by Carol Hodes, for the New Jersey Sires Stakes

Freehold, NJ — A pair of Linda Toscano trainees will be battling it out with six others in the $145,000 Lou Babic Memorial in the 12th race on Saturday afternoon (October 20) at Freehold Raceway.

Eight fillies, including Green Acres champion Happy Dreamer and Cheyenne Trish, who has a two-race winning streak, will meet in the $80,000 Lou Babic Memorial for fillies, the 10th race.

The Babic finals for New Jersey-sired 2-year-old pacers, worth a combined $225,000, are named in memory of one of the founders of the New Jersey Sires Stakes program, and are sponsored by the New Jersey Sires Stakes.

Toscano sends out Artic Stretch (by Artiscape), rated the 5-2 morning line favorite from post five with Andy Miller driving, and Meant To Be Me (by McArdle), 5-1 with Ron Pierce from post six, in the open division. With separate ownership, the duo race uncoupled. Last week the two colts won their respective Babic elims in matching 1:55.1 miles.

Artic Stretch now has two wins, four seconds and one third from 10 starts and earnings of $32,292. He is leased to Joann and Joe Thomson’s Hutt Racing Stable of Paoli, Pa.

Meant To Be Me finished 3-3/4 lengths ahead of McCedes (McArdle) in his elim and now has two wins and one second in six starts and earnings of $24,416. A $35,000 Harrisburg Sale purchase, he is owned by Louis Marciante of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Amante Standardbreds Inc. (Anthony Amante and Christine Garrity) of Delray Beach, Fla.

Cat Manzi, who drove both Artic Stretch and McCedes in the elims, opted in the final for the Chris Ryder-trained McCedes, who has won four of nine starts.

The contentious filly division offers Lomangino Standardbreds’ Happy Dreamer (by McArdle) as the 3-1 morning line favorite from the rail (betting number two) with Andy Miller driving for trainer Julie Miller. The homebred has two wins, two seconds and one third from five starts for earnings of $26,340. Both of her wins came in New Jersey Sires Stakes Green Acres events, including the $35,000 championship race on September 27, and she possesses a half-mile track mark of 1:55.4.

Cheyenne Trish, driven by Manzi and trained by Robert Siegelman, has a two-race streak on the line. She won the single Babic elim in 1:56.2, a lifetime best, and has three wins, one second and one third for $38,024 for The Cheyenne Gang LLC of Port Washington, N.Y. The Artiscape filly leaves from post two (betting number three).

Dreamlands Latte (Artsplace), who cut the Babic elim mile and finished fourth, had a four-race winning streak snapped. The Dreamland Farms homebred has five wins and one second in seven starts for earnings of $97,837. Daniel Dube will have to overcome post eight (betting number seven) with the Peter Fusco-trainee, who is rated 9-2 in the morning line.

The field for the $80,000 Lou Babic Filly, race 10 (from the rail out with driver, trainer and morning line odds): Happy Dreamer, Andy Miller, Julie Miller, 3-1; Cheyenne Trish, Cat Manzi, Robert Siegelman, 7-2; Paint Wheel, Steve Smith, Randy Beeckman, 10-1; Erma La Em, Ron Pierce, Steve LeBlanc, 8-1; Knock Three Times, David Miller, Ross Croghan, 5-1; Alice’s Restaurant, George Brennan, Ross Croghan, 5-1; Necessary Element, Stephane Bouchard, Ed Hart, 6-1; and Dreamlands Latte, Daniel Dube, Peter Fusco, 9-2. Knock Three Times and Alice’s Restaurant are coupled in the wagering.

The field for the $145,000 Lou Babic Open, race 12 (from the rail out with driver, trainer and morning line odds): McArdle Park, Jeff Gregory, Jerry Silverman, 9-2; Dear Mac, Pat Berry, Noel Daley, 10-1; Mr Nice Guy, Daniel Dube, Ross Croghan, 8-1; Dontloseyourdayjob, George Brennan, Monte Gelrod, 7-2; Artic Stretch, Andy Miller, Linda Toscano, 5-2; Meant To Be Me, Ron Pierce, Linda Toscano, 5-1; McCedes, Cat Manzi, Chris Ryder, 6-1; and Cash Cab, David Miller, Ross Croghan, 8-1.