The biggest day of the Freehold Raceway season is coming up this Saturday (May 1), with the 2021 editions of the Dexter Cup, for three-year-old trotting colts & geldings, and the Lady Suffolk, for three-year-old trotting fillies. Both races were cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but return with a flourish this year.
The Dexter Cup drew a field of eight, six of whom competed in last week's elimination while two received byes. Ambassador Hanover, for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt, makes his three-year-old debut in this spot after receiving a bye. He was impressive in the New York Sire Stakes last year, winning four legs in a row before finishing fourth in the final at Yonkers Raceway last September. He qualified at the Meadowlands on April 17, trotting the mile in 1:58.3. He will leave from post 2.
Sunny Crockett, for trainer Julie Miller, also received a bye. He won six of 11 starts as a two-year-old, including back-to-back wins in the Liberty Bell and the Simpson. In his lone qualifying mile as a three-year-old, he went in 2:01.3 at Harrah's Philadelphia on April 6. Andy Miller has the drive from post 3.
Svanstedt is also represented by elimination winner Incommunicado with driver Yannick Gingras. He won by two-and-three-quarter lengths at Freehold last Saturday, moving first over to the lead just before the half and drawing off once he took charge, trotting the mile in 1:57. Once again, he'll leave from post 7.
Fifty Ways, trained by Joe Columbo; Believer, for trainer Randy Taft; Credit Con, trained by Todd Buter; Trond Smedshammer trainee Chapolier; and Share The Wealth, for trainer Ray Schnittker, complete the field. It's scheduled as the 11th race, with a listed post time of 3:50 PM.
The Dexter is sandwiched between two divisions of the Lady Suffolk, which attracted a total of 14 entrants and was subsequently split.
The first division will go as Race 10, with a scheduled post time of 3:30 p.m. (EDT). Svanstedt sends a pair in there including Illuminata, who won the Matron last November at Dover Downs in a 22-1 upset. This marks her first pari-mutuel start of the year after two qualifying miles at the Meadowlands. Svanstedt has the drive from post 4.
The second division is the 12th race, which will go at about 4:10 p.m. (EDT). Svanstedt once again has one of the likely favourites, in Presto. She won a leg of the Bluegrass series at the Red Mile last fall, then finished second in her Breeders Crown elimination at Hoosier Park. In her last start, she finished fifth in the Breeders Crown final. Most recently, she qualified in 1:56 at the Meadowlands on April 17. Yannick Gingras has the drive from post 7.
The field also includes Hot As Hill, the morning-line favourite, coming off an impressive win in the Lady Suffolk prep last Friday. She won by two lengths in 1:58.2 as the 1-5 favourite. Last fall, she won two legs of the Kindergarten series at the Meadowlands. Joe Bongiorno has the drive from post 2, for trainer Ron Burke.
In addition to the great 14-race live card, fans at Freehold Raceway can also enjoy the simulcast of the Kentucky Derby card from Churchill Downs. Gates open at 9:45 a.m. (EDT), with the first race from Churchill at 10:30 a.m. (EDT).
The first live race at Freehold is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. (EDT).
(Freehold Raceway)