Talented Four Year Old Rules The Clyde Hirt
EAST RUTHERFORD,
N.J. – (Saturday, March 14, 2015) There
have not been many better horses in the sport of harness racing this winter
than Rockeyed Optimist and his win Saturday night at The Meadowlands in the
first round of the Clyde Hirt series may have been his most impressive victory
yet.
Fresh off his win in the $59,000 Sonsam Final, a lifetime
best 1:50 performance, Rockeyed Optimist was a 1/5 favorite to win the $20,000
first round of the Clyde Hirt series and he did not disappoint.
Reunited with Tim Tetrick, who returned from the World
Drivers Championship in Australia, Rockeyed Optimist sat third early in the
mile and was relaxed through a quarter of 26.4 before making his move for the
lead. He would spring past Rock Out
before the half-mile in 55-seconds and that essentially closed the book on the
race. From the moment he seized command,
the lead would only expand through the final three-eighths of a mile, sprinting
a 27.4 third panel before setting sail for home. At the top of the stretch Tetrick asked his
star for speed and the response was devastating as Rockeyed Optimist sprinted
to the wire in 26.4 to win by open lengths in a lifetime best 1:49.3.
Caviart Luca was the runner-up with Rock Out third.
Rockeyed Optimist has now won five times from six starts
this season for trainer Steve Elliot and owners Anthony Perretti, Berkner,
A&B Stable and Battaglia.
The $25,000 Preferred Handicap for pacers featured a
competitive field and a thrilling finish.
Speed Again and Yannick Gingras made an easy lead off the
gate, with Doctor Butch, the 7/5 favorite securing the pocket spot into the
first turn. Speed Again rolled through
fractions of 27.2, 56.2 and 1:24.2, and Doctor Butch remained right behind the
leader throughout the first three-quarters of a mile. Ontario Success moved first over and
challenged for the lead around the far turn, effectively keeping Tim Tetrick
and Doctor Butch locked in the pocket.
That scenario played out in the stretch with Tetrick look for racing
room as Ontario Success hit the front in the final eighth of a mile. Blatanly Best was gathering momentum from the
back of the pack and began to close in as Tetrick tried to thread the needle
between horses nearing the wire. There
was just enough room for Doctor Butch as he slipped through and just got his
nose on the wire first in 1:51.2.
Blatantly Best finished second with Ontario Success not far behind in
third.
Doctor Butch is trained by Linda Toscano for Kenneth
Jacobs. The win was the 20th in the five year olds career.
