Meadowlands: Tetrick with a mix of favorites and longshots on Hambo Day

Hambletonian Day is always special. If you're one of the sport's leading drivers – as Tim Tetrick is – you look forward to days like this one. Last year Tetrick found the winner's circle on this day at the Meadowlands with longshot Heaven Hanover in the Hambletonian Oaks and heavy favorite Confederate in the Cane Pace. This year Tetrick is excited about the day and the chances of his mounts on the 16-race program.

A second Cane Pace in a row would be nice but Tetrick knows he's up against it with Mirage Hanover in the five-horse $248,000 Cane Pace (race two) that drew some heavy hitters.

"It's going to be tough going against Anthony's (Beaton) horse," said Tetrick, referring to record-setting Meadowlands Pace winner Legendary Hanover, who landed post three in a field that also includes last year's Metro Pace champion Captain's Quarters (post one).

"My horse didn't race that well in the Meadowlands Pace, but I think he'll benefit from the short field on Saturday," said Tetrick. "He's got a big closing kick."

Mirage Hanover (post two) will likely be close to the pace and he's already shown during the Meadowlands meet what he can do when close up, pacing a 24 3/5 final quarter in a 3-year-old Open here on June 29.

Tetrick had a choice of two fillies in the $101,000 Shady Daisy (race five) on the program and chose Lyons Legend (post four) in the field of 3-year-old pacing fillies.

"She raced great last year and won everything except when she was up against Geocentric," said Tetrick of Lyons Legend, an eight-time winner of over $303k as a freshman.

Lyons Legend hopes to improve upon her fourth-place finish in the Jerry Silverman (July 13) at the Meadowlands, a race won by Caviart Belle, (post two) the likely favorite for Saturday's Shady Daisy.

Tetrick will guide Asteroid (post five) in Saturday's ninth race, the $60,000 Vincennes for open trotters and he's hoping that trainer Ake Svanstedt has the 6-year-old ready.

"I really wish he was able to get him into the race at Plainridge (Spirit Of Massachusetts)," said Tetrick. "He's very good over the five-eighths track."

Asteroid was a 1:51 4/5 winner in an overnight race at Harrah's Philadelphia in June but was disappointing after fading to sixth in the Crawford here on June 29.

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If there was one race on the card Tetrick appeared excited about, it was the $160,000 Dr. John R. Steele Memorial (race 10) where he'll guide the 4-year-old Special Way from post three.

"I got her beat last time," said Tetrick, referring to the $425,000 Hambletonian Maturity at the Meadowlands on July 13. "I let Scott (Zeron) go and he just stopped in my face."

The Zeron-piloted Bestfriend Volo cost Special Way any chance in the rich race, and Tetrick appears determined to get the daughter of Walner back on the winning track this week.

Special Way faces a solid field of older mares after competing exclusively against 4-year-old males in her first four races of the season. Last year's Steele Memorial winner M-M's Dream (post one) will be looking for her second straight in the race after taking down Jiggy Jog S in last year's edition. The Ron Burke-trained mare has been first or second in all eight starts this year.

The veteran trotter Hillexotic was recently purchased and moved into the stable of Todd Luther. He'll be making his second start for new connections with Tetrick in the bike for the first time.

"I've driven him before," said Tetrick of the 7-year-old by Muscle Hill with 75 career starts. "He trotted in 1:50 2/5 last week at Hoosier."

Hillexotic clearly has the speed but he'll be up against a solid field in Saturday's $282,000 John Cashman Memorial (race 11) that includes a pair of heavy hitters from two of the sport's top stables. Trainer Ake Svanstedt sends out Jiggy Jog S (post three) and Southwind Tyrion (post six) in the Cashman. Neither has raced since June 29 when Jiggy Jog S won the Six Pack and Southwind Tyrion captured the Crawford in a career-best 1:49 2/5 clocking.

Trainer Ron Burke has a powerful tandem in It's Academic (post four), who captured last year's edition from post nine with a furious late rally, and Hambletonian Maturity upset winner Chapercraz (post seven).

Tetrick confessed that he's looking at his chances in this year's Hambletonian (race 12) and Hambletonian Oaks (race 14) with the mindset that drivers Todd McCarthy and Scott Zeron used over the last two years.

"I'm going to be pulling on the left line like Todd and Scottie did and hope to get lucky," said Tetrick, pointing to the ground-saving trips that catapulted Cool Papa Bell (2022) and Tactical Approach (2023) to the winner's circle in the Hambletonian.

Tetrick guides Security Protected for trainer Marcus Melander in the Hambletonian. Security Protected got a little jammed up behind the pacesetter in last week's trial won by Karl but Tetrick has no illusions about who the horse to beat this week is.

"It's going to be tough going against Karl," Tetrick said.

As for the Oaks, Tetrick again finds himself on the outer tier of the field. Last year he guided Heaven Hanover from post 10 and last for much of the mile to a major upset. Whether Paulina Hanover can pull off the same magic remains to be seen.

"I didn't drive her last week. David (Miller) did. I watched the replay, and she finished really well," said Tetrick. "She raced well for me in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes."

Tetrick had his first chance to get behind Sylvia Hanover when the 4-year-old Always B Miki-sired mare raced in the Clara Barton (July 21) at Plainridge Park.

"She's a great mare," said Tetrick of Sylvia Hanover, who easily captured that $100,000 race in 1:48 2/5.

Tetrick's second chance to drive Sylvia Hanover (post three) comes in the $146,000 Lady Liberty, race 15 and the last stakes event of the day. This time Sylvia Hanover will meet Twin B Joe Fresh again. That mare was missing from the Clara Barton lineup but will be present on Saturday (post seven) as the two renew a rivalry that heavily favored Sylvia Hanover as a sophomore but has seen the roles reversed this year. Twin B Joe Fresh has won all three contests this year.

For harness fans and Hall of Famer Tim Tetrick there is plenty to be excited about looking forward to Saturday's Hambletonian Day spectacle at the Meadowlands with a noon post-time.