Buter looking for first big stakes win in Berry's Creek

Tyler Buter, harness racing’s newest young driving sensation, aims for his first big stakes win in the $215,000 Berry’s Creek on Saturday night at the Meadowlands.

Buter, 22, ranked among the leaders at Hazel Park in his native Michigan and nearby Windsor Raceway before moving his base to Chicago in February. It was at Balmoral Park that he picked up the drive behind Art Official, a talented 3-year-old colt that was being prepped for a major stakes campaign. Buter guided Art Official to back-to-back wins in April, prompting owner James Jesk and trainer Joe Seekman to ask him to drive their colt in the Berry’s Creek eliminations at the Meadowlands.

The Berry’s Creek is the first major stepping-stone to the $1 million Meadowlands Pace. Rated at 9-2 from post three, Art Official is one of four colts in the field eligible to the track’s signature event on July 19. The Berry’s Creek is carded as race six, with an estimated 8:49 p.m. post time.

Buter felt at ease in his Meadowlands driving debut last week.

"Once you hit the track, it’s just like any other track," he said after the race. "It’s fun to be here and it’s a great atmosphere, but once you hit the track, it’s all the same. It’s certainly easier when you’ve got a good horse, though."

Art Official was a game second in his elimination after making a first-over bid and flying home in 26 seconds to finish three-quarters of a length behind the winner, Bullville Powerful.

"We’ve been rushing him up to the front at Balmoral, trying to teach him to go by horses," Buter noted. "We went with a little different strategy [in his elim] and tried to keep horses in front of him and make him race more. He was strong all the way through the wire, so we were happy with him."

Art Official was a bargain $10,000 purchase at the 2006 Tattersalls January Mixed Sale by Jesk, who races as Sawgrass Farms. Last year, the son of Art Major was winless in 15 starts, but earned $104,333 while picking up checks in the Breeders Crown, American-National and International Stallion Stakes. The colt aims for his biggest paycheck to date in the Berry’s Creek.

"I think he’s definitely right there with the best colts in the race," Buter said.

Buter’s father, Todd, has been a fixture in Michigan racing for over 30 years and from the time he learned to walk, Tyler was eager to help him around the barn.

"I come from a strong family of horsemen," he said. "It’s something that’s just in my blood and I’ve done my entire life. I’ve never looked to do anything else."

In fact, Buter turned down a college baseball scholarship to focus on his driving skills. He began competing on the Michigan fair circuit when he turned 17. Eventually, his father began to name him as driver on some of the family’s horses at Hazel Park, Sports Creek and Northville. Buter won his first pari-mutuel race in 2002 and his career began picking up steam in 2005, when he won 95 races and $380,298. In 2006, he took over the bulk of the driving for his father’s stable and soon picked up catch drives for other trainers, which helped propel him to $900,000 in earnings that year.

Buter had a breakout season in 2007, reaching 444 victories and $2 million in earnings. Though it is very early in his career, Buter’s progression resembles that of record-setting reinsman Tim Tetrick, who was also 21 when broke the $2 million mark. Through May 6, Buter has 99 victories and $554,208 in purses won. (The Meadowlands)

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