Freehold: Freakonomics stretches win streak to five

Huge favorite Freakonomics took the lead at the half and went on to a facile 1:53 1/5 victory in the $50,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes/Standardbred Development Fund final for sophomore pacing fillies on Friday afternoon at Freehold Raceway.

Driven by George Brennan, Freakonomics moved from third after the 27 3/5 opening quarter and grabbed command at the 56 4/5 half. Freakonomics would then reach three-quarters in 1:24 3/5 before she finished off a four-length victory with a 28 3/5 final kicker. Sweetest Emotion (Vinny Ginsburg) finished in the second position, and Livinginthedream (Nick Surick) was third.

A daughter of Western Terror, Freakonomics is trained by Ross Croghan for co-owner/breeder Let It Ride Stables Inc. and co-owner Dana Parham. This was her 11th career victory, and she has now earned $170,298. Freakonomics paid $2.10 to win as the 1-9 choice.

This year's Pennsylvania Stallion Series champion in the division, Freakonomics fit the New Jersey Sire Stakes by virtue of Standardbred Development Fund dual-eligibility rules.

The $15,000 Harold Dancer for 2-year-old colt trotters was raced as a non-betting event before the pari-mutuel card, and it would be match race with Shoshie Deo (Dewayne Minor) and U Need Stones (Joe Bongiorno) facing off. Shoshie Deo had the lead through opening-half fractions of 29 2/5 and 59, and when U Need Stones jumped it off before three-quarters, Shoshie Deo was all alone to race through three-quarters in 1:28 3/5 and the finish in 1:59.

Minor also trains the victorious Wishing Stone colt for owner Annemette Minor. Shoshie Deo now has three wins and three second-place efforts from seven attempts, and he has put away $61,240.