Howthehaloareyou and Vesuvio AS, both trained by Anette Lorentzon and coupled in the wagering, have been installed as the 9-5 morning line favourites for the $100,000 Charles Smith Trot on Friday
, September 11 at Freehold Raceway.
The Charles Smith, sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey, is restricted to New Jersey-sired three-year-old trotters and named in memory of a founder of the New Jersey Sire Stakes program.
Vesuvio AS, who drew outside Post 7 and will be driven by Tim Tetrick, won the $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship final at Freehold on August 28 and took his mark of 1:54.4 in a preliminary leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes on May 25 at the Meadowlands.
The son of Windsongs Legacy has three wins, a second (in the Dexter Cup at Freehold) and a third in seven starts this year.
Howthehaloareyou, a Yankee Glide colt, only has one win to his credit but has finished in the money in eight of 11 starts this year and 10 of 19 lifetime. Most recently he was second to his stablemate, Vesuvio AS, in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final two weeks ago at Freehold. He will leave from the rail with Yannick Gingras in the sulky.
Both trotters race in the name of ACL Stuteri AB of Paris, Kentucky, the nom de racecourse of John Erik Magnusson (Lorentzon’s father) and Ann-Christin Lorentzon.
When Swedish-born Anette Lorentzon, 26, first came to the United States, she worked for Jimmy Takter and Trond Smedshammer but has operated her own stable for the last few years, based at White Birch Farm in Allentown, New Jersey.
This year she is 'batting' better than .300 with 28 firsts, 17 seconds and 15 thirds from 137 starters. She has already surpassed last year’s 26 total wins.
For the predominately 'trotting' stable, the biggest win of the year actually came last month with a pacer, Special Sweetheart, who captured the $350,000 Valley Forge at Chester Racetrack on August 16.
The 'Smith' stakes record of 1:57 flat was set in 2007 by Princetonian, a son of Dream Vacation.
The field for the $100,000 final of the Charles Smith Final, from the rail out in post position order with driver, trainer and morning line odds are as follows: Howthehaloareyou, Yannick Gingras, Anette Lorentzon, 9-5; Homer Jay, Ray Schnittker, Ray Schnittker, 5-2; Mystro Hanover, Trond Smedshammer, Trond Smedshammer, 8-1; Nice Dream, Jim Marshall III, Doug Miller, 6-1; The Chancellor, Andy Miller, Julie Miller, 5-2, and Vesuvio AS, Tim Tetrick, Anette Lorentzon, 9-5.
(With files from the SBOANJ)