Freehold, NJ – Overlooked and sent away at odds of over 6-1, Bob Hechkoff took no prisoners and went down the road with Pound Sterling to win the $9,000 American Harness Drivers Club trot Saturday (May 22) at Freehold Raceway.

When the wings of the mobile gate folded, Heckoff sent his trotter for the lead and they had command before the quarter in :29 and in doing so kept Matt Zuccarello and Red Hot Herbie out in the fresh air. After Zuccarello found a hole along the pylons Pound Sterling was all alone on the lead and took the field by the halfway point in :59.1.

With no one challenging, Hechkoff and Pound Sterling breezed by the third stanza in 1:29.2 and then braced for trouble when they rounded the final turn.  It came from Paul Minore with the race favorite French Moni.

Both trotters were heads apart as they headed for pay dirt with Pound Sterling not yielding and hanging on to the short lead. But the two were quickly joined by 16-1 shot Fashion Possessed and driver Jake Stillwell, so it became a desperate three-horse battle to the wire.

Pound Sterling hung on for the victory and,although Fashion Possessed was second under the wire, he was placed third.  Third place finisher on the track, French Moni, was elevated to second.

Pound Sterling, an 8-year-old Muscle Hill gelding, is owned by Hechkoff’s RBH Ventures. He paid $15.60 for win