This weekend, Freehold Raceway hosted the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Standardbred Development Fund for two-year-olds.
On Friday (Aug. 30), the Julie Miller trainee Contepartiro Deo lunged past odds-on favourite Heart N Soul Deo to win the first $10,000 leg of the SDF for two-year-old trotting fillies. Andy Miller landed Contepartiro Deo in the two-hole for a pocket trip behind the favourite. The daughter of Muscle Hill took her first win of the season in 2:00 for owners Andy Miller Stable Inc., Little E LLC, and Deo Volente Farms LLC. Heart N Soul Deo was a close second with Tricky Sister finishing third.
The two-year-old SDF pacers took the stage at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (Aug. 31), with two divisions for colts and fillies alike. The first two legs took place as non-betting races before the actual racing card.
Follow Your Heart took the first division for male pacers in the non-betting race for trainer Aaron Lambert George Brennan steered the Rock N Roll Heaven colt to a wire-to-wire victory in 1:57.4 last quarter in 28.4. Southwind Dredge finished second and Rockin Jukebox came in third.
The fillies' first division went to Tony Alagna trainee Odds On Hollywood, giving driver George Brennan his second win of the day. The Captaintreacherous filly nosed out AP Emilys Dance in 2:00. Ready Set Rock finished third.
The second division for the pacing colts was won by Rockin The Gates for trainer Steve LeBlanc. Driver Andy Miller pulled Rockin The Gates behind odds-on favourite Columbo for a second-over trip and then surged past him in the lane to stop the clock in 1:56.2. This makes win number two for the Rock N Roll Heaven colt and a new lifetime mark. Columbo finished second, with JK Lucky Charms coming in third.
The final division for pacing fillies was once again won by driver George Brennan and trainer Tony Alagna with Caviart Heather. Caviart Heather stalked the field from fifth before making a late move in the stretch to win in 1:57.3. The Somebeachsomewhere filly captured her first win of the season for Caviart Farms. Git Go came in a close second with Lucy Lightyear finishing third.
SDF action will continue next weekend at Freehold Raceway on Friday and Saturday (Sept. 6 and 7), with post times of 12:30 p.m.
(SBOA of New Jersey)