Freehold: Thursday 9/19 Analysis

MEET STATS: 48-20-11-7/ $121.70 (+25.70)

BEST BETS: 5-4-1-0 / $9.50 (-$0.50)

SPOT PLAYS: 5-2-1-1 / $28.60 (+$18.60)

BEST BETS: SEVEN REPS (5^th)

SPOT PLAY: UNCLE COZ (9^th)

Freehold continues with three days of racing (Thursday-Saturday) the next four weeks. It looks like I got into a good groove last week. In 18 races on Thursday and Friday, my top choice won 10 times, was second four times and third once. That included winners of $22.40, $19.20 and $18.60, with my best bets and spot plays winning both days. Hopefully I can keep the momentum going forward, although I don’t see great values on today’s card; a card with three $40,000 races.

Race 1: TrackMaster 68.5

I was told somebody will win this race but at first I wasn’t sure. In 2024, this field is a combined 7-157 with just 15 exacta finishes. (2) GOLD STAR YODER threw in a clunker on 8/23 and went backwards but took three weeks off and came back with a good front-running effort last week, tiring late and settling for third in a solid effort. He should be on the lead early in a race void of early speed and the Herschberger/Gulotta combination connected a couple of times last week. (5) BASS PLAYER is a bit of an unknown shipping in from Monticello and Maine. He broke last week at Monti as the 2-1 favorite but prior to that his last two races were excellent efforts at Windsor. This 10-year-old had a mark of 1:49 4/5 as a 5-year-old so you know he has some back class. (6) OFFICER BLUE CHIP was second and third his last two, both at this level, and despite being just 2-58 from 2023-24, he should enjoy the switch to the aggressive Tyler Miller.

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Race 2: F&M TrackMaster 68.5 (Pick 4)

I can’t believe I am picking (3) PRINCESS GLYDANA on top. She is just 3-67 from 2023-24 but she crushed a TM 68.5 field on 9/6 by 8 3/4 lengths in 1:57 2/5 then last week moved up to TM 72.5 and was in a crazy-fast mile where she had no chance yet paced in 1:56 4/5. She looks like a different horse the last two weeks, drops back down and meets a blank field. I am also in shock that I am picking (4) ALWAYS AS FAST for second. This lovable 14-year-old mare has raced 437 times in her life with 46 wins and often is an afterthought at this point in her career, but she has finished second twice in her last three efforts and last week she was quite impressive in defeat after going uncovered a long way missing by a 1 3/4 lengths. (7) CUTTING HUMOR tried to cut the mile last week from the seven post and got stung to the quarter and understandably struggled in the lane, finishing third by five lengths. I imagine similar tactics in here and she is a serious contender on the win end if she can get an easier lead. (8) DREAM PILLAR is 4-12 at Freehold this year and beat a TM 68.5 field wire-to-wire from an inside post on 8/23 but wasn’t super sharp last week at 1-5 odds, finishing second soundly beaten by 4 3/4 lengths. This could be a tough task from the outside post even though it’s not a tough field.

RACE 3: Garden State 3-Year-Old Filly Trot

(2) ELOISE cut a strong clip last week getting outkicked by the pocket sitter and settling for second by 3/4 length in 1:55 1/5. Prior to that she had absolutely no chance in the NJ Classic final from the 10 post and has been battling some very tough young trotters. She won over at Yonkers on 6/28 and can handle the half mile. (5) TACTICAL LORI goes second time Lasix, has seven wins in 2024 and picks up Andrew McCarthy. She went wire-to-wire two weeks ago at the Big M and handled the half mile oval well earlier this year at Yonkers. (6) KINESIOLOGY put in an even effort last week settling for third. She goes third time with Lasix for trainer Ron Burke and has won four times in 2024. She had a rough trip in the NJ Classic consolation two back but she has the early speed to find good early position.

Race 4: $40,000 3-Year-Old Filly Homegrown

(2) MIRACULOUS DEO has been battling some tough fillies and has been second in her last two, including in the New Jersey Classic at the Big M. She won the Shady Daisy at the Meadowlands on 8/3 in 1:49 3/5 beating a strong field of 11. The only question is whether she adjusts well to the half mile oval. (1) MIKI IN LUV didn’t adjust well to the Freehold oval last week and broke early at 1-9 odds by the quarter pole. She has won nine out of 25 career starts including an eye-catching 1:50 4/5 victory on 6/30 at Philly beating some super-tough fillies. She has been chasing some killers in sub-1:50 miles and draws well in here. (7) LYONS LEGEND ships in for the shrewd Jimmy King, Jr. and has 11 wins in 22 career starts including a win at Pocono in 1:50 3/5 and a win last year at Philly in 1:50 2/5.

