by Rich Fisher, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Rich Fisher

Trenton, NJ — Owner Ed Telle feels he has something special in Miso Fast, but is in no rush to prove it.

The pacer will race in the second of three Graduate Series divisions for 4-year-olds at Tioga Downs in New York Sunday (June 10) after winning a Graduate division last week at Woodbine Mohawk Park. He is staked in all the major events this year, but whether he races in them will be decided as time goes on.

“It’s just a matter of picking or choosing what we want to do at the time,” Telle said. “He’s got what, about $40,000 on his card, and we just started the year.

“We’ll just give him some time. A lot of owners are worried about money. If I plan on keeping him for five years and we do this thing the right way, we’ll do just fine.”

It has been the game plan ever since Telle went to the Tattersalls January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands for the sole purpose of buying Miso Fast. He shelled out the day’s top price — $250,000 — for the stallion, who at that point had won seven of 36 career races and earned $647,938.

New Image Media photo

Miso Fast won a Graduate division last week at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:50.2.

This year, Miso Fast has won two of six starts and earned $37,453.

“I haven’t pushed him,” Telle said. “I’ve found out over the years that a 4-year-old, when we’re racing where we’re racing right now, you’ve just got to be easy with him. You pick your spots. You can destroy him. They’re just not strong enough to go with the 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-year-olds. We can race around here at The Meadows and at invites and what not, and we should be very competitive.

“He won’t really get good until he’s 6. That’s when I figure he’ll peak and I’ll have him in everything. He’ll be in a lot next year and the following year but you know what, I don’t mind racing him at Hoosier Park and The Meadows because they’re going for good money.”

So, what was it about a single horse that brought Telle to New Jersey in January?

“You look at the horses that went to stud, Downbytheseaside and Fear The Dragon, this horse was third to them and he beat Fear The Dragon at Pocono (in an elimination of the Hempt Memorial),” the owner said. “I just thought he’s a nice horse, he’s built; he’s just a gorgeous horse. He’s got that move you don’t see in many horses. That’s what I saw in him.”

On Sunday, Miso Fast is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in his Graduate division and will have Tim Tetrick in the sulky for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. The Ron Burke-trained entry of Rock N Tony and Lawrencetown Beach is 2-1.

“He’s in there with two of Ronnie Burke’s horses, and you know Ronnie sends them to the gate fit, they’re ready to rock,” Telle said. “But I think he’s getting better each week. It just depends on how Tim takes him. He’s getting to know him and he’s going where he is to drive him.

“He’s got an eighth move that nobody has. When he moves him, that boy flies. Last week he went from fourth to first in what, 100 yards? That’s the move he has, so if Tetrick works with him and doesn’t press him too bad, he should finish really good. He’s proven that.”

In the first Graduate division for the male pacers, Filibuster Hanover, unbeaten in four starts this year, is the 9-5 morning-line favorite for trainer Burke. In the third division, Burke’s entry of Maroma Beach and Eddard Hanover is also the 9-5 choice.

There also are two Graduate Series divisions for trotters. Ake Svanstedt’s Yes Mickey is the 2-1 favorite in the first division and Julie Miller’s Top Flight Angel is the 2-1 choice in the second.

Racing begins at 1 p.m. (EDT). For complete entries, click here.