By Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
MANALAPAN, NJ – September 17,
2015 – Saturday is Open Space Pace Day at Freehold Raceway, but the racing
highlight of the card is actually a trot -- a $20,000 preferred trot --
with nine going to post for a mile and a half race.
That is three times around the
half-mile track, and the first mile and a half race in the modern era of
Freehold Raceway, or as long as anyone can remember. The traditional
distance for most harness races is one mile.
Gural Hanover, driven by Joe
Bongiorno and trained by Ron Burke, has been installed as the 8-5 morning line
favorite in the featured seventh race, the $20,000 Open Space Pace Preferred
Trot Handicap.
“This is the first featured
mile and a half distance race at Freehold Raceway,” said Director of Racing and
Racing Secretary Karen Fagliarone. “We have an outstanding field of
trotters, totaling lifetime earnings of over $3.3 million. We are excited
to offer something new to both our patrons and horsemen. We are thankful to the
group of trainers and owners who co-sponsored this event along with Freehold
Raceway.”
New Jersey-based trainers and
owners donated half the purse: Ross Croghan’s Dockside Stables, Joe Holloway.
Linda Toscano, Mark Harder, Weaver & Bruscemi Stable. Ron Burke, Tom
Fanning, Scott DiDomenico, Julie and Andy Miller, and Tony Alagna.
The field, from the rail out
with driver, trainer and morning line odds: PL Eureka, Nick Surick, Tara Hynes,
10-1; Pip I, Harry Landy, Harry Landy, 15-1; Silver Credit, Steve Smith, Karen
Garland, 12-1; In Nomine Patri, Joe Haney, Joe Haney, 15-1; Mugshot Jess, Pat
Lachance, Taylor Gower, 10-1; Sevruga, Andy Miller, Julie Miller, 4-1; Lucky
Colby, Eric Abbatiello, Gilbert Garcia-Herrera, 9-2; Gural Hanover, Joe
Bongiorno, Ron Burke, 8-5, and Photosavvy, Vincent Ginsburg, Robert Bresnahan
Jr., 9-1.
Photosavvy, the nine horse,
will leave from the second tier.
Longtime standardbred owners
and the founding sponsors of the event, Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Landy will serve
as grand marshals for the Fourth Annual Open Space Pace Day “Parade of Horses,”
starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Freehold Borough’s Hall of Records and
ending at Freehold Raceway.
The parade will feature
marching bands from Freehold Township and Freehold Borough high schools.
After the parade, the
festivities move to Freehold Raceway where there will be live harness racing, a
petting zoo, vendor tables, food trucks and educational exhibits.
There will be an autograph
session with Julie Miller and Hannah Miller from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at
the winner’s circle at Freehold Raceway
A concert featuring Burlap to
Cashmere and The Nerds begins at 3 p.m.
