Jacob Stillwell put a demolition job on his peers in the $9,000 American Harness Drivers Club (AHDC) Pace on Friday afternoon (April 7) at Freehold Raceway to win by a wide margin.
Stillwell wasted no time with his charge Blue Ocean and secured the lead out of post six to a :27.4 first quarter while Vintage Gal (Anthony Verruso) sat in the pocket and Ari Allstar (Joe Lee) raced third. Blue Ocean then got a breather to a :57.3 half, which prompted Salvadors Sun (Yogi Sheridan) to make a move off the pegs and try to challenge the leader. But once the field hit the backstretch, the leader was gone.
Blue Ocean opened three lengths to three-quarters in 1:26.4 and with each stride peeled farther and farther clear of competition. He amassed a seven-length lead rounding the bottom turn that only expanded through the straightaway as he clicked the mile in 1:55.3. Salvadors Sun salvaged second, beaten 12-3/4 lengths, from Vintage Gal in third while Initial Concept (Matt Zuccarello) rallied for fourth.
Paul Fusco trains Blue Ocean, a four-year-old gelding by Bring On The Beach, for owner J M F Racing. He paid $8 to win in the crush job.
AHDC action returns to Freehold Raceway on Saturday afternoon with two $9,000 divisions of the AHDC Trot, one carded as Race 5 and the other as Race 8 on the 12-race card. First-race post time at Freehold is 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(AHDC)