Wiggle It Jiggleit wins Meadowlands Pace
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Wiggleit It Jiggleit has delivered for the George and Montrell Teague all year and the $706,000 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace was no different.
WiggleI It Jiggleit took the lead on the backstretch and held on to make 24-year-old Montrell Teague the youngest driver to win the Meadowlands' signature race and give owner George Teague Jr. his second win in the event for 3-year-old pacers.
It was a performance that had Montrell Teague pumping his fist about 20 yards before the finish line and one that put a big smile on his father's face after the colt won for 14th time in 15 starts.
''I saw him (the colt) digging in and I couldn't be prouder of my son, Montrell,'' said George Teague, who won this race in 2007 with Southwind Lynx. ''He speaks for himself. He is doing a great job with the horse, as much as the horse is doing for him.''
Wiggle Jiggleit paced the mile in 1:47 4/5. The Clyde Francis-trained winner paid $2.80, $2.20 and $2.10.
''Once he cleared I felt pretty confident,'' the younger Teague said.
Dude's The Man returned $17.40 and $9.20. Wakizashi Hanover, who handed the winner his only defeat this year and challenged him at the top of the stretch, finished third and was $2.80 for show.
In The Arsenal took the lead at the start and held it until the younger Teague put the son of Mr. Wiggles in gear approaching the opening quarter-mile.
Tim Tetrick and Wakizashi challenged entering the stretch but Wiggle It Jiggleit had another gear and was never threatened.
''That's what everybody dreams in this business, and I own him too, so it ain't such a bad deal,'' George Teague said.
Mach It So ($36.40) took the lead in mid-stretch and captured the $430,600 William R. Haughton free-for-all pace by a neck over State Treasurer in 1:48.1 It was the second win in 12 starts for the Tetrick-driven 5-year-old gelding.
Four-time defending Pacing Mare of the Year Anndrovette ($74.20) gave Tetrick another upset victory in the $213,450 Golden Girls final, capturing the 1 1/8-mile race in 2:02.4 It was the second win in 11 starts for the Jeff Bamond Jr. trained 8-year-old.
Trainer Jimmy Takter took both divisions of the Stanley Dancer Memorial for 3-year-old trotters. Pinkman ($2.60) fortified his credentials as the pre-race favorite for the Hambletonian in three weeks, winning the first division by a neck in 1:52.2 with Yannick Gingras in the bike. The Bank ($22.80) took the second division in 1:50.4 with Takter driving.
Spirit To Win ($99.40) got up in the final strides and edged Mission Brief, last year's top 2-year-old filly trotter, by a nose in the $187,000 Delvin Miller Memorial. The Brett Miller-driven winner covered the mile in 1:52 in the final prep at the Meadowlands for the Hambletonian Oaks on Aug. 8.
Moonlit Dance ($17) took the lead late in the stretch and captured the $207,350 Mistletoe Shalee for 3-year-old pacing fillies. With the win, Dave Miller moved ahead of Mike Lachance into third-place with more than $190 million in career earnings.
