by Carol Hodes, for the New Jersey Sires Stakes

Freehold, NJ — Cheyenne Trish nipped Happy Dreamer at the wire to capture Friday’s (October 12) $10,000 elimination for the Lou Babic Filly Memorial. They will join six others on the gate for the final on October 20 at Freehold Raceway.

Eight of the nine 2-year-old pacing fillies in the elimination will advance to the $78,000 (est.) final. Like A Redhead did not make the cut.

The Babic Filly and the companion Babic Open are sponsored by the New Jersey Sire Stakes program.

Cheyenne Trish, a daughter of Artiscape and the first foal of Falconstor, paced the mile in a lifetime best of 1:56.2 to register her third win in 10 starts.

Cheyenne Trish ($30.60, $8.60, $3.00), driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Robert Siegelman, rallied on the outside as even money favorite Dreamlands Latte (by Artsplace) faded to fourth and had her winning streak snapped at four. It was a half-length back to Happy Dreamer ($4.20, $3.00), a daughter of McArdle, in second, and Knock Three Times ($2.20), who is by Western Ideal, was a length back in third.

Leased by the Cheyenne Gang of Port Washington, N.Y., Cheyenne Trish was a $17,000 New Jersey Classic Sale purchase in 2005. She has banked $38,024, finishing in-the-money in five of 10 starts.

The other four spots in the Babic Filly Final will go to Necessary Element (Red River Hanover), Erma Le Em (Cam’s Card Shark), Alice’s Restaurant (Western Ideal) and Pain Wheel (Artiscape).

The Babic races are named in memory of Lou Babic, who was one of the founders of the New Jersey Sire Stakes program and served for many years as its chairman and as a member of the Board of Trustees.