Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Incredible Finale Series Notes...

December 17, 2005

Driver Tim Tetrick had a serious dilemma. The 25-year-old reinsman had driven both winners of the Incredible Finale Series legs to victory and had to choose one to pilot in Thursday’s Final.

Tim Tetrick drove Dr Lon and Buddy Brown to convincing victories in their respective Incredible Finale first and second series legs, establishing them as the co-favorites in the $12,000 Final Thursday at the Crete oval.

The Incredible Finale Series Final is the last stake for state-bred freshman pacers this year at Balmoral Park.

"Dr Lon is a quick little horse with some go," Tetrick said. "He had some fast miles earlier in the season in some of the major Illinois bred stakes but he just couldn’t win a race. Roger (trainer, Welch) gave him a couple of months off and he’s come back fresh and ready for this series."

Dr Lon notched his first series leg at Balmoral on December 6 with a 1:56.2 clocking, in wire-to-wire fashion for Tetrick. The pacer followed that up by winning the second series leg in 1:57 last week at Maywood in a similar front-end effort.

Appropriately, Dr Lon is a son of Incredible Finale, the Illinois-based stallion and former Prairie State pacing champion for whom the series is named.

Buddy Brown was a winner for Tetrick on December 6 at Balmoral, stopping the timer in 1:56 flat in the first series leg, second division.

"Buddy Brown can get a lazy out there at times," said Tetrick. "He goes as fast as to go. I had to keep getting after him but in the end he got the job done."

Last week at Maywood, Buddy Brown had to work harder for his front stepping 1:58.3 victory in the second series leg for Tetrick.

The Sportsmaster colt used the rail to his advantage and had a quick lead going into the first turn, but he was challenged by rival Sunbeam Boy and driver Sam Widger. The two exchanged the lead several times throughout the mile, with Buddy Brown on the inside and Sunbeam Boy on the outside.

Just past the three-quarter mile marker Tetrick urged on his mount, and the pacer dug in to win by nearly two lengths for trainer Charles Von Knoblauch.

"Right now Dr Lon is the quicker of these two colts," Tetrick said. "It’s a very tough decision but I had to take the fastest horse for the final."