Eric Abbatiello piloted both winners — Mountain Top and Stayin Strong — in a pair of $7,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes – Green Acres Sept. 24 at Freehold Raceway.
Both were contested as non-wagering events prior to the program.
In the 3-year-old trotting colt division, only two went to post and Mountain Top prevailed by three quarters of a length over SS Poseidon, driven by Steve Smith, in a 1:59.2 mile. Both entrants are sons of Muscle Hill.
Mountain Top, trained by Noel Daley, posted his second win of the year and has finished in-the-money in five of 14 starts this year. He was third in last week’s $50,500 Charles Smith Trot. He has banked more than $55,000 lifetime for Mario Mazza of New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Daley.
Stayin Strong (Muscles Yankee) made it two straight in Green Acres competition for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings, finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of Threeupthreedown (Muscle Hill), also driven by Smith.
Inukchuk Chuck (Muscles Yankee) was third by three-and-a-half lengths. While Steed [Muscle Hill], the Harold Dancer, broke and finished last in the field of four.
Stayin Strong, trained by Julie Miller, trotted the mile in 2:00.1.
James and Douglas Allen of Vincentown, own Stayin Strong who has two wins, one second and two thirds in eight starts for earnings of $23,264.
The schedule for free fall 2015 health screenings and flu shots for horsemen at Freehold, Meadowlands and five New Jersey training centers has been announced by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey and Dr. Chris Samaha of the Backstretch Community Assistance Program.
The free screenings conducted by CentraState Medical Center staff include immediate results.
In addition to flu shots, the services are cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose testing. Body fat testing will be offered at Winner’s International, Gaitway and White Birch. Gaitway’s program also features vision testing.
The testing dates, locations and times:
Sept. 30: Winner’s International, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Oct. 5: Gaitway Farms, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 7: Crystal Brook Farm, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Oct. 8: Freehold Paddock, 12-3 p.m.
Oct. 14: White Birch Farm, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Oct. 19: Magical Acres, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dec. 11: Meadowlands Paddock, 4-6 p.m.
Screenings and flu shots at the Meadowlands will be performed by the NJSEA Medical Department.
For more information, contact Chris Samaha at 732- 956-7139 on Mondays and Wednesday at Freehold and the Farms at 732-571-5376 at Monmouth Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
Head PGA Professional at Metedeconk National Golf Club, Brent Studer, claimed the NJPGA Professional Championship for the third time in his career (1998, 2008 and 2015) with an up and down for par on the 54th hole of the tournament.
Studer had it firing on all cylinders early in his final round, posting a 2-under par 34 on the front nine to take a 2-shot lead over Dave McGovern (Brooklake Community College) heading into the final nine holes of the championship.
The Monmouth County Park System will hold its Woods Hollow Classic Mountain Bike Race Nov. 7 at Tatum Park, Middletown.
Held on the park’s open fields and woodlands, this race offers categories for kids age 12 and under (1 mile), beginner (7.8 miles) and sport (11.4 miles) mountain bikers.
Start times are 9 a.m. for the Sport Race; 10:45 a.m. for the Kids Race; 11:15 a.m. for the Beginner Race ages 20-39; and 11:18 a.m. for the Beginner Race all other ages.
Pre-registration is accepted online or through the mail until Oct. 27 and costs $20 per person for the Sport and Beginner Races, and $5 per person for the Kids Race. Race day registration costs $25 per person for the Sport and Beginner Races, and $5 per person for the Kids Race.
The Kids Race is sponsored by the Bicycle Hub of Marlboro.
For more information regarding the Woods Hollow Classic Mountain Bike Race or the Monmouth County Park System, visit www.monmouthcountyparks.com or call 732-842-4000.
For persons with hearing impairment, the TTY/TDD number is 711.
Items for the Sport Shorts column may be sent to tmorris@gmnews.com. Please send items at least two weeks prior to a registration deadline or tryout date.
Ismael Hyman is a redshirt sophomore playing wide receiver for James Madison University’s football team.
The native of Manalapan, who played his high school football for St. John Vianney, played in all 13 of the Dukes’ games last season and had 15 receptions for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
A transfer from the University of Kansas, Hyman made four catches for a season-best 80 yards and a touchdown at Villanova University, which included a season-long 56-yard catch for his first career touchdown. He also had four catches against Towson University.
In James Madison’s first three games in 2015, Hyman has seven catches for 153 yards and two touchdowns. He’s averaging a teambest 21.86 yards per catch.
James Madison is 3-0.
At St. John Vianney, Hyman was a standout in football and track and field.