World Cup, for whom cheques have been plentiful but wins scarce, attempts to make a major score in the $80,000 Charles Smith Final on Friday, September 14 at Freehold Raceway.
The Smith is restricted to New Jersey-sired three-year-old trotters and is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.
World Cup, a son of Yankee Glide, has two wins in 10 starts this year, but was also second on six occasions, including three of those losses by the margin of a neck. He has banked $39,867 toward a career total of $46,982. His 1:55.3 mark came at Mohawk Racetrack on July 19.
World Cup, driven by George Brennan and trained by Frank Antonacci, has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favourite in the featured eighth race and will leave from post five.
World Cup was purchased for $170,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale by Lindy Racing Stable of Enfield, Connecticut, Robert Rudolph of Vineland, New Jersey, and TLP Stable of Kearny, New Jersey.
The stakes record for the Charles Smith of 1:55.4 was set by Flex The Muscle in 2010.
The Smith shares the Friday afternoon program with two $25,125 divisions of the New Jersey Futurity, also sponsored by the SBOANJ. The two-year-old pacing fillies, carded as the seventh race, includes Lou Babic Filly winner Panera Hanover, at odds of 2-1. Andy Miller will be in the sulky as the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, trained by Julie Miller, bids for her third win in a row. The two-year-old open pace is a non-wagering event with five sons of Rocknroll Hanover and one by Tell All. The $7,000 opening leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes-Green Acres for two-year-old trotting fillies is slotted in race three.
The field for the $80,000 Charles Smith Trot is listed below (with sire, driver, trainer and morning line odds).
1. Kingstone-Mucles Yankee-Brent Holland-Erv Miller-7-2
2. Paper Backed Lindy-Chocolatier-Frank Antonacci-Frank Antonacci-6-1
3. Muscolo-Muscles Yankee-Mike Lachance-Ray Schnittker-9-2
4. Kingapore-Revenue-Ray Schnittker-Ray Schnittker-5-1
5. World Cup-Yankee Glide-George Brennan-Frank Antonacci-3-1
6. Map of Hawaii-Chocolatier-Harry Landy-Zach Tackett-8-1
7. New York Muscle-Muscles Yankee-Cat Manzi-Joseph Vance-10-1
8. Blomkvist-Muscles Yankee-Andy Miller-Julie Miller-12-1
(SBOANJ)