Tim Tetrick and David Miller are two of harness racing’s greatest stars and they will be in action at Pompano Park on Saturday night in the second edition of the “Pro-Am” Championship Driving Series.
This 'Saturday Night Special' features Tetrick and Miller as the participating captains in a three-race series benefitting, in Tetrick’s case, New Vocations, and, Miller’s favourite, The Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Each captain has three amateur teammates competing for bragging rights as Tetrick seeks to defend the title he won last year.
“This is war,” Tetrick said. “My name is first on this year’s trophy to be presented and I want to keep it that way!”
Miller, on the other hand, disagrees and said, “When Timmy says this is war, he is spot on. It’s, of course, friendly war, but I think I have the team and the horses to give him some of that friendly fire he shot at me last year here.”
Of course, the big winner will be the charities that they represent.
Said Miller, “Both Timmy and I have been blessed with an unbelievable amount of success in this great sport and this is a way to send some of the blessing we have enjoyed to those less fortunate.”
Tetrick echoed Miller’s sentiments relating, “This event put on by the Florida Amateur Driving Club gives us a chance to say ‘thank you’ for that success.
“Dein (F.A.D.C. President Spriggs) was the one who really got this challenge under way and both Dave and I are thrilled and honoured to participate.
“This shows that harness racing has its heart in the right place in helping worthwhile organizations.”
The Florida Amateur Driving Club has donations approaching $180,000 since their inception as all of their club members donate their driving earnings to the club and, subsequently, to charity.
Recently, the club hosted four of the best amateur drivers from Italy further enhancing the F.A.D.C. coffers for future donations.
Miller may have the upper hand in the first event on Saturday night. Though he, himself, has drawn the outside post with the trotter Garlandsandpearls, his teammate, Dein Spriggs, has drawn the coveted five post with A Crown For Lindy, a 52 time winner of $412,787. Spriggs owns the 12 year-old altered son of Cantab Hall and is listed as the 7-5 morning line favourite.
Tetrick, meanwhile, has drawn the rail with the six year-old Wire Me Cash, dropping down significantly in class for this encounter.
Besides Spriggs, Miller’s teammates in the first event are Maurice Brooks, Jr. (493 career wins) and John Campagnuolo (51 wins).
Tetrick has Gary Barbere (57 wins), Joe Pennacchio (157 wins) and “Touchdown” Teddy Bowman (73 wins).
In the second event, the Miller team consists of Tom Eichas (10 wins), Billy Muggleston (92) and Shane Arsenault (127)
Tetrick will have Tony Dinges (22), Fred Cohen (185) and Jeff Schaefer (74) on his roster.
In that second race, Thekeptman, a 30-time winner with career earnings of $261,658, will have owner-trainer Fred Cohen in the bike and will leave from post three as the 5-2 morning line favourite.
Tetrick will be driving Creampuff MacDaddy in the finale, a winner of $520,063. The now seven year-old has a mark of 1:53.3 at Pocono Downs as a four year-old and is 3-1 on the morning line.
He will be relying on teammates Jamie Marra (58 wins), Mitchell “Sky” Walker (119) and Steve Oldford (119) to add more points for the team as Miller will have Dennis Whittemore (116), Leon Cable (426) and Ron Cusimano (236) to bolster his side of the ledger.
The big winner of this extravaganza will be the designated charities of Tetrick and Miller, each of which will share in the proceeds derived from the event.
As Miller said, “I want MY name first on that trophy for next time. I think ‘Miller-Tetrick’ looks better than ‘Tetrick-Miller.’
“It’ll be a war, alright, and both Timmy and I are honoured to be a part of this great night benefiting such worthwhile causes.”
Saturday's card also features a $27,826 carryover in the Super Hi-5 finale. First race post time is set for 7:20 p.m.
(with files from Pompano Park and The Florida Amateur Driving Club)