MEET STATS: 20-7-5-4 / $25.20 (-$14.80) BEST BETS: 2-1-1-0 / $2.20 (-$1.80) SPOT PLAYS: 2-0-0-1 / $0 (-$4.00) BEST BETS:  3rd Race #3 GEITA SPOT PLAY:  7th Race #2 UNCONTROLLED Last Friday my top choice won four times, was second three times and third twice but I showed a loss on the win end. Now after two weeks of seeing most of these horses race here, it’s time to pick things up. The card starts off with two exciting international Amateur driver races. Race 1: ITALIAN/AMERICAN AMATEUR RACE/TrackMaster 72.5 (Trot) (4) LIONHEAD has found a niche in the Amateur ranks, and has earned checks in five of his last seven races. He won Amateur events here at Freehold on 5/18 going wire-to-wire at 3:2 odds and used a pocket trip to win on 3/2. He also beat a NW2500 field on 2/23 here in 1:59 2/5. This eight year old has good early speed to either be on top or secure a pocket trip. (1) HOLD ME CLOSER won easily wire-to-wire last week against a weak field coming home in a back half of 1:02 4/5 and final quarter of 32 seconds. She was dominant in her qualifier here from the rail on 8/16 opening up 10 lengths at the 3/4 pole, winning wire-to-wire in 1:59 2/5 first time with no trotting hopples, crushing two decent trotters Exchequer (2nd two weeks in a row) and Mighty Surf, who are both in the 6th race today, in a higher level.  (2) MASSTER BLUE has put in solid efforts the last two weeks finishing second at this level on the front end and sitting the pocket. He is 0 for 29 in 2024 but has been improving and threw in a few solid efforts this year at Freehold against tougher. (8) IM THE MUSCLE was a disappointing third last week failing to convert an easy pocket trip. A week earlier he thought about leaving from the eight post but then took back and took a tour of the track in a no chance mile. Prior to that, he hit the line first in his three previous races out of town (was disqualified to 2nd on 8/4) and shows a strong wire-to-wire score at odds on at Philly in 1:56 4/5 on 7/31. [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: ITALIAN/AMERICAN AMATEUR RACE - F&M TrackMaster 68.5 (Pick 4) (5) MADDY N MAGGIE paid immediate dividends for Izzy Estrada in her first start for him on 8/23 with a good pocket trip and win in 1:57. The second place finisher, You Beda Rock, came back to win last week in 1:57. Maddy was a strong 4th last week from the eight hole and is well positioned for well traveled Amateur driver, Matt Zuccarello to put this five year old on the lead and play catch-me-if-you-can. (3) REACHIN FOR HEAVEN was an uninspiring fourth last week at this level at 9:5 odds however, she was impressive in her qualifier here on 8/16 drawing off in the stretch by 6 3/4 lengths in 1:59 4/5. She went wire-to-wire here on 4/26 at even money in 1:58 at a higher level and has been facing better out of town recently. (4) DREAM PILLAR won at this level two back going wire-to-wire in 1:59 1/5 and has four wins in 10 tries this year at Freehold but I think she may be a notch below the top two. RACE 3: F&M NW 1/NW $6,000 Lifetime This field is a combined career 2 for 144. (3) GEITA ships in from Yonkers out of a much tougher NW1 level and has cashed checks in five of her last seven. Two weeks ago, Trish Speaker shipped in from Yonkers out of the same level and crushed this field by 8 3/4 lengths in 1:57 4/5. Geita shows solid final quarters and finished ahead of Trish Speaker three out of the last four times they met at Yonkers this summer. The math seems too simple to me. Figuring out who will fill out the rest of the ticket is a tough task. (1) JUST MY MAMA put in a decent effort last week finishing fourth with some pace in just her second PM start of the year. She hasn’t shown much early speed but in this field, she should be able to use rail to be well positioned for a piece of this. (8) MAJOR RISE continues to draw poorly and Steve Smith didn’t get a real chance to put her into play the last two weeks. She switches to Mark Herschberger here with Steve Smith opting for the favorite. She has some decent efforts, including a fourth place finish at Philly in 1:55:1 and a second place effort at Harrington. Her consistent last quarters ranging from 28 3/5 to 29 4/5 should have her charging strong in the lane and making up ground