Freehold Raceway hosted a special race on Dec. 4 in honor of the Toys for Tots drive, sponsored by Peter and Mary Grandich. The Toys for Tots Pace, for TrackMaster-conditioned pacers, featured all drivers under the age of 30.
Bettors Outlaw, with 26-year-old Jack Pelling, got the job done, winning emphatically by six lengths, according to a press release.
Leaving from post one, Pelling left with Bettors Outlaw, but elected to let favored Ideal Tyson A and Austin Siegelman take the lead and draft behind them in the pocket.
As they rounded the third turn, Bettors Outlaw started to look antsy. Pelling could wait no longer and fed him racetrack as they approached the three-quarter point. Ideal Tyson A had no response and Bettors Outlaw drew off to a smashing victory in 1:57.1 for the mile.
Bettors Outlaw has now won two times on the year from 18 starts. He is owned by John Urbanski and trained by Alex Urbanski.
Ideal Tyson A and 29-year-old Siegelman, Whata Twist and 20-year-old Trae Porter, Frankie Boy and 27-year-old Kasper Foget, Bolder with 26-year-old Troy Beyer, Steady Pulse and 18-year-old Brett Beckwith, Ideal Suspect and 21-year-old Luke Hanners, and Hypothetical, with 23-year-old Tyler Miller, completed the order of finish.
Following the race, a ceremony was held in the winner’s circle. Former New Jersey Devils players Bruce Driver and Grant Marshall, as well as Marshall’s wife, seven-time British National Figure Skating Champion Sinead Kerr, were on hand.
Later in the day, Major Crocker A won the Preferred Handicap pace for the second time in three weeks. He made his way to the lead heading up the backstretch the final time, and pulled away to win by one-and-one-quarter lengths in 1:53.4. Luke Hanners had the drive for owner-trainer Tahnee Camilleri.
Our White Knight made it two wins in a row at Freehold Raceway on Dec. 3 when he won the Preferred Handicap trot by a length.
Leaving from post position six, Jim Marohn Jr. dropped his drive toward the back of the pack while Slated to Win set the early pace.
The fractions were moderate, as Slated to Win rattled off a first quarter in :28.1 and a half in :58.3. However, Marohn continued to rate his drive toward the back in hopes of picking up cover.
He got that cover when favored Im the Muscle moved first-over to the front. Marohn followed that move with Our White Knight. As they turned for home, Our White Knight was in perfect striking position and he rolled by in the stretch for the win.
Our White Knight is owned by Triple D Stable and is trained by Scott DiDomenico. He has won five times this year from 31 starts, and 14 times from 82 races in his career, according to the press release.
Live harness racing will resume at Freehold Raceway on Dec. 10 starting at 12:30 p.m.