Chapter Seven, now undefeated in four lifetime starts, dominated a field of two-year-old trotting colts and geldings to win the $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championship in a record-setting 1:57.2 Friday at Freehold Raceway
.
With Jeff Gregory in the sulky, the two-year-old trotting son of Windsongs Legacy took the lead approaching the half-mile mark, hit the stretch two and a half lengths in front and drew off to win by 10 lengths over Winuendo (by Windsongs Legacy), who out-trotted Musclelaneous (Muscles Yankee) to the wire.
Chapter Seven’s winning time erased the previous track record of 1:57.3 set in 2008 by The Chancellor. It also equaled Rose Run Jeriah and Bookem's World Record for two-year-old trotting colts and geldings on a half-mile track.
In winning his fourth consecutive race in as many starts, the colt boosted his purse earnings to $87,000 for co-owners Richard S. Gutnick and Gary J. Cocco of Pennsylvania. The winning trainer was Linda Toscano.
(With files from NJSS)