Freehold: More stakes action slated for this weekend

Last week's Renaissance Pace for 2-year-old colts and geldings saw an exciting showdown between New York Sire Stakes champion King James Express, and up-and-comer Captain Fancy. Even though Captain Fancy led most of the way, King James Express got up late to beat him by a head.

Now, those two are rematched in the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes- Standardbred Development Fund this Saturday (October 3) at Freehold Raceway. King James Express, a winner of three straight, will leave from post position two for trainer Mark Harder and driver Jason Bartlett. Captain Fancy, trained by Bill MacKenzie and driven by Dan Dube, has post position five.

Hurrikane Georgie, Imaginary Line, Not Today, and Solid Alibi round out the field. It will go as the fifth race, with post time scheduled for 1:50 PM.

The Saturday card also features the Renaissance Pace for 2-year-old fillies. It attracted a field of seven, with three of them prior winners. JK Disarray, a recent maiden winner at Harrah's Philadelphia, AP Blaze of Glory, who won two in a row at that track earlier in the year, and Podium Girl, who won a leg of the Stallion Series at the Meadows, all profile as contenders. That will be the ninth race, scheduled to go at 3:10 PM.

More action on Friday

A win by Kasha V has become a staple of Friday racing at Freehold Raceway. He's won four races in a row, sweeping the New Jersey Sire Stakes- Standardbred Development Fund series, and adding the Garden State Trot for good measure.

Now, he'll seek a fifth consecutive win in the New Jersey Futurity for 3-year-olds on Friday (October 2). He's got the inside post and only four rivals for trainer Tom Corelli and driver Austin Siegelman. However, one of those rivals will be tough.

That's the Nifty Norman-trained Barley, who leaves from post position four for driver George Brennan. He was the runner-up four consecutive times in Kentucky Sire Stakes action at the Red Mile, including the final on September 20. He won the Futurity for 2-year-olds at this track last year, along with the Garden State Trot at the Meadowlands.

Never Late Kait, Sloanie, and Kixton Hanover round out the field. It'll go as the fifth race on the card, with a post time scheduled for 2:10 PM.

The NJSS-SDF rolls on for 2-year-old trotters on Friday as well. There will be one division of the second leg for colts & geldings, featuring a field of nine. First leg winners Muscle Dynasty and Torrey Pines drew posts seven and nine, respectively. That race will be the ninth, scheduled to go off at 3:10 PM.

The second leg for fillies attracted 11 entries and was split into two divisions. The first division will go as a non-betting race, with a field of five. The second division features a field of six, and will be the third race, with a post time of 1:10 PM.

Post time for the first race on both days is 12:30 PM.

-edited release (Freehold)