His last pari-mutuel start, a disappointing fourth-place finish in the $1-million Metro Pace, came in early September, but now trainer Sam DePinto has Western Ideal two-yea-old I Fought Dalaw back into go
.
Pacers will take centre stage in a trio of New Jersey Futurities on Saturday, October 15 at Freehold Raceway.
Six will go postward in the $45,000 New Jersey Futurity for three-year-olds (Race 6), while 11 two-year-olds have been split into two divisions --- five will race for $28,000 in Race 1, while six will vie for $29,000 in Race 8.
Both of the recently-crowned New Jersey Sire Stakes Green Acres winners will face off in the three-year-old event. Colt winner Arockin Hanover by Rocknroll Hanover, the 3-1 second choice in the morning line from Post 2, will meet filly winner Shabalabadingdong by Western Ideal, who is rated 6-1 from Post 6. Both are trained by Erv Miller.
Eric Abbatiello will be at the lines of Arockin Hanover, who carries a two-race winning streak and has captured four of his last six contrsts. Overall this year, he has five wins and has finished in-the-money in 13 of 19 starts.
The two-year-old division features I Fought Dalaw, the 9-5 morning line favourite in the first race, who will leave from the rail with Cat Manzi in the sulky.
The son of Western Ideal, trained by Sam DePinto, has four wins and one third in seven starts for the ownership of DePinto, Michael Parisi of Allentown, New Jersey, and Jerry and Theresa Silva of Long Beach, New York.
I Fought Dalaw opened his career with four straight wins, including the final of the $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Premier Division on July 16 at the Meadowlands where he took his mark of 1:50.4. He also won a division of the Arden at the Meadows two weeks later. In his last pari-mutuel start on September 3, he finished fourth in the $1 million Metro at Mohawk.
The fillies competing in these 'open' events are Shabalabadingdong in the sixth and Mikeleh in the eighth. Here are the fields from the rail out with sire, driver, trainer and morning line.
Saturday, October 15 -- 1st Race -- $28,000 New Jersey Futurity [2yos]: I Fought Dalaw [Western Ideal], Cat Manzi, Sam DePinto, 9-5; Little Michael B [Cam’s Card Shark], Daniel Dube, Josh Green, 4-1; Ideal Ike [Western Ideal], Andy Miller, Erv Miller, 6-1; Divulge [Tell All], Ron Pierce, Jimmy Takter, 5-2 and Mortal Zin [Rocknroll Hanover], Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, 10-1.
Saturday, October 15 – 6th Race -- $45,000 New Jersey Futurity [3yos]: Avenue Hanover [Cam’s Card Shark], Daniel Dube, Mark Silva, 2-1; Arockin Hanover [Rocknroll Hanover], Eric Abbatiello, Erv Miller, 3-1; Lizard King [Rocknroll Hanover], Pat Berry, Nicholas Surick, 5-1; Diamondonthebeach [Cam’s Card Shark], Cat Manzi, Anthony Mannino, 4-1; Painted Black [Cam’s Card Shark], David Miller, Joseph Poliseno, 8-1 and Shabalabadingdong [Western Ideal], Andy Miller, Erv Miller, 6-1.
Saturday, October 15 – 8th Race -- $29,000 New Jersey Futurity [2yos]: Verdad [Western Ideal], Yannick Gingras, Ron Burke, 2-1; Hang Ten [Western Ideal], Cat Manzi, Ed Lohmeyer, 3-1; Mikeleh [Western Ideal], Jim Marshall III, Ross Croghan, 5-1; All Stienam [Tell All], Jason Bartlett, John Butenschoen, 4-1; Handsome Henry K [Western Ideal], Ron Pierce, Don Milby, 8-1 and Narragansett [Rocknroll Hanover], David Miller, Ron Burke, 6-1.
(SBOANJ)