Freehold: Stay Grounded soars in NJSDF final

Stay Grounded led all the way from post one and captured Saturday afternoon's $70,000 New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund final for 3-year-old male pacers at Freehold Raceway in 1:54 1/5.

Driver Johnathan Ahle put Stay Grounded on the engine right away and was in front through panels of 27 1/5, 56 1/5 and 1:25 1/5 with Taste Of Honey (Jordan Stratton) in the pocket. Peppermint Man (Joe Bongiorno), who wound up parked out from post seven, advanced two-wide into second entering the backstretch for the final time, but he retreated before three-quarters, sending Hound On The Beach (George Brennan) three-wide from second-over.

Hound On The Beach was unable to make any headway after tipping out, leaving Stay Grounded and Taste Of Honey to decide it. Stratton swung off the cones with Taste Of Honey late on the final bend and gained through the lane, but his brush wasn't enough as Stay Grounded stayed in front by half a length at the wire. Bad Boy Too (Jason Bartlett) finished with pace in the passing lane to close from seventh to third in the final panel.

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Trainer Noel Daley also co-owns Stay Grounded, a gelded son of Stay Hungry, with partners Dean Ehrgott and Waldron Matthews. Stay Grounded his six career victories, has pocketed $208,492 and paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.