Tim Tetrick and Mark Ford were crowned the 2010 fall meet leaders on Saturday night at Meadowlands
Racetrack.
Tetrick ran away with the driving title racking up 43 wins from October 23 to December 18. It marked the first Meadowlands title for the 29-year-old reinsman. The highlight of the meet for Tetrick came on November 20 when he swept three of the five fall series final on the card. Tetrick scored victories with Syenite in the $47,400 Paul Doherty Memorial, Island Terror in the $50,400 Stienam’s Place and Capri Hanover in the $46,200 Savilla Lobell.
“It’s been a dream of mine to win a title,” Tetrick said. “Ever since I was a little kid I wanted to make it here. To get to compete here and then win a title is pretty special. We haven’t got the best horses now but it’s still the Meadowlands and I’m happy to compete. I work hard all the time so I’ll be ready [in 2011].”
Ford captured his second fall meet training title, sending out 19 winners, including Syenite in the Paul Doherty Memorial. Ford previously won the title in 2002. In August, the West Virginia native became the first trainer to reach $40 million in career purse earnings before the age of 40, and only the sixth trainer in history to accomplish the feat. Ford’s wife, Kelly, will enter the hospital Sunday morning to give birth to their first child.
Ford also captured his first meet owner title after posting his sixth win of the meet on closing night. Ford nosed out his clients, John and John Como Jr. of All Star Racing, who had five winners this fall. Ironically, Ford is All Star Racing's trainer as well.
Live racing returns to the Meadowlands on Friday, Jan. 7, kicking off the 2011 season.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)