Many of Freehold Raceway's regulars were in the spotlight this Saturday (January 9), as Freehold kicked off the Harold Kelly Memorial Pacing Series.
Local horsemen flooded the box for the first leg of this series, which is restricted to horses and geldings owned, sired, or foaled in New Jersey. The first division, restricted to horses with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 68.00 and 71.50, attracted 23 entries, and was split up into three races.
Reuben Tune Ups took his division of the first leg at 9-1, taking charge after the three-quarter point and holding on. He went the mile in 1:58, for owner/trainer Ann DePietro and driver Jim Marohn Jr. Officer Blue Chip prevailed in his split, winning a stretch battle with Our Art and Heaven for the 7/1 win. Jack Pelling had the winning drive for owner/trainer John Urbanski., stopping the clock in 1:58.3.
The third and final grouping of that division's pacers went to Test Ride, who drew off in the stretch to win impressively at 2/1. Marohn had the winning drive again, for owner Symon Spicer and trainer George Beck. The time was 1:56.4.
Meanwhile, the second division of leg 1, for horses with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 71.51 and 75.00, drew 25 entrants, and was also split up into three races.
Taste Of History took them gate-to-wire in his division, winning at 2-1 for owner/trainer Edwin Quevedo and driver Austin Siegelman. He paced the mile in 1:56.1. Later that day, Go Sue Me retook the lead around the second turn and held on to win his division of the first leg at 7/2. Steve Smith was in the sulky; the time was 1:58.3.
The final division of the second division's first leg went to Clint Westwood, who rallied wide in the stretch to win at 2/1 in 1:58.2. The winner's owned by Alma Iafelice, trainer Bill MacKenzie, and driver Dan Dube.
Horses who competed in the first leg earned points for their division's finals, which will take place on January 23. The winners earned 50 points, with second place getting 25, third earning 12, fourth receiving 8, fifth nabbing 5, sixth picking up 3, seventh obtaining 2, and eighth getting 1. They'll have a chance to earn more points in the second leg, next week.
Dube and Austin Siegelman each won three races. In addition to his win on Clint Westwood, Dube won Race 8 on Maching Time, for trainer Izzy Estrada, and the 10th race on Lyons Steel, for trainer Dennis Watson.
Siegelman won two for trainer Mike Posner, pulling the seventh race upset with 24-1 Mister Indiana, and Race 9 on favoured Vasari N. Siegelman's win on Taste Of History rounded out his set of wins.
Live harness racing resumes at Freehold on Thursday, starting at 12:30 p.m.
TONY BELTRAMI WINS $9,000 ADHC TROT AT FREEHOLD
Last week Tony Beltrami got a late start with Broadway Bruiser and although the veteran trotter finished with a rush he was a head short at the wire. Today Beltrami kept his trotter in contention early and the six-year-old altered son of Muscle Mass was not to be denied when he rallied alongside pacesetter Wygant Prince (Paul Minore) and went on to a 2:02.1 one length victory in the $9,000 American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway on the chilly Saturday afternoon of January 9.
When the wings of the mobile gate folded Minore sent his charge to the lead from the five hole and they had command at the first stanza as the timer flashed up :30. But no sooner did Minore grab leather Beltrami was out and going forward with Broadway Bruiser. As the leaders passed the halfway point they were one-two and at the three
quarters it was still Wygant Prince on the inside and Broadway Bruiser on the outside. But when they turned for home Broadway Bruiser was the strong horse, taking command late en route to a 2:02.1 triumph.
The betting favourite, Masster Blue (Tony Verruso), had road trouble and didn't shake loose until late and had to settle for the show dough.
Broadway Bruiser is owned by Allister Stables LLC of Monroe Township, N.J. and is trained Williams Hernandez. He paid $8.40 for win.
(Freehold / AHDC)