Meadowlands: Wiggle It Jiggleit back at it in Pacing Championship

While Wiggle It Jiggleit will be in attendance for Saturday’s $225,550 U.S. Pacing Championship, race 11 of 16 on the afternoon program at The Meadowlands, owner George Teague Jr. is here due to a commitment more than anything else.

“I made a promise to Jeff (Gural) to bring the horse here for Hambletonian Day and I’m honoring that promise,” said Teague about the 2015 Horse of the Year.

“Ideally it would have been nice to give him two weeks off, but he’ll be fine,” he continued.

Teague’s commitment gave Gural’s track the “Big 3” for the U.S. Championship and though only seven entered, the stars are aligned.

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“I think Always B Miki is the best right now,” said Teague with an emphasis on the last two words.

As for the 43 career starts over the course of three seasons for Wiggle It Jiggleit, the owner had this to say: “I would say he is sounder now than he has ever been.”

That’s quite incredible, especially since earlier this year there were some times where his soundness appeared to be in question.

Teague has never been disappointed in the horse and he continues to marvel as to just how well the gelding comes out of races that would appear to sap the strength from normal horses.

“He’s incredible. After the race in Saratoga and the long ship back he was up early the next morning cleaning out his feed and looking to get out of his stall,” said Teague.

There may be no rest for the weary, but don’t count this 4-year-old son of Mr Wiggles among that group.

As for Saturday’s contest, Teague reiterated that he will not talk to his son Montrell about driving instructions while at the same time stressing what he would not like to see happen on Saturday.

“If Always B Miki wants to break a world record, I’m okay with that, just let him do most of the work,” said Teague, referring to the fact that in previous races both Freaky Feet Pete (post 4 on Saturday) and Wiggle It Jiggleit (post 6) have expelled a lot of energy in the early stages only to yield to Always B Miki afterwards.

“Look at how many 25 and change quarters they had to go in a row,” Teague said.

Though Always B Miki drew inside of his fellow Indiana-bred rivals with post three, the odds are again in his favor to reach the front after the quarter rather than duel before it. Last year’s Cane Pace upsetter, Dealt A Winner, appears to have arrived on the exact date a year later in peak condition for trainer Mark Silva. The son of Cam’s Card Shark blew out a 1:48 2/5 mile against cheaper company on July 23 at The Meadowlands preparing for this event. Andy Miller will guide him from the rail.

Teague confirmed that if all goes well on Saturday, Wiggle It Jiggleit will ship to Indiana for the Dan Patch on August 12. After that the Horse of the Year goes to Canada for the Prix D’Ete and then the Canadian Pacing Derby.