Defending two-time Driver of the Year Award-winner Tim Tetrick has shown no signs of rust in his return to harness racing following hip replacement surgery last month

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The 27-year-old has won 14 of 59 races (23.7 percent) since getting back in the sulky January 17 at The Meadowlands.

“The muscles are a little weak, but they’re coming back quick,” Tetrick said. “I had no pain and I’m ready to go. I’m going to start back full time this week. It’s pretty surprising I got back this quick. It feels good.”

Tetrick set a record with $19.7 million in purse earnings last year, breaking his own mark of $18.3 million established in 2007. He won 903 races last season, good for second in North America, behind only Tony Morgan. In 2007, Tetrick won a record 1,189 times. He was honoured as Driver of the Year by the U.S. Harness Writers Association after both seasons.

He suffered from a degenerative hip condition since childhood and had his right hip replaced December 8 at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He will have surgery on his left hip at a future date.

Tetrick’s rehabilitation included working around the stables.

“My rehab was cleaning stalls and jogging horses,” Tetrick said. “I think on December 26 I started cleaning stalls and I did six or seven stalls every day. I didn’t even go to rehab. They told me to just go back to the barn.”

(HRC)