Freehold: Three stakes events featured on Saturday afternoon

A $45,000 Renaissance test for 2-year-old male pacers and a pair of $30,000 Homegrown splits for sophomore pacing colts and geldings went behind the gate on Saturday afternoon at Freehold Raceway.

In the Renaissance, Wish You Well (Jason Bartlett) was positioned third through opening-half fractions of 28 2/5 and 58 2/5, then attacked first-over on the third turn and advanced to take the lead on the outside from Caviart Justice (Jordan Stratton) heading to the 1:26 4/5 three-quarters. Caviart Justice was able to stand his ground on the inside and kept Wish You Well on the rim around the final bend, but once in the stretch, Wish You Well accelerated again and pulled clear to tally by a length and a half in 1:55 4/5. Caviart Justice was second, followed by Arbitrage Hanover (Jack Pelling).

A gelding from the first crop of Bettor's Wish, Wish You Well is trained by Nifty Norman for owner/breeder Kovach Stables LLC. He has a record of 3-3-1 from eight outings, has banked $119,695 and paid $2.60 to win as the 1-5 favorite.

Hound On The Beach (George Brennan) took the first Homegrown division by half a length in 1:54 3/5 after he led the field through panels of 28 1/5, 58 3/5 and 1:27. Stay Grounded, the 1-2 favorite, was second after a pocket trip and Goldin Greatness (Bartlett) completed the trifecta after going first-over from third beyond the half.

Mark Capone trains Hound On The Beach, a Huntsville colt bred by Walnridge Farm, for owners George Tackley, Wendy Storrier and Samir Tawil. Hound On The Beach is a six-time winner from 26 starts, sent his earnings to $86,355 and returned $7.60 to win as the 5-2 second choice.

► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter

MGM Messenger Stakes champion and 4-5 favorite Captain Batboy (Bartlett) was on top at the 28 2/5 quarter, 58 second half and 1:26 3/5 three-quarters in the other Homegrown clash, but Taste Of Honey (Jordan Stratton) tipped out first-up from fourth in the third quarter and surged to join Captain Batboy on the front-end entering the final turn. Those two continued to duel around the bend and into the lane, but Taste Of Honey wore down Captain Batboy late in the mile and scored by a length in 1:54 1/5. Captain Batboy had to settle for second and Peppermint Man (Dan Dube) grabbed third.

The winner is a gelded son of Huntsville sent out by Ron Burke for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., J&T Silva Stables, LLC., Phil Collura and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. The Birnam Wood Farms-bred made his sixth appearance in the winner's circle, has now pocketed $172,861 and paid $4.60 to win as the 6-5 second choice.