Freehold Raceway hosted four New Jersey Futurity races for 3- and 4-year-old pacers and trotters alike last week.
The first of the four New Jersey Futurity races took place Oct. 13 for 3-year-old trotters with a purse of $22,000. Dominion Beach with driver Marcus Johansson moved to take the lead from Inukchuck Chuck just past the half-mile mark to win in 1:57.3. Inukchuck Chuck finished second, while Heal The World came in third. This marks a sixth win with earnings over $170,000 lifetime for the Nancy Johansson trainee. Ernst Gerbaulet bred the Muscle Hill colt.
New Jersey Futurity action continued Oct. 14 with the 2-year-old trotters battling for the $23,500 purse. Andy Miller sent Southwind Prius to the front from postposition three only to relinquish the lead at the head of the stretch, eventually finishing third. Joe Bongiorno guided Southwind Woody around some road trouble to win in 1:59.1, holding off a late surge from Romancing Rachel. The Muscle Hill colt bred by Southwind Farm of New Jersey notched his first lifetime win.
The conclusion of the racing week held two races for pacers Oct. 15.
The first of the two was the third race of the day. The $20,300 New Jersey Futurity for 2-year-old pacers was won by the favorite Every Way Out. Driven by Tim Tetrick, Every Way Out wired the field from the rail position in 1:55.1. The only mare in the race, Misqued out-paced the other colts to finish second. Notenough For Me finished third. This win pushed the If I Can Dream colt’s earnings to $181,805. Bulletproof Enterprises bred him.
In the seventh race, Boston Red Rocks dominated the $26,000 three-year-old pacer division. Tetrick coasted the Steve Elliott trainee to the wire in 1:53.4. Bred by Andray Farms, the RocknRoll Hanover colt boosted his lifetime earnings to $876,785.
Freehold Raceway also honored long-time paddock judge Mike Fuschini in the eighth race Oct. 15. Drivers, trainers and grooms joined Fuschini’s family in the winner circle to commemorate the loss of an amazing individual.
Freehold raceway resumes racing Oct. 20, with a post time of 12:30 pm.