All six entrants for the Helen Smith Trot for New Jersey-sired three-year-old fillies will advance to the $40,000 final on September 6 at Freehold Raceway.
Eliminations will not be necessary for this Friday.
Trainer Trond Smedshammer, who sent out 2011 winner Firstclassprincess and 2012 winner Chilitodayhotamale will attempt to make it three in a row with Vintage Oaks, a daughter of Muscles Yankee who has three career wins from 18 starts and has banked $56,151 for the Ontario partnership of Al Libfeld, Marvin Katz and Sam Goldband.
This year, the filly was third to Shared Past and Miss Steele in the $150,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final on June 1 at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
The richest of the finalists is Time To Kill by Muscles Yankee. The Ross Croghan trainee has earned $410,079 for Let It Ride Stables and Robert Cooper Stables, both of Boca Raton, FL, and J&T Silva Stables LLC of Long Beach, NY. More than $351,000 of her earnings came at two when she was first or second in 10 of 12 starts. In 2013, Time To Kill is looking for her first win after 12 starts. She was fifth in the Hudson Filly Final, sixth in the Delvin Miller Final and fourth in the Hambletonian Oaks.
The other entrants are Find The Magic, Silver Credit, Southwind Cocoa and Vida De Vie.
The Helen Smith Trot stakes record of 1:56.3 is shared by Muscle Shirt (2008) and Chilitodayhotamale (2012).
The Helen Smith Trot is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.
(SBOANJ)