Some possible stars of the future will descend on Freehold Raceway this Friday (Sept. 20), as the track will host two $70,000 finals of the New Jersey Sire Stakes - Standardbred Development Fund for two-year-old trotters.
The final for colts and geldings features a field of eight, and has been scheduled as the fifth race, with an approximate post time of 1:50 p.m. (EDT). All eyes will be on the outside post, as the undefeated Play Trix On Me will seek to add to his already impressive resume. After a sweep of the NJSS series over the summer at the Meadowlands Racetrack, he scored a professional win in the second leg of the NJSS-SDF series at Freehold on September 13. Jordan Stratton has retained the drive on the Linda Toscano trainee.
His toughest rivals figure to be Barley (PP4) and Kyrie Deo (PP3). Barley won the first leg of the series on September 6 before finishing a solid second behind Play Trix On Me last time out. Eric Abbatiello will drive for ‘Nifty’ Norman. Kyrie Deo recovered from a break at the three-quarters to win the first division of the second leg of the series last week. Atlee Bender will drive the John Butenschoen-trained gelding.
The final for fillies, which has attracted a field of eight, has been carded as Race 7 and is expected to head to post at roughly 2:30 p.m. Like in the colts and geldings final, the expected favourite will have to overcome the outside post. Common Sense S, a winner of four straight races, will seek to keep up her hot streak from Post 8. She won the Tompkins and the Reynolds and Tioga Downs over the summer before capturing the second leg of the NJSS-SDF series last week at odds of 1-10. George Brennan will drive the Ake Svanstedt-trained filly for the first time.
The stiffest competition for Common Sense S is expected to be Contepartiro Deo, who won the first leg of the series on August 30. She finished fifth behind Common Sense S at Tioga Downs on August 25. She'll have Post 3 for team of Andy and Julie Miller. Heart N Soul Deo finished second in the first leg at 1-5, and most recently was sixth in the Stallion Series at Pocono Downs on September 9. Jordan Stratton will drive for trainer Linda Toscano.
In addition to the NJSS finals, Freehold will host the New Jersey Futurity, for three-year-old trotters, as a non-betting exhibition on Friday. The $30,000 race attracted a field of four, and will be contested at 12:15 p.m. (EDT). No Drama Please, who won the NJSS-SDF final last year, headlines the group.
Post time for the first pari-mutuel race on Friday is at 12:30 p.m.
(Freehold Raceway)