner Fashion Farms decided not to stake Fashion Delight, who also has a win in a Niatross division on his card, to the Metro.

“You can’t do both the Wilson and Metro,” Campbell said. “When we were doing the staking, we staked for the Wilson because it’s at our home track. I like racing at the Meadowlands better if I have a choice. You couldn’t stake them to both. It’s too tough on them, very hard to do both.”

Fashion Delight was none the worse for wear in his Wilson victory, says Campbell.

“He seemed to come out of it really good,” the trainer said. “I was real happy with the way he came out of it. He will have some races here and there before the Breeders Crown (October 9), but that is our main goal right now. If everything goes well, he’ll go to Lexington if things go as planned. He might possibly be back September 11 in a New York Sires Stakes race at Vernon Downs.”

Although Fashion Delight will not appear in the Metro elims, Woodrow Wilson runner-up Line Officer and third-place finisher Rollwithitharry are making the trip to Canada. Rollwithitharry is one of four entries for trainer Jimmy Takter, who also sends Rockstar Temper, High Noon, and Great Vintage to the Metro. Great Vintage, who was purchased as a yearling for $65,000 under the name Vintage Inn at the Lexington Selected Sale, is a three-quarter brother to multiple-stakes-winning millionaire Vintage Master.

Takter will have Vintage Master in action for the Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk on September 4. Vintage Master, as well as Shark Gesture and Won The West, got a bye into the $755,000 final.

Following are the fields for Saturday’s Metro Pace elims with listed drivers and trainers.

METRO ELIM ONE: 1. Line Officer, Tetrick, Vanderkemp; 2. Wink N Atcha, Sears, B. Teague; 3. Alexpanderthegreat, Tetrick, McIntosh; 4. Four Starzzz Z, Pierce, Seekman; 5. Machal Jackson, MacDonald, Waxman; 6. Rockstar Temper, Pierce, Takter; 7. Big Jim, Hudon, Dean.

METRO ELIM TWO: 1. Foreclosure N, Ra. Waples, Steacy; 2. Arsenal, Ra. Waples, Vrablic; 3. Roll With Joe, Jamieson, Hart; 4. Prodigal Seelster, Tetrick, Menary; 5. Shadyshark Hanover, A. Miller, E. Miller; 6. Odysseus Bluechip, M. Baillaregeon, B. Baillargeon; 7. High Noon, Pierce, Takter; 8. Mystician, Jamieson, Gillis.

METRO ELIM THREE: 1. Rockabout, Pierce, Vanderkemp; 2. Keystone Velocity, Kakaley, Kamine; 3. Rollwithitharry, Pierce, Takter; 4. Rock To Glory, MacDonald, Coleman; 5. Dancin Yankee, TBA, Ater; 6. Wind Me Up, D. Miller, B. Teague; 7. Lookinforadventure, Jo. Campbell, Saunders; 8. Mach Of Ballykeel, S. Filion, McKnight.

METRO ELIM FOUR: 1. Feel Like A Fool, Sears, B. Teague; 2. Dreamfair Kovu, Ra. Waples, Fletcher; 3. Up The Credit, J. Jamieson, C. Jamieson; 4. Hold Your Hat, Tetrick, Allard; 5. Ohmygosh Hanover, MacDonald, Coleman; 6. Great Vintage, Jo. Campbell, Takter; 7. Ideal Joe, Sears, E. Miller; 8. Nakai Hanover, Jo. Campbell, Shea.