East Rutherford, NJ --- Golden Receiver won his second consecutive Presidential series title at Meadowlands Racetrack, grabbing this year's $103,500 final in a 1:49.3 clocking on Saturday night (Jan. 26).
The victory was his fourth in as many starts this year and lifted his 2013 earnings to $106,750 for trainer Mark Harder and owners Our Horse Cents Stables and Nina Simmonds. Tim Tetrick was in the bike for the 8-year-old son of Village Jove-Royal Gold, who passed the $1.7 million plateau in career winnings.
Starting from post seven, Golden Receiver got away second as Mr Hasani N (Corey Callahan) hit the opening panel in a torrid :25.3. Tetrick was not content to wait, as he moved Golden Receiver to the front down the backstretch, while Mr Hasani N made a costly break and fell out of contention.
"Corey had his horse keyed up to leave," said Tetrick. "I knew somebody would take a shot and his horse just wouldn't come back to him. There for a second I thought he had him settled, so I went ahead and moved and his horse locked on the left line and really run out there down the backside."
Once on the engine, Golden Receiver hit the half-mile marker in :54.1 with Fred And Ginger inheriting the pocket and Dial Or Nodial third. As Golden Receiver passed the three-quarter pole in 1:22.4, he was challenged by a first over Dial Or Nodial, but not for long.
Golden Receiver pulled away from his foes midway down the lane as he paced a final panel of :26.4 for the impressive 1:49.3 score on a chilly 20 degree night. Fred And Ginger came back to finish second, two lengths behind the winner, with Dial Or Nodial third.
Tetrick had nothing but praise for Golden Receiver after the victory.
"After that first half, you know that's pretty big into the wind like that, my horse has been really brave and he fought through it," said Tetrick. "In the middle of the lane he just took off again. I'm very proud of him.
"It's amazing what he can do and how good he is off the gate. He's so handy. They've done a great job with this horse and he loves to win."
Last year at the age of 7, Golden Receiver won 13 of 25 races, earned $941,025 and was harness racing’s fastest older male pacer with a mark of 1:48. In addition to winning the Presidential, he captured the Spring Pacing Championship at Woodbine plus the Graduate, U.S. Pacing Championship and William Haughton Memorial, all at the Meadowlands.
Sent off as the overwhelming 1-9 favorite in the Presidential, Golden Receiver paid $2.60 to win.