One of the east coast's top trotters makes his return to Freehold Raceway on Friday (April 16), as Meladys Monet looks for his third win at Freehold this year.
Meladys Monet was assigned the outside post position in the eight-horse Preferred Handicap trot, but nevertheless looms as a serious contender. In his 12-year-old season, this Hermann Heitmann-trained gelding continues in fine form, with five wins from 10 starts on the year. He enters this race on a two-race winning streak at Yonkers Raceway. He's won twice at Freehold this year, taking the Preferred Handicap on Jan. 15 and Jan. 22.
Eric Abbatiello, who drove him to victory in those two starts, will once again be in the sulky.
The top-five finishers in last week's Preferred Handicap Trot will return to face Meladys Monet. Levitation, last week's winner, was assigned post 7 for trainer Franz Wolf and driver Austin Siegelman. This six-year-old gelding has been in fine form lately, with three wins in his last four starts at Freehold.
Winneress led most of the way last week before getting caught and finishing second. He will leave from post 5 for trainer Symon Spicer and driver Jim Marohn Jr. Mugshot Jess, a veteran of Freehold, was a strong third in his first start off the layoff. This 14-year-old and trainer-driver Taylor Gower will leave from post 4.
Allindotime, last week's fourth-place finisher, has post 3. Bill MacKenzie is the trainer and Steve Smith will drive. Docs Swan Song, for trainer Mike Terpolilli, was fifth last week after recovering from a break, and has post 2 with driver Luke Hanners.
Casino Cutie IT, who won the Preferred Handicap on March 12 for trainer Tom Fanning, and Major Impact, a Pocono Downs shipper for trainer Robert Baggitt Jr, complete the field.
The race is scheduled as the sixth race on Friday, with a post time of about 2:10 p.m. (EDT).
The first of nine races at Freehold on Friday will go at about 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(Freehold Raceway)