NJ Sire Stakes, Preferred Action Headline Saturday Card

Opening weekend rolls on at Freehold Raceway this Saturday (August 29), with an 11 race card. The heat of the action is in races 5-7, with two divisions of the New Jersey Sire Stakes- Standardbred Development Fund for 3-year-old fillies bookending a Preferred Handicap pace.

 

The first division will go as the fifth race, scheduled for 2:10 PM EDT. Odds on Sarasota headlines the field of five, coming off a sweep of the New Jersey Sire Stakes series at the Meadowlands. She’ll make her first start for the Tony Alagna barn, after previously racing for Ross Croghan. Jason Bartlett drives from post position three.

 

Alagna also has the likely favorite in the second division, which will go as the seventh race. Caviart Heather won the division of the Stallion Series at Pocono Downs two races back, and finished second by half a length in the same series at Harrah’s Philadelphia last out. She’ll leave from post position two, also with Jason Bartlett.

 

In between the two NJSS races is an excellent edition of the Preferred Handicap pace. Keep on Rocking A, who won three races in a row at Running Aces over the summer, and Gratian Hanover, a winner of the Yonkers Raceway open three races back, headline the field of eight. Lyons Steel, a noted lover of the Freehold track, and a winner at Harrah’s Philadelphia two starts back, also figures to be a contender.