Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

            Southwind Tempo & driver Tim Tetrick in action at The Meadowlands

Southwind Tempo captured her Mistletoe Shalee elimination in 1:49.3 at The Meadowlands on Friday nigh, July 27, and appears poised and in top form to repeat in the August 4th $320,000 Final at the East Rutherford, N.J. facility.

The sophomore daughter of Bettor’s Delight is sure to have a solid cheering section—and perhaps no one will be cheering as loudly as former New York Jets receiver Wayne Chrebet.

Chrebet, 33, purchased 20 percent of Southwind Temp from Delaware owner-trainer Alton “Toby” Lynch, Jr. earlier this year, and the filly’s 12 wins in 13 starts hasn’t disappointed her new co-owner.

“It’s been a great ride with her already,” Chrebet said. “I’m looking forward to more great things.”

After a modest freshman season that saw her win all three of her 2-year-old starts, Southwind Tempo matured and blossomed as a sophomore, earning $532,547 this season.

Giving a hint of her future abilities, she scored in 1:55.12f in her very first pari-mutuel start at Dover Downs on November 4, 2006 with Lynch, Jr. at the lines. She sustained a wound on an ankle, however, that cut her freshman year short. Lynch had paid just $3,500 for Southwind Tempo at the Blooded Horse Sale in the spring of 2005.

“After the injury she got at 2, she’s seemed to take better care of herself,” Lynch noted.

After qualifying once in 1:55.4 with Lynch, Jr. at the lines on January 25 of this year, Southwind Tempo then won a pair of back-to-back efforts at The Meadowlands in 1:54.2 and 1:56.1 respectively. Lynch, Jr. was in the sulky for both efforts, but decided to turn the conditioning rights over to trainer Steve Elliott.

“She’s a real good filly,” Elliott noted. “Only time will tell how good. She’s up there with the top ones I’ve ever had.”

Southwind Tempo finished second on February 21 in a $12,500 leg of the Tender Loving Care, getting nosed out in the final strides by Striptease Hall. That would be the only time this year she didn’t enter the winner’s circle.

Elliott then hooked the filly up with the red hot reinsman Tim Tetrick, and she promptly went on to win the $60,000 Tender Loving Care Final in 1:51.4 by 11 and ½ lengths at The Meadowlands on March 2.

“This filly is awesome,” Tetrick noted. “She drives like an aged mare who has been out there doing this for years.”

Elliott then gave the filly a month rest, and qualified her on April 18 at Freehold in 1:57.2. In her first start back on May 4, she captured the $74,015 Helen Dancer Memorial in 1:53.4 by a neck over Elusive Prey as the public’s choice.

Carefully planning the filly’s schedule, Elliott gave her another two-week rest before having Tetrick qualify her on May 24 at The Meadowlands. Again, she didn’t disappoint her connections, pacing in 1:51.3 with Tetrick laying straight back in the sulky.

That was a preview of even faster miles to come for the long-gaited pacing lass. Southwind Tempo then rattled off victories in the $242,620 Lismore Final on Yonkers on June 2, stopping the timer in 1:52.4; then captured both her Jim Lynch $31,329 elimination (in 1:50.4) on June 9 and the $250,632 Final in 1:49.2 at Pocono Downs on June 16.

Afterwards, Tetrick was even more impressed.

“She’s the best filly I ever drove, and maybe the best horse I’ve ever driven,” said the 25-year-old Illinois native.

Others in the harness industry were impressed as well, and Southwind Tempo was named the USTA Horse of the Month for June.

Monticello was the next stop for the speedy pacing filly, and she promptly captured her $20,000 Lady Catskill elim on June 27 in 1:53.3, and the $222,250 final on July 4. In the Final, she established a new world record for 3-year-old pacing fillies on a five-eighths mile track by winning in 1:49.3—a career best.

“It doesn’t matter what kind of track we race on—fast or sloppy—or what size track we race on,” Tetrick said. “She just keeps doing everything I ask of her. She’s amazing!”

“She’s in good form right now,” said Chrebet, who now splits his days between jogging horses and running his Long Island-based restaurant. “The big races can’t come fast enough (for her). She looks like the real thing.”

Southwind Tempo next won the $50,000 Valley Forge at Chester Downs on July 12 in 1:50.2, besting her rivals by nearly three lengths for Tetrick. Eight days later she took the $58,000 Tarport Hap in 1:50.3 at The Meadowlands, before winning her Mistletoe Shalee elim.

Look for an update here soon!

Southwind Tempo Career Statistics through August 2, 2007
Year     Starts/wins/2nds/3rds    Earnings     Record           Track & Date of Record
2007 13      12    1     0      $532,547   3, 1:49.3F    PcD 06/16/2007
2006    3        3     0    0      $10,950    2, 1:55.1F   DD 11/04/2006
Total    16      15     1    0      $543,497   3, 1:49.3F