Favourites dominated in a quartet of $7,000 legs of the New Jersey Sire Stakes – Green Acres for pacers on Saturday, September 13 at Freehold Raceway.
The most dominant performance was by Smart Zone (sired by Rocknroll Hanover) in a non-wagering division for two-year-old pacing fillies. The Erv Miller trainee collected her fourth straight win.
Steve Smith was at the lines as Smart Zone scored a five and three-quarter length victory over Lissan (Rocknroll Hanover). It was seven and a quarter back to Cheyenne Robin (Rocknroll Hanover) in third.
Smart Zone, who paced the mile in 1:56.3, races for Paymaq Racing of Long Grove, Illinois and D&M Trading of Chicago, Illinois. She now has four wins and two thirds in nine starts for earnings of more than $33,500.
The second division for two-year-old pacing fillies, carded as the 10th race, went to 1-9 favourite Strut My Stuff (Western Ideal) who was a one-length winner over Hollyrocker (Rocknroll Hanover) in 1:59.3 on a track rated sloppy. Rocknroll Olivia (Rocknroll Hanover) was third by a length and a half.
Strut My Stuff ($2.10), driven by Jack Baggitt Jr. and trained by Ross Croghan, picked up her second straight win in eight starts, pushing her earnings over $10,000 for Let It Ride Stables of Boca Raton, Florida and RBH Ventures of New York City.
The focus was on two-year-old pacing colts in the third race as 1-9 Too Darn Hot (Rocknroll Hanover) held off Devils Cut (Western Ideal) for a neck victory in 1:59. Boulder Roller (Rocknroll Hanover) was third by seven and a quarter.
Too Darn Hot ($2.10), a Ron Burke trainee, cut the fractions as Devils Cut drafted behind him until challenging in the stretch. Too Darn Hot held on for his fourth win with two seconds in seven starts, pushing his earnings over $45,000 for Burke Racing Stable, Our Horse Cents Stables, Weaver Bruscemi and Larry Karr.
In the eighth race for three-year-old pacing colts, 3-5 Art History took the lead off the gate and extended it in the stretch for a three and a quarter tally in 1:55.4 on a sloppy track. In the photo for second, Nubble Light (Rocknroll Hanover) edged out In The Clear (Western Ideal).
Art History ($3.40), a Western Ideal gelding, was piloted by Pat Berry for trainer Steve Elliott. This year he has three wins, one second and three thirds from nine starts for earnings of $31,840.
Art History races in the name of his breeders, Kenneth Klein of Armonk, New York and the Old Block Stables of New York City.
(SBOANJ)