here with a chance of hitting the ticket. (7) JIN BAG has several decent efforts of late. She was interfered with in the lane last week and finished third but was moved up to second and a week earlier, she went uncovered approaching the 3/4 pole and finished third in the Trish Speaker blowout referenced above. She has some early speed to overcome the outside draw and find some early position. Race 4: F&M TrackMaster 72.5 (1) WIGGLING JENNA has good early speed to be on the lead or in the pocket here. She won here wire-to-wire on 3/15 in 1:58 1/5 and won from the eight post on 2/9 in 1:58 at 46-1 odds, both at this level. She used the rail at Ocean Downs to secure a pocket trip win on 5/29 and we could see a similar result in here. (2) JUST ROLLING lived up to her name last week and got a good set up and was “rolling” around the final turn and through the stretch to draw off by 2 1/4 lengths. She’s hit the board in four of her last six and seems to be improving. (3) THAT’SMYTYPE put in a solid uncovered effort over at Philly this past Sunday finishing fourth in her first PM start since 4/5. She won here earlier this year in 1:57 2/5. Improvement can be expected. (8) GOING AWAY could add some value to exotic tickets. She came out of some quick races at Philly and won two back with a cover trip to beat a NW1 field at 14-1 in 1:54 1/5 and put in a strong uncovered effort here last week finishing but moves up a notch today. She seems to have some talent. Race 5: F&M TrackMaster 68.5 (Pick 5) (4) RUN BABY gave a strong effort two back at the TM72.5 level, then dropped down and added Lasix last week, left strongly, was hounded most of the way and had to settle for a hard fought second. The recent addition to the Izzy Estrada stable has shown excellent improvement and I expect Tyler Miller to have her on the lead. (2) HOLD MY TIARA dropped down to this level last week and fought hard in a game uncovered effort, finishing second. Earlier this year she was battling the TM 72.5 here putting up consistent final quarters of 29-29 2/5 seconds. She swept by the field here from post 6 at the TM 72.5 level on 3/22 at 35-1 odds and was a solid second at the same level on 4/5. (1) LYONS SHELLBY went wire-to-wire here from the rail two weeks ago winning by 3 1/4 lengths at 2:5 odds in 1:59 4/5 but was ambitiously placed in a tough field over at the Big M last week and it showed. She has won three of her last six. I think this field is a bit tougher than her win two weeks back but she’s an obvious contender. Race 6: NW2500/TRACKMASTER 75.5 (Trot) Wide open race. (1) LA MAGIC gets the pole in a race where there isn’t a lot of early speed. Last week he had solid trot in the lane from an impossible spot and should be able to carve out a nice trip in here. He went wire-to-wire at this level on 4/26 in 1:59 1/5 with Tyler Miller and those two could re-create some “magic” in here. (3) MIGHTY SURF makes her second start off the bench and can offer some value after a no chance first start and tour around the track from post seven. She won here on 5/10 at the TM 72.5 level with a pocket trip and also on 4/19 at this level going wire-to-wire, both in 1:59 1/5. (2) LANDIA came off a break on 8/23 to score when well backed last week at 7:5 odds, using a patient drive by Jimmy Marohn, Jr. to tip out at the 3/4 pole uncovered and battled to win by a head. She has five wins in 2024, won back-to-back Amateur events at the Big M in June and has cashed checks in seven of her last eight. (5) QUEEN CABAL was well backed at 7:5 odds two week ago when she arrived here at Freehold, was on the lead in solid fractions and fought hard in defeat finishing second. This three year old shows some solid efforts this summer at Yonkers. Race 7: F&M TrackMaster 75.5 (Pick 4) (2) UNCONTROLLED finally draws well. She drew no better than the five post in her last nine races and has only drawn inside post five twice in her last 13 races. In both of those races, she went wire-to-wire here on 5/24 at 2:5 odds and on 5/10 at even money. She put in a super effort uncovered last week finishing second and has a 1:54 1/5 mark here this year. (5) CORSINI A drops out of the TM 77.5 over at the Big M and has put in some super miles against tougher this summer. She beat a NW3000 