Freehold Raceway concluded the Vinny Fusco Jr. Memorial Pacing Series this Friday (January 22), with a pair of finals. One saw a logical result, the other an upset.
Tall Poppy N completed a sweep of the second division, for fillies and mares with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 71.50 and 75.00 at the start of the series. Just like in the first two legs, George Brennan put her on the lead just after the quarter, and set comfortable fractions. In the stretch, she received a stiff challenge from Thaneeya, but Tall Poppy N held her at bay for a half-length win, in 1:56.3. The winner is owned by Curtin Anz Stable and trained by Kelvin Harrison, and paid $4.20 to win.
The Vinny Fusco Jr. Memorial Pacing Series for New Jersey-owned, sired or foaled fillies and mares wraps up at Freehold Raceway on Friday (Jan. 22) with a pair of finals.
The $10,000 final for the first division is for horses with TrackMaster Horse Ratings between 68.00 and 71.50. The winners of the first two legs, Duck N Roll and Southwind Tsunami, drew post positions seven and eight, respectively.
Southwind Tsunami, who races for trainer Mark Capone, upset at 10-1 in the first leg and finished fifth in leg two last week as the favourite. She will have a new driver Friday afternoon: Jim Marohn Jr. After a fourth-place finish in leg one, Duck N Roll won the second leg last week with a strong rally from the back of the pack. She is trained by Izzy Estrada, and will be driven by Luke Hanners.