All eyes were on He’s Watching as Tim Tetrick drove the 3-year-colt pacer to a 2 ½ length-victory in the $776,000 Meadowlands Pace, equaling an all-age world-record of 1:46 4/5.
Trained by David Menary, He’s Watching (2-1 second choice) followed the favorite JK Endofanera (3-2) before pulling off cover at the top of stretch to easily score the victory over Always B Miki. Tellitlikeitis was third.
“That’s the exact trip I thought he was going to get,” Menary said. “I was hoping we’d get a second-over trip behind JK.
“It’s a little bit unbelievable and Tim says he’s got more in the tank,” Menary said about his colt’s world-record equaling performance.
Tetrick sat He’s Watching fifth at the rail early, but as the field traveled down the backstretch approaching the half, Tetrick moved his colt to the outside and wouldn’t advance until he flushed JK Endofanera to give him cover.
“I couldn’t ask for a better trip,” Tetrick said. “I was second over behind the other elim winner and it worked out great, but my horse really exploded and he paced all the way to the wire. He’s not big at all, but he’s mighty.”
He’s Watching paid $6.20 and gave Tetrick back-to-back victories in the Meadowlands’ signature event, as well as four in the last eight years.
Earlier, trainer Jimmy Takter showed that he has a stranglehold on the 3-year-old colt trotting division as his trainees finished, first, second and third in the $317,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial.
Driven by Yannick Gingras, Father Patrick, the 2-5 favorite, finished three-quarters of a length in front of stablemate Nuncio with the Takter driven Trixton finishing third. The mile went in 1:51 3/5.
“There was no excuse for anybody. Father Patrick beat them straight up,” said Gingras, regarding his domination of the other two Takter trainees.
Father Patrick, who paid $2.80 to win, is now a perfect 6-for-6 on the season and his next start will be $1.2 million Hambletonian on Saturday, Aug. 2.
“It’s definitely a dream of mine [to win the Hambletonian] and hopefully we can get it done. I have the horse to beat and hopefully we can get it done on August 2.”
Takter also had the best performing 3-year-old filly trotter of the evening as Shake It Cerry (7-2) won the $213,500 Del Miller Memorial by a length and a quarter over Heavens Door in 1:53. Designed To Be finished third.