Freehold Raceway hosted a preferred handicap pace and a preferred handicap trot on Saturday, with Lean Hanover and Lyons Steel winning their respective assignments in those affairs.
Sent off as the 4-5 favourite in the Preferred Handicap Trot, Lean Hanover was sent after the early lead, but dropped into the pocket as they approached the half mile. Turning for home, Money Maven held on to the lead, but Jim Marohn, Jr. angled Lean Hanover out for clear sailing, and he was able to slingshot by for a 1-3/4 length victory.
The winner is owned by P C Wellwood Enterprises Inc and Karen Carroll, and trained by Linda Toscano. This is his fifth win of the year, and his third in his past five starts. Both of those earlier victories came at Yonkers Raceway. He trotted the mile in 1:58.
Lyons Steel, off a win in the Preferred Pace last week, was sent off as 5-2 second choice in the field of seven. Jack Baggitt, Jr. blasted off from the outside post, and put him on the lead through fast fractions. Approaching three-quarters, Lyons Steel and Born to be Bad, who rated off the leader throughout, had drawn seven lengths clear of third place.
Turning for home Lyons Steel began to get leg-weary and favoured Ginger Tree Marty was rallying strongly in the center of the track. Lyons Steel was all-out, but the wire came just in time, and he won by three-quarters of a length in an impressive clocking of 1:53.1.
The winner is owned by BD Racing LLC and trained by Dennis Watson. This is the fourth win of the meet for the gelding, who has the fastest mark (1:52.2) of anyone at Freehold this meet.
Live racing resumes at Freehold on Friday, with a listed first post time of 12:30 p.m.
(Freehold Raceway)