By Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
MANALAPAN, NJ – September 10,
2015 – Rules Of The Road, runner up to Wild Honey in the $500,000 Hambletonian
Oaks, faces three rivals in the $30,000 Helen Smith Trot on Friday, September
11, 2015 at Freehold Raceway.
With only four entrants, the
Helen Smith for New Jersey-sired three-year-old trotting fillies, sponsored by
the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey, will be
contested prior to the betting card with a post time of 12:10 p.m.
Facing Rules Of The Road,
driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Janice Connor, will be Southwind Cartier
[trained and driven by DR Ackerman], Blue Muse [trained and driven by Ake
Svanstedt], and Riley’s Dream [driven by Steve Smith for trainer Julie
Miller].
Blue Muse is by Muscles Yankee
and the other three are by Muscle Hill.
Rules Of The Road, owned by
Arden Homestead of Delhi, NY and Janice Connor of Goshen, NY, has five wins,
four seconds and two thirds in 18 starts this year for earnings of $211,235
toward a career total of $244,285. Her wins this year include a division
of the Tompkins Stakes at Tioga Downs on August 16
The Helen Smith stakes record
of 1:56.2 is shared by Marla Bar [2002], Silver Credit [2013] and Cee Bee Yes
[2014].
On the betting card, eight
two-year-old trotting fillies, four by Muscles Yankee and four by Muscle Hill,
are scheduled in a $7,000 first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes – Green
Acres.
Installed as the 5-2 morning
line favorite in the field of eight is Jazebel De Vie by Muscles Yankee.
She is set to leave from post two with driver-trainer Chris Ryder. The
eighth-race field, from the rail out with driver, trainer and morning line
odds: Southwind Hope, Steve Smith, Julie Miller, 9-2; Jazebel De Vie, Chris
Ryder, Chris Ryder, 5-2; American Spa, Jim Marshall III, Rick Gillock, 30-1;
Cree, Trond Smedshammer, Trond Smedshammer, 3-1; Casino Cutie It, Vincent
Ginsburg, Ray Schnittker, 9-2; Peg O My Heart, Christopher Freck, Christopher
Freck, 30-1; Energy Bar, Eric Abbatiello, Jonas Czernyson, 4-1 and Heal The
World, Marcus Johansson, Nancy Johansson, 30-1.
