Last year, No Drama Please won the New Jersey Sire Stakes – Standardbred Development Fund (NJSS - SDF) Final for two-year-old colt and gelding trotters at Freehold Raceway. This Friday, he'll seek to add the three-year-old title to his mantle, as he will face seven rivals in the $70,000 final.
After bypassing the first leg, the Tom Fanning-trained colt captured the second leg last Friday, as he won by one and a half lengths in 1:58.1. The victory was the first win of his sophomore year, a season that has seen him earn almost $106,000. No Drama Please will start from Post 6 in the final and will be driven by Austin Siegelman.
Powerscourt figures to be his chief rival. The Cheryl McGivern-trained gelding finished third in the NYSS Final at Batavia Downs on September 14, where he was third behind Gimpanzee. After losing the first leg of the NJSS-SDF by a neck, he went up to Saratoga Casino Hotel, where he won a conditioned trot by seven lengths in 1:56.1. He has drawn Post 4 for his Freehold return. Michael McGivern will be in the bike.
Cotton To You also looks like a contender. He defeated Powerscourt by a neck in the first leg, then broke stride in the second leg. He'll seek a rebound in the final for trainer Lucas Wallin. Jim Marohn Jr. will be back in the sulky from the inside post. Wallin also trains Sovereign Deo, who finished second in the second leg. Soverreign Deo will start from the outside post with Joe Bongiorno aboard.
Warrior One, American Dream Boy, Brownie, and Innisfallen round out the field.
The first race at Freehold on Friday is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(Freehold Raceway)