RACE 5: NJSS Standardbred Development Fund 3-Year-Old Colt Trot (Pick 5)

(1) SEVEN REPS put in a strong mile last week here in the $50,000 Garden State, leaving from the seven post, tucking in third and making a strong run in the lane to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Prior to that, he hit the board in each of his last four starts including a win at Pocono going wire-to-wire from the six post in 1:55 1/5. He has good early speed and should be able to control things here from the rail against a pretty weak field. (2) ROCKET MAN HILL comes in off a sick scratch but is reunited with Joe Bongiorno as trainer and driver, and shows a solid 5 1/4 length win over at Scioto. (3) ROBINHOOD was a decent fourth in last week’s Garden State as he adjusted to the half mile oval. He had some decent efforts over at the Meadowlands but is a notch below the choice here.

Race 6: $40,000 Garden State 3-Year-Old Filly Trot (Pick 4)

(2) BUY A ROUND won the $250,000 NJ Classic Final on 9/6 at the Big M with an eye-popping back half of 54 4/5. She also finished second in the Hambletonian Oaks on 8/3. She has nine wins in 18 career starts, and if she adjusts to the half mile track, she will be tough to beat at short odds for Andrew McCarthy. (5) TOVE PALEMA adjusted well to the half mile track with an explosive win here last week and an impressive back half of 57 3/5, drawing off by 5 1/2 lengths. Prior to that she drew horribly in both legs of the NJ Classic but did show speed blasting from the 10 post three back and earned a check, missing by just 1 1/2 lengths. (4) ST PAULI GIRL put in an even effort last week here and has four wins and four second-place finishes in 14 career starts.

Race 7: NJSS Standardbred Development Fund 3-Year-Old Colt Trot

(3) MR GRANT broke here last week from post eight but draws much better. Prior to that, he came out of a tough NJ Classic final where he finished sixth. He has nine exacta finishes in 21 career starts, has early speed and clearly has some talent. (5) HANKINS HANOVER cut the fractions in last week’s Garden State but got beat in the lane by Seven Reps and had to settle for second. He had a no-chance trip in the NJ Classic Final on 9/6 from the 10 post. He has been battling some of the best young trotters in the country and this Burke trainee has five wins in his career. I really think it’s a two horse race for win honors but (2) SHERMONT is the wild card in here. He has hit the board in each of his last six starts out of town, switches to trainer Scott Di Domenico and could improve.

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Race 8: TrackMaster 72.5

(3) ARTIFACT HANOVER has hit the board in four of his last six including a sharp score here in 1:57 at the TM 68.5 level on 8/31. Since moving up to this level, he has closed stoutly twice in a row to get third and second, missing by a length and a nose respectively. He has shown the ability to leave in the past and we might see a change in tactics in here. (2) HARRY HANOVER comes in off a wire-to-wire win in a qualifier here last week from the seven post. He won back-to-back weeks in July at the Big M with pocket trips. The new Manuel Quevedo trainee may be able to sit the pocket again in here. (1) IDEAL SUSPECT tried to wire a field here on 9/7 but tired late and had to settle for third in 1:57 3/5. Earlier this year, he tried to cut a mile here in snappy fractions and put in a strong effort finishing second in 1:56 4/5. He’s still winless in in nine starts this year and has owner/trainer Dominik Miga in the bike. (7) OH COFFEE BEAN comes out of a fast race this past Saturday where he lost by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:55 4/5. Anything close to that race puts him very much in contention here despite the short turn around.

Race 9: TrackMaster 68.5

(1) UNCLE COZ gets some major post position relief and has early speed to find good position. He finished a strong second on 8/31 in 1:57 3/5 and threw in a good effort despite getting parked early on 8/24 and tiring late. (4) Y S BETTORS LEGACY goes third time for Izzy Estrada and is well positioned. Two back on 8/31 he tried to wire a TM 72.5 field but got beat late, finishing second missing by a half-length as the 5-2 favorite. Last week he dropped down to the TM 68.5 level from the six post and never got seriously involved. He seems to have some early speed and there’s not much early speed in this race. I’m a bit perplexed why Mark Herschberger opted off this one for #3 but Justin Huckabone has proven he can compete here. (5) HELLO ROCKY has been facing slightly tougher out of town this summer, has the highest TrackMaster rating in the field and won earlier this year at the Big M in 1:52 4/5. Owner/trainer Geovany Hernandez calls his own number and drives, which should keep the price fair. (3) POWER DREAMING N makes his first PM start since 4/26 but could add some value to the ticket. He was in a ridiculously fast qualifier here last week and was soundly beaten, but did finish the mile in 1:57 4/5, which puts him in contention here. Herschberger chose this one over #4.