Tioga: Triple for Tetrick in Graduate Series events

Fresh off picking up his 11,000th career victory on Saturday night at Woodbine Mohawk Park, driver Tim Tetrick bagged three of the four $50,000 Graduate Series divisions for 4-year-olds that took place on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs.

In the first pacing flight, Tetrick hustled The Downtown Bus to the front from post six and chopped out the opening quarter in 26 seconds before releasing Courtly Choice (David Miller) to command. Courtly Choice got to the half in 54 seconds and then hooked up in a wicked duel with Lather Up, with those two locking horns to three-quarters in 1:20 flat.

Courtly Choice had clearly rebuffed Lather Up around the last turn and turned for home first, but he wandered off the rail, giving The Downtown Bus room to operate. He had some pace to go with that space, and he would nose out Courtly Choice on the wire, winning in 1:48 2/5. Lather Up gamely held third despite the rough trip.

"He raced really good," remarked Tetrick. "I know Courtly Choice, in the lane he'll always kind of drift out, so I thought I'd get a seam, especially if he was a little bit tired. Big fractions, Lather Up took it right to him, and I just got lucky to get up the inside. I just barely got there."

The Downtown Bus, a Mach Three gelding, is co-owned by trainer Jeff Gillis and Ellen Ott, who are also the breeders. This was The Downtown Bus's 14th career win, and he has now earned $389,505. Dispatched at 11-1, he paid $25.20 to win.

Tetrick would also win the other pacing split with Backstreet Shadow in 1:49 1/5. This Is The Plan (Yannick Gingras) did the pace-making in the event, clicking off panels of 26 2/5, 55 1/5, and 1:21 1/5, but Backstreet Shadow, who followed the cover of favorite Thinkbig Dreambig (Scott Zeron) from second-over, pounced in the lane, getting up to score by half a length. This Is The Plan had to settle for second, with Done Well (Dexter Dunn) third.

Scott Di Domenico trains Backstreet Shadow, a gelded son of Shadow Play, for owner William Hartt. Backstreet Shadow made his 11th appearance in the winner's circle, and he has now banked $247,146. The 4-1 third choice, he returned $10.00 to win.

Tetrick completed the hat trick in the second of two sections for trotters with Crystal Fashion in 1:53 3/5. Crystal Fashion left strongly from the pole position and forced public choice Six Pack (Ake Svanstedt) to back into the pocket prior to the 28 3/5 opening quarter. Crystal Fashion then got a soft half in just 58 1/5, which helped him stave off the long first-over grind of Fiftydallarbill (D. Miller), who ranged into contention at the 1:26 1/5 three-quarters.

Crystal Fashion maintained the lead around the far turn, and kept on going in the lane, keeping Fiftydallarbill at bay by a length. Six Pack finished in the third spot.

"Timmy got him out of there really good," said winning trainer Jim Campbell. "He ended up cutting it, and the horse dug in when Fiftydallarbill came up to him. Down the lane Crystal looked strong, and I was very, very proud of him.

"We're going to follow the Graduate through, and then after that is the Hambletonian Maturity. All those races are for 4-year-olds, and we'll see how it goes from there. We're just taking it one race at a time."

Crystal Fashion, a Cantab Hall gelding, is owned by Fashion Farms LLC. He is now a 15-time winner, and he has now put away $1,302,509. Sent off at 5-2, Crystal Fashion paid $7.40 to win.

Back in the first trot tilt, it was Custom Cantab (D. Miller) beating the boys in 1:52 4/5. She posted fractions of 28, 57 3/5, and 1:24 2/5 after going to the point from the inside post, and she rebuffed a first-over Muscle M Up (Svanstedt) to tally by three-parts of a length. Mississippi Storm (Tetrick) finished third.

"I thought we were in good shape," offered Miller. "She was able to get pretty soft fractions, and she's usually pretty strong off a trip like that. She's pretty much a push-button horse to get along with."

The victorious daughter of Mr Cantab is trained by Chris Beaver, who also shares ownership with Donald Robinson and R.B.H. Ventures Inc. She now has a record of 16-10-7 from 34 efforts, and she has pocketed $788,077. The 8-5 second choice, she returned $5.40 to win.