Meadowlands: Donttellmeagain delivers from the pocket in the Graduate Pace final

There was speed, speed and more speed in the $250,000 Graduate final for 4-year-old pacers at the Meadowlands on Saturday night, and when the smoke cleared, it was Donttellmeagain victorious for driver Tim Tetrick in a 1:47 2/5 mile.

The action was furious from the outset, but the inside players took the initiative, with Western Joe emerging as the early leader through a 26 2/5 opening quarter. Tetrick wasted no time, getting out before the quarter and brushing to the top with Donttellmeagain. No sooner had that one cleared, it was time for Miso Fast to show just how fast he was as driver Louis-Philippe Roy, in from Ontario, left the son of Roll With Joe fly to the half in 53 2/5. Roy wasn't content with backing down the pace, instead he hit the gas on the final turn, and Miso Fast shook many of the outer tier off as well as three-hole sitter Western Joe, who gapped through the 1:20 2/5 three-quarters.

In the stretch Tetrick moved Donttellmeagain out of the pocket, and he quickly collared the leader, yet the race was far from over as Miso Fast dug in gamely under urging and fought right to the wire but had to settle for second. Western Joe rallied inside for third, with Lawrencetown Beach finishing fastest in fourth, and Filibuster Hanover finishing fifth.

"I knew I had to get out if I wanted to follow Virgil's (Morgan Miso Fast) horse," said Tetrick.

Jim King Jr. trains Donttellmeagain, the 2-1 choice in the field, for Paton Racing Stable. The victory was the biggest of the son of Dragon Again's racing career.