Frehold, NJ – Only two favorites were victorious on the nine-race Friday (May 17) program at Freehold Raceway.

Neither Do I {#6 inside) won a blanket finish in the first race at Freehold Raceway in the first race Friday. Katie Eick photo.

The card opened with a thrill in the first race. The 1-2 favorite, Dandy Idea, set the pace all the way into the stretch when her challengers closed in on her. This led to a blanket finish where five horses were within one length of the lead. When the photo finish was called official, it was 27-1 shot Neither Do I, who had the nose over the favorite. Scott DiDomenico was the winning trainer and went on to earn a training double. Jim Marohn Jr was the victorious driver and went on to earn a triple on the card. A win bet paid $57.80.

That wasn’t the only 27-1 shot winner of the day. In race five, Vintage Gal got away fifth from post five. She stayed there until just after the half where she began her first-over trek to the front. Driver Steve Smith steered the mare three-wide in the final turn and the pair rallied down the stretch to earn a back-to-back win for the mare despite the rise in class.

Brandon Mongiello owns and trains the 8-year-old chestnut mare. A win bet paid $57. A winning $0.50 trifecta bet in race six paid $1,018.65.

The card saw multiple $100+ payouts for $1 exactas, $0.50 trifecta, and $0.10 superfecta wagers. The upsets created some tricky Pick-4 and Pick-5 sequences leading to carryovers of $1,722.91 and $674.35, respectively. These will carry-over into tom Saturday (May 18). The 12-race card will get underway starting at 12:30 p.m.