For Lyons Steel, a trip to Freehold Raceway is the equivalent of Clark Kent stepping into a phone booth.
Away from Freehold, he's a solid mid/upper-level conditioned pacer. At Freehold, however, he's a beast. He won Freehold's featured race on Saturday (January 30), going a huge mile to do so.
Bettors knew about Lyons Steel's love of Freehold, and sent him off as the 1/5 favourite in a non-winners of $8,000 last five pace. Leaving from post position five, driver Eric Abbatiello left quickly with him, but three horses to his direct inside also wanted the lead. He was four-wide for almost the entire opening quarter, while going that fraction in a blazing :27.1 seconds.
Heading around the second turn, Lyons Steel finally cleared to the lead and dropped to the inside. He went by the half mile in :56.1 seconds, a much-needed breather after that fast opening quarter. If he backed up after that grueling early tempo, no one could blame him.
However, Lyons Steel never really stopped. Pocket-sitting The Rev loomed large turning for home, and Betting Exchange, Vasari N, and Alberto Contador N all made solid rallies, but Lyons Steel held them all off and won by 1-1/4 lengths. The final time was 1:56.
This win marked Lyons Steel's fourth victory in his last five races at Freehold. Since August of 2019, he's won ten times from 24 starts at this track. Dennis Watson trains Lyons Steel for BD Racing LLC of Brick, N.J.
MATT ZUCCARELLO WINS AHDC TROT AT FREEHOLD ON SATURDAY
When Matt Zuccarello is not writing about about a harness race he is equally at home sitting up behind a steed and competing against his fellow amateur drivers.
Case in point: the American Harness Drivers Club Trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (Jan. 30) where Zuccarello used the front-end route to score a 2:01.3 triumph over seven others with Latoka.
Sent off as the second choice in the eight-horse field and knowing that he had solid contender, Zuccarello sent Latoka for the lead and they gained command after a :29.1 first quarter. Once on top Zuccarello kept the pedal to the metal and Latoka had a 1-1/4 length lead over Can Do and driver Joe Lee at the first quarter.
When the field trotted by the halfway point, public choice Always A Good Time and driver Joe Faraldo moved off the pylons and up towards the leader. But as the field trotted by the third stanza Latoka was still in command when Faraldo's charge couldn't get by.
As the field headed for home Always A Good Time stalled which allowed 16-1 Can Do, who was trailing the pacesetter throughout, a clear shot at Latoka and although he got to Latoka's chin-strap Can Do couldn't get by. Latoka was a head winner in the 2:01.3 trotted mile, followed by Can Do while Always A Good Time held on for the show dough.
It was the second Freehold consecutive victory for Latoka, who was victorious last week in 2:01.3. Owned and trained by Donald Maiorano, Latoka paid $8.00 for the win.
Live harness racing resumes at Freehold on Friday (February 5) starting at 12:30 p.m. Racing at Freehold will be held every Friday and Saturday until May 29.
(Freehold / AHDC)