Ponder The Odds and Prince Of Tides will look to cap off their respective dominant runs at Freehold Raceway this Saturday (Oct. 19). They will be competing in the New Jersey Sire Stakes-Standardbred Development Fund (NJSS-SDF) Finals for three-year-old pacing fillies and colts/geldings, respectively.
Ponder The Odds, who is by Ponder and trained by Kathleen La Montagne, has reeled off four consecutive victories, including the first two legs of the NJSS-SDF series. She has drawn the inside post for her Saturday assignment, just as she has the past two weeks. The rail start will play right into her front-end racing style. Pat Lachance will be in the sulky.
Surreality and Stood Up appear to have the best chance to upset Ponder The Odds Saturday. Stood Up, trained by Michael Hall, almost pulled it off last week, but finished just a neck short at the wire. She has drawn the outside post in the field of six and will host Joe Bongiorno in the bike. Surreality has hit the board at long odds in each of the first two legs, and most recently finished third at odds of 42-1. Austin Siegelman will drive her from Post 5 for trainer Nicholas Devita.
Hurrikane Lori Ann, A Beach Cowgirl and Fear No Evil round out the field. The final has been scheduled as the third race, which holds an approximate post time of 1:10 p.m. (EDT).
Meanwhile, Prince Of Tides, by Somebeachsomewhere, has been nothing short of a beast in his two starts at Freehold this meet. He won the Homegrown Pace by two and a half lengths in 1:52.3 two starts back, then won the first leg by three lengths in 1:53.4 last time out. The Ross Croghan trainee bypassed the second leg of the series in order to stay fresh for the final. He has drawn Post 3 in the field of seven and will be driven by George Brennan.
Nick Surick will send out two starters, including Trente Deo, the winner of the second leg. Andy Miller will drive from Post 6. Surick's other horse, Black Dan, drew directly to his inside. He'll seek to improve off a fourth and a fifth in the first two legs.
Reigning Deo, Admiral Ballsy, Just Plain Loco and Cool Your Heels, the latter two both trained by Tom Fanning, complete the ensemble. It will face the gate for Race 5.
The first of twelve races at Freehold on Saturday is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
(With files from Freehold Raceway)