Never Say Never N and Trace Tetrick made their second Hoosier Park start a winning one as they found the winner’s circle in the featured event of the evening, a $21,000 Invitational Pace, on Friday, April 27.

Utilizing a :26.2 final quarter, the Dover Downs invader came flying late in the mile to prevail in a tight photo finish over K Ryan Bluechip and Peter Wrenn and stopped the timer in 1:51.

Unhurried from the gate, Never Say Never N floated out to find a spot along the rail in fifth in the compact field of six. Dale Decker had Night Pro, the heavy betting favourite, out and firing and he quickly grabbed the lead through the opening panel in :26.2. New Talent and Todd Warren were content to sit the pocket while K Ryan Bluechip was next in line, third.

Night Pro reached the second station in :55.3 before being joined on the outside by Meadowbrook Tiger and Sam Widger. The field began to tighten as they turned for home through the three-quarter clocking in 1:24. Night Pro was able to put away Meadowbrook Tiger but the rest of the field loomed large in the background.

New Talent tipped from the pocket to make a bid at Night Pro and with it, K Ryan Bluechip advanced up the rail. Tetrick tipped Never Say Never N to the far outside and he exploded to the front. K Ryan Bluechip dug in gamely along the rail but Never Say Never N was able to put a nose in front in the final strides of the mile.

Sent off as the public’s second choice, Never Say Never N returned $7.80 to his backers at the betting windows.

Trained by Dylan Davis, the five-year-old son of Bettors Delight-Maid In Splendor scored his fifth seasonal victory from 14 outings. Owned by Thomas A. Lazzaro, Never Say Never N has now won 13 of 41 lifetime starts while amassing $175,448 in purse earnings.

The victory was one of five wins on the evening for Hoosier Park’s leading driver, Trace Tetrick. Tetrick also guided Always A Prince to victory in the $15,000 Jerry Landess Series Final for trainer Jim Dailey. With a final time of 1:51.2, the sophomore son of Always A Virgin-Glorious Princess swept the Jerry Landess Series and is undefeated in four starts as a three-year-old. Unraced as a two-year-old, Always A Prince is owned in connection by Carl L. and Melanie D. Atley and Kimberly Dailey.

Just two races later, Tetrick found the winner’s circle with Cinnamack in the $15,000 The Winner’s Circle OTB Pacing Series Final. The 1:50.4 final time established a new lifetime mark for the sophomore colt, who remains undefeated in three starts this season. Trained by Shane Bowermaster, Cinnamack is sired by McArdle out of Armbro Cinnamon, making him a half-brother to the 2017 North America Cup champion, Fear The Dragon. Cinnamack is bred and owned by Emerald Highlands Farm.

Tetrick was also victorious with Savannah Smiles for trainer Shane Bowermaster and scored earlier on the program with Southwind Scorpion for trainer Tyler George.

(With files from Hoosier Park)