The weather was cold on Saturday (Feb. 13) at Freehold Raceway for the American Harness Drivers Club Trot. Driver Tony Verruso struggled to keep his hands warm on that frigid afternoon when he tried to settle down Slated To Win, which was no easy task. But Verruso won the battle and after a :28.4 first quarter the veteran trotter eased off the bit and was manageable.
“He certainly was fired up and my hands were getting cold trying to ease him off the bit,” Verruso said. “And he was lugging me all the way to the half but after that I could drive him with two fingers.cold ones at that, I might add.”
Freehold Raceway wrapped up the Harold Kelly Memorial Pacing Series this Saturday (January 23), with a pair of finals.
The division I final was restricted to horses with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 68.00 and 71.50 at the start of the series. Test Ride, a first-leg winner two races back, took home the lion s share of the $10,000 purse with a 1 1/2-length victory.
Jim Marohn Jr. sent him to the front early on from post position three, and though he had a hard time clearing to the lead, he made it there just after the opening quarter. He maintained the lead heading around the far turn the final time, then encountered a stiff challenge from Panthers Pinot as they turned for home. However, Test Ride held everyone at bay, and held on for the 2/1 win. He s owned by George Beck and trained by Symon Spicer.
The Harold Kelly Memorial Pacing Series comes to a conclusion at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (Jan. 23).
The series, named in hounor of the great New Jersey horseman who passed last fall, began on Jan. 9 and was split up into two divisions. Over the past two weeks, New Jersey-sired, owned and foaled horses have been battling it out, and the top eight point-earners in each division have advanced to the final.
The Division I final, for horses who started the series with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 68.00 and 71.50, is scheduled as the sixth race, with a listed post time of 2:10 p.m. The purse is set at $10,000.
Many of Freehold Raceway s regulars were in the spotlight this Saturday (January 9), as Freehold kicked off the Harold Kelly Memorial Pacing Series.
Local horsemen flooded the box for the first leg of this series, which is restricted to horses and geldings owned, sired, or foaled in New Jersey. The first division, restricted to horses with a TrackMaster Horse Rating between 68.00 and 71.50, attracted 23 entries, and was split up into three races.
Reuben Tune Ups took his division of the first leg at 9-1, taking charge after the three-quarter point and holding on. He went the mile in 1:58, for owner/trainer Ann DePietro and driver Jim Marohn Jr. Officer Blue Chip prevailed in his split, winning a stretch battle with Our Art and Heaven for the 7/1 win. Jack Pelling had the winning drive for owner/trainer John Urbanski., stopping the clock in 1:58.3.