In a pair of $7,000 opening round Green Acres divisions for two-year-old trotting colts, Angel Ransom and Chocolate Day captured Thursday’s opening day co-features at Freehold Raceway.
The colts and geldings are competing in three weeks of preliminary legs for a spot in the $25,000 final on September 20.
Angels Ransom [$18] by Revenue had the lead at every call of the first division, the first race, picking up his first victory in six starts with a mile in 2:02.4.
Roland Mallar is the driver-trainer of the gelding who races for Michael Andrew of Gorham, ME.
It was a length back to runner-up Holiday Spirit, by Chocolatier, and two and a quarter lengths to Time N Tide, by Muscles Yankee, in third.
Odds on favourite Chocolate Day [$2.80] was a length and three-quarters winner over Choco Sun in the second division, the fifth race. Both are sons of Chocolatier.
It was four and a quarter lengths to Celebrity Spitfire, a son of Muscles Yankee, in third.
Chocolate Day, driven by Marcus Johansson and trained by Julie Miller, trotted the mile in 2:02 flat. He now has two wins, four seconds and a third from nine starts and earnings of more than $30,000.
Chocolate Day is owned by the Andy Miller Stable of Millstone, NJ and Arden Homestead Stable of Delhi, NY.
Live racing for the 48-date Freehold meet takes place on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays plus a special holiday card on Labor Day, Monday, September 2. Post time is 12:30 p.m.
(SBOANJ)