A field of eight three-year-old trotters will line up in the New Jersey Sire Stakes- Standardbred Development Fund Final at Freehold Raceway on Friday, Sept. 24, but only one has a shot to sweep the series.
Seventier, trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer, won the first and second legs of the series. Last week, leaving from post position nine, he made it to the front just after the first quarter and held on to win by a neck. Two races back, he won a division of the first leg by three-quarters of a length. He'll look for the sweep from post position five as the slight 5-2 morning line favourite for owner Purple Haze Stables.
Camden Hills and Soot Hanover are the most likely candidates for an upset. Camden Hills won the other division of the first leg by 1-1/2 lengths, then finished third as the 4-5 choice in leg two. For the final, he's drawn the inside post. He's been installed as the 3-1 second choice. Joe Bongiorno has the drive for owner Robert Weinstein and trainer Jenn Bongiorno.
Soot Hanover won the Garden State Trot last week with a dramatic late rally, crossing the line three-quarters of a length in front after encountering some traffic trouble. In the first two legs of the series, he was third and second, respectively. This Nick Clegg-owned gelding has post position six for trainer Scott DiDomenico and driver George Brennan.
Magical Muscle Man, Squable, Capital T Storm, Identity Police and Calle Palema round out the field. The race will go as the sixth on the 10-race card, with a scheduled post time of 2:10 p.m.
Friday's card also features a pair of NJSS-SDF races for two-year-old trotters. The first leg for colts and geldings is scheduled as the fifth race, with a listed post time of 1:50 p.m. Brave By Design, off a maiden win at Harrah's Philadelphia, is the morning line favourite for Jenn Bongiorno and Joe Bonigorno.
The first leg of the filly division is the eighth race, scheduled for 2:50 p.m. Gertrude, leaving from post position nine, is the slight 5-2 morning line favourite. She won twice in the New York Sire Stakes series earlier in the year and looks for a rebound after making a break in the final at Yonkers Raceway. Tyler Miller has the drive for Julie Miller.
Post time for the first race at Freehold on Friday is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
(Freehold Raceway)