TIM TETRICK |
Biography: |
Tim Tetrick was dubbed the “Bionic Man,” a reference to the Steve Austin character in the 1970s television show “The Six Million Dollar Man.” He shares something with the character – replacement parts. Born with a degenerative hip condition, he had his right hip replaced in 2008 and his left hip in 2013. Tetrick is much closer to the 15 million dollar man, as the horses he has driven have averaged that total over the last decade. Tetrick won the Hambletonian in 2012 with Market Share, the Meadowlands Pace four times (2007, 2020, 2013, 2014), the North America Cup twice (2013 and 2015) and 17 Breeders Crown finals. Along with Market Share, he has driven multiple champions, including four-time Older Pacing Mare of the Year Anndrovette, two-time Dan Patch award winner Captaintreacherous, and Horses of the Year Chapter Seven and JK She’salady. Tetrick began his career in 1998 at the age of 16 on the Illinois fair circuit and posted the first of his career wins with Travel N Legacy on July 20 of that year at the Paris County Fair. After graduating from Fairfield High School in 1999, Tetrick started driving full-time at Fairmont Park. He would move on to Hoosier Park and the Illinois circuit – Balmoral and Maywood Parks. Just a few years into his driving career, Tetrick captured driving titles at the Chicago-area track in both 2004 and 2005. Those were also the first two years he finished among the top 15 drivers nationally in terms of races won with 465 and 563, respectively. Tetrick headed East in late 2006 to race at Dover Downs, taking the driving title for the fall meet. At 26, Tetrick smashed the all-time record for wins in a year by amassing 1,189 victories, besting the mark of 1,078 set by Walter Case Jr. in 1998. In addition, horses steered by Tetrick earned $18,350,047 in 2007, eclipsing the former record of $15,099,597 set by Brian Sears in 2005. The New Jersey resident led North America in earnings for seven straight years, including breaking his own record with a $19,734,781 total in 2008. While Tetrick was unseated from the top spot in 2014 by Yannick Gingras, he has continued to be a force, ranking second that year and third in 2015 through 2017 before regaining the top spot last year. For 14 consecutive years, he has been in the Top 10 for single-season wins. From 2005 to 2016 he averaged 689 wins per year and finished in the top five in North America nine times. |