A pocket trip off a slow pace paid off for Glengarry Knight N, as he won the Preferred Handicap pace at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (April 2), in a 8/1 upset.
Leaving from post position six in the seven-horse field, Vinny Ginsburg quickly put his drive on the lead, and cleared to the front just before the opening quarter point. However, Pat Lachance, driving Rockin Airway, instantly retook the lead and relegated Glengarry Knight N back to the pocket. Ginsburg elected not to try and take the lead back, and Rockin Airway was allowed to set very slow fractions. The opening quarter went in :28.2, while the first half was a dawdling :58.4.
As they rounded the final turn, some of the contenders began to make their moves, but Ginsburg continued to draft Glengarry Knight N off the lead in the pocket. Rockin Airway maintained control in the stretch, but Glengarry Knight N surged up the passing lane and won by three-quarters of a length. The final time was 1:56.
Glengarry Knight N is owned by Bill Emmons and Chris Height. He's won 20 times from 112 starts, with earnings of more than $302,000. On the year, this eight-year-old gelding has won three times from eight starts.
TONY BELTRAMI WINS AHDC TROT WITH CHIEF JUSTICE AT FREEHOLD
Tony Beltrami sat back off the early pace, then rallied Chief Justice three deep up the backside and collared the pace-setter Fiji (Dave Offenberg) at the top of the lane before trotting off to a 2-1/2 length victory in 1:58.3 in the $9,000 AHDC Trot at Freehold Raceway.
When the wings of the gate folded My Big Kadillac (Mike Polanski) and Fiji went for the lead with the latter gaining command after the first quarter was trotted in :28.4. Once on top Offenberg opened a three-length lead as he passed the halfway point in :58.3. When Offenberg grabbed leather Beltrami moved Chief Justice off the pylons and headed for the lead, but he had to go three-deep up the backside to have a shot at the leader. With a burst of speed he gained command on the final turn and in the lane Beltrami's trotter opened daylight and zipped home a 2-1/2 length winner over Fiji. My Big Kadillac held on for the show dough.
Chief Justice, a seven-year-old Justice Hall gelding, is owned by JMF Racing and trained by Paul Fusco. He paid $10.20 for the win.
Live harness racing resumes at Freehold on Friday (April 8), starting at about 12:30 p.m.
(Freehold / AHDC)