by Carol Hodes, for the New Jersey Sires Stakes

Freehold, NJ — Molly Pitcher and Countess Adios winner Valmctorian drew the rail and was installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite in the $85,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes Final for 2-year-old pacing fillies, the fifth race on Saturday (September 8) at Freehold Raceway.

Cat Manzi will be at the lines of the daughter of McArdle–Penn Grad. She has finished first, second or third in all seven lifetime starts, taking her mark of 1:53.3 while winning a $66,850 Countess Adios division at the Meadowlands.

Ray Remmen trains the filly who races in the name of John Lichtenberger of North Bergen, N.J.; Saverio Spagnolo of Potsdam, N.Y. and James Chambers of Annapolis, Md. She was an $18,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase and has earnings of $98,172 and four wins to her credit.

This will be Valmctorian’s first meeting with McArts N Crafts, the 3-1 second choice in the morning line.

This McArdle filly has two wins, two seconds and three thirds from seven starts and earnings of $275,981 for owner-trainer Haralabos Giannoulis of New Milford, N.J., who acquired her at the New Jersey Classic Sale for $12,000.

Most of her bankroll was due to her success in the $441,750 Sweetheart Final on August 3. McArts N Crafts won the premier 2-year-old pacing filly event at the Meadowlands in 1:53.2, her lifetime mark.

McArts N Crafts will leave from post five with Steve Smith driving.

Both fillies were bred by Perretti Farms in Cream Ridge, N.J.

The field for the $85,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes Final (from the rail out with driver, trainer and morning line odds): Valmctorian, Cat Manzi, Ray Remmen, 5-2; JK Getupngo, Jim Morrill, Jr., Linda Toscano, 5-1; Dreamlands Latte, Jack Baggitt, Jr., Robert Baggitt, Jr., 7-2; Jazzy Art’s Candy, Brian Sears, Mickey Burke, 6-1; McArts N Crafts, Steve Smith, Haralabos Giannoulis, 3-1; Cheyenne Trish, Jeff Gregory, Robert Siegelman, 25-1; Best Place, Jim Pantaleano, Buzzy Sholty, 40-1; and Ideal Morning, Pat Berry, Buzzy Sholty, 15-1. Best Place and Ideal Morning have separate ownership and are separate betting interests.

In addition to the two daughters of McArdle, the stallions represented include Western Ideal (JK Getupngo and Ideal Morning), Artsplace (Dreamlands Latte, Jazzy Art’s Candy and Best Place) and Artiscape (Cheyenne Trish).