Meadowlands: Tetrick back in the bike on Saturday

A fresh face will arrive at The Meadowlands for racing on Saturday. Tim Tetrick, who hasn’t been seen in East Rutherford in two months, is listed to drive 10 horses on the 13-race card.

Tetrick finished third in North America in 2017 on the earnings leaderboard, seeing horses driven by him earn $11,598,397. His 534 wins ranked him seventh. While he hasn’t raced at The Meadowlands since December 16, the 36-year-old does have 43 wins in 211 starts thus far in 2018.

“I’ve been racing at Dover. It is close to home. I’ve been trying to take the weekends to spend with the family. I don’t get to see them much during the rest of the year,” said Tetrick, who added that his plan was to race at The Meadowlands on Saturdays going forward and perhaps make a cameo on Fridays through the rest of winter.

Despite finishing less than $1.5 million behind Yannick Gingras in earnings last year, Tetrick was beset with misfortune as many of his top horses had to call it a year prematurely due to injury. Winter book Hambletonian favorite Walner had to retire after just two starts and never made it to the trotting classic and while his top pacing colt Huntsville earned north of $1 million, he never made it to the Tattersalls or Breeders Crown.

“Last year I was expecting a really good year,” said Tetrick. “I had a good (2-year-old) pacing colt, Done Well, that broke down after his fourth win in a row for Brian Brown; he was really nice. And Walner, we all know he ended his season early. It was kind of a disappointing year for me but my horses still made $12 million, so I guess I should be pretty happy.”

On Saturday the evening starts early for Tetrick as he steers a talented young Down Under import in the opener who could have a serious future on these shores. The 5-year-old pacing mare Shartin N has won each of her three stateside starts at Dover Downs for trainer Jim King Jr and owners Richard Poillucci and Jo Ann Looney-King. The last win, a 1:52 3/5 victory over a track rated sloppy, came in the Open Handicap.

“She was one of the best ones down there,” said Tetrick about the career winner of 10 races in 16 starts. “Poillucci bought her and she’s been good so far; a little wild early, but she’s been winning well in hand.

“Think she is (a stakes horse), especially if she gets a little bit smarter and relaxes a little bit. She definitely has enough go.”

Shartin N is not the only potential stakes player in 2018 that Tetrick will drive on the card. He also has Christen Me N in the seventh race Preferred Handicap. The 10-year-old was fourth in an Open Handicap at Yonkers Raceway on February 3rd, his first start since a December 16 win at The Meadowlands in 1:50.

While as of February Tetrick lacks the obvious star power he started 2017 with, he is hopeful to pick up a few key drives as the year unfolds. “Hopefully I can find a good 2-year-old,” said Tetrick.

For the immediate future, fans and bettors will enjoy seeing the Tetrick back where he belongs in the sulky at The Meadowlands.