field at the Big M on 7/26 in 1:52 2/5 and has good early speed to get to the top in here. (6) KICKUPYAHEELS N has backclass and has been battling tougher out of town. She got scorched last week at the Big M battling to the top in a quick 55 1/5 opening half and faded badly. This nine year could have a strong say in here with the right trip. Race 8: F&M TrackMaster 72.5 (1) ROMA AMOR has come uncovered strongly the last two weeks at 6:5 and 4:5 odds, battled strongly only to be beaten late finishing 2nd missing by a nose and third by a length. She should be able to get a better trip in here. This four year old beat a TM 76.5 group at the Big M on 5/10 and has been facing tougher company out of town. She won three times here last year. (2) UTE BLUE CHIP was a game customer on the lead last week when well backed at 9:5 odds with barely a moment to relax the whole mile, battling and putting away an early challenger during the first quarter and then contending with the strong challenge from Roma Amor past the 5/8th mark. These two could be battling again for top honors. (4) QUEEN SUN RYSER had a no chance trip from post seven last week but did some nice work earlier this year including a 1:52 3/5 win at the Big M this summer. (6) ITS MESMERISE N draws poorly for the third week in a row but closed stoutly two back from post seven to finish second and picks up Tyler Miller here. The veteran ten year old has 32 career wins and maybe we will see a change in tactics in here. [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 9: TrackMaster 68.5 (Trot) Another tough and competitive race put together by Freehold’s shrewd Race Secretary, Karen Fagliarone. (1) CAPTAIN MOLLY C had some trot in the lane from an impossible spot last week and now drops down and draws the pole for trainer-driver Leah Vandervort. She has two second place finishes in her last four races, including a solid uncovered second two back at Philly. There isn’t a lot of early speed in here so if she can secure strong early position, she will be a major factor. (8) ROBERT MICHAEL draws poorly but has the best TrackMaster rating in here and has been facing tougher young horses out of town (See Queen Cabal in Race 6, which is two classes higher than this, who he has finished ahead of). He did break last week from the rail at Yonkers so that is a concern and he would need things to go the right way but he seems to have some ability. (2) DONNA HANOVER was over-matched in her last in the Stallion Series over at the Meadows and goes second time for trainer Paula Wellwood. Prior to that, this three year old hit the board in four of her last six starts in Canada and Philly and she looks like she has some talent. Let’s see how she adjusts to a half mile oval. (3) CALL ME THEFIREMAN was a respectable second last week in a slow race. He has won 15 times in 62 races in 2023-24 with most of his recent work done in the Amateur ranks. He won an Amateur event here on 5/18 going wire-to-wire and finished second here on 5/11 with a pocket trip from the five post. Owner Anthony Verruso jumps back on board. Race 10: F&M TrackMaster 68.5 (1) PRINCESS GLYDANA is 0 for 27 this year and just 2 for 59 from 2023-24 but finds a blank field. She made up six lengths in the back half last week from a tough spot and finished with solid pace two weeks ago making up 7 1/4 lengths in the back half. The trip should be a lot easier in here. I’m going to take a shot with the “Disney” exacta of princesses. (4) PRINCESS SHARKTANK makes her fourth start since March 2021 for trainer-driver Dominik Miga. She foaled two babies during the hiatus and is now back racing. You know it’s a weak field when this one is the 2-1 ML favorite (the field is a combined 4 for 142 in 2024) so there’s not a lot of value here but she was solid in her wire-to-wire qualifying win on 8/21 over at Pocono and gave a very interested effort last week here leaving from the eight post, tucking and then making a strong uncovered effort before fading. (2) FUZZPOT moves inside for her third start off the bench and did win here at Freehold last year in 1:58 4/5. (5) BRAZEN RAISIN is 2 for 71 in her career but had a few good closing efforts here earlier this year, which indicate she is capable of getting a piece of this.