Freehold: Southwind Banshee, Seven Reps tally in NJSS-SDF finals

Two $70,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Standardbred Development Fund finals were held at Freehold Raceway on Thursday (Oct. 3). Both were for 3-year-old trotters.

The final for fillies took place in race six and driver Johnathan Ahle and Southwind Banshee had post position three. They settled in fourth in line in the first turn, and they were content there until the field reached the half where Ahle decided it was time to make the trek towards the front. He pulled to the first-over position, and the pair worked their way into contention.

By the time they reached the three-quarter pole in 1:26 1/5, they trailed the leader, Eloise, by just half a length. Eloise, the 8-5 second choice, didn't give in easily, as she continued battling into the stretch, but then faded as they approached the wire. Southwind Banshee continued on to win in 1:55 2/5, just two-fifths of a second shy of the track record that she set back on September 12. At 3-2 odds, a win bet paid $5. Jacquie Ingrassia trains the Muscle Hill daughter for Arden Homestead.

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In the final for colts and geldings, Seven Reps and Austin Siegelman got lucky with the draw and left from post one. After winning the Garden State Trot and then taking the first leg of the NJSS-SDF in his last two starts, the bettors sent the Ron Burke trainee down to 2-5 odds. It was no surprise then to see Seven Reps cruise around the track for a wire-to-wire win in 1:55 1/5. This was his third win in-a-row and fifth lifetime. Siegelman scored a driving double on the eight-race card.

Racing resumes with more NJSS action and $70,000 finals Friday and Saturday starting at 12:30 p.m. (EDT).

--press release (Freehold)--