Jul 15, 2022 4 min read

Win or lose Saturday night in the Meadowlands Pace final, Tim Twaddle’s feeling about Fourever Boy will not change.

The 3-year-old pacer has earned a spot in Twaddle’s heart. Fourever.

“He’s special to me,” Twaddle said. “Not only has he been a better than average colt, but we’ve also had him every step of the way. We thought he was going to be a good one and that has come to fruition.”

Fourever Boy paced the last quarter in his Meadowlands Pace elimination last week in an eye-opening 25.4 seconds to finish third, a length-and-a-half behind winner behind Market Based (1:48.1) and second-place Night Hawk. He was driven by Meadows’ driver Mike Wilder.

“It was shocking (the last quarter time),” said Twaddle, who owns the horse with David Cohen’s Micki Rae Stables. Fourever Boy is a son of Sweet Lou out of Macharoundtheclock.

Wilder had to maneuver Fourever Boy down the stretch to finally get free in the last eighth of a mile. The horse closed furiously.

Fourever Boy – owned in part by The Meadows’ own Twaddle – is a 10-1 longshot in the Meadowlands Pace final.

The Meadowlands Pace, held in East Rutherford, N.J., is one of the top races of the harness racing season.

After sitting last or next-to-last in the elimination until his stretch dash, Fourever Boy must be taken serious off that final quarter alone.

“He’s obviously a nice colt,” said Wilder, who will drive Fourever Boy in the final. “He was explosive.

“He was a little sick (at the North American Cup) three weeks before. If we can get a battle on the front and the others mix things up a bit, we’ll have an opportunity.”

If Fourever Boy, stabled at The Meadows, comes through tonight’s race healthy, he will participate in the The Adios eliminations next Saturday at his home track.

The Adios final will be contested July 30.

Fourever Boy has won two of 20 lifetime races, finished second once and third five times. He has won $260,445. His lone victory this year in seven races came May 30 in 1:51.1 – a lifetime best.

Fourever Boy finished seventh in the North American Cup June 18 and was fifth in his elimination race.

The 7-5 morning-line favorite for the $600,000 race is Beach Glass, who won his elimination race last weekend by 5-¼ lengths.

The other elimination race winner, Market Based is 5-1 on the morning line after a close win as an 11-1 underdog in his elimination a week ago. Market Based rallied in the stretch to beat favorite Night Hawk by a neck. Night Hawk is 4-1.

The other morning line odds are Captain Cowboy and Early Action at 8-1, with I Did It Myway joining Fourever Boy at 10-1, Mad Max Hanover at 15-1 and Captainryanmichael is the longest shot at 20-1.

“We’re thrilled to have a colt that’s good enough to be involved in these kinds of races,” Twaddle said. “I just feel like he’s a late-bloomer and he seems to be very fresh, very sharp. He’s shown that he’s good enough to keep up and go with the top bunch.

“He got us to the final. I’m not afraid of anybody. In a race like this, there is usually a battle on top. If we can get them to mix it up and get into the flow, he has a shot.”

Wilder, who won the Adios two years ago with Catch the Fire, said he won’t be afraid to leave tonight.

“I’ve left with him quite a few times,” Wilder said. “I don’t mind that at all. The seven post is better than the 10.”

Twaddle and his wife, Sophia, and their three children have resided in Canonsburg since 2006. Twaddle trains and conditions horses and is based at The Meadows.

“It is fun to be part of big events,” Twaddle said. “I’m doing my best to enjoy every moment of it. You never know what could happen.

“Usually, when you’re racing for this kind of money, drivers will mix it up on the front and go for it. We’ll see what happens. We’d just like to have a chance at it.”

The races will be carried live on NYRA’s America’s Day at the Races from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on FOX Sports 2. Post time for the Meadowlands Pace is expected at 10:40 p.m.