by Carol Hodes for SBOANJ

Manalapan, NJ — Chocolate Delight is a ribbon-winning show horse and now a stakes winner, too.

He rallied with a three-wide move on the last turn to win the $20,000 New Jersey Futurity for New Jersey-sired 3-year-old trotters on Thursday, October 3, 2013 at Freehold Raceway.

The gelded son of Chocolatier trotted the mile in a career best of 1:59.3 with Jim Meittinis driving for trainer Oyvind Hegdal.

Chocolate Delight, who now has three wins and two seconds in 10 starts this year, splits his time between the racetrack and the show ring. 12-year-old Victoria Hegdal of New Egypt, NJ has earned ribbons with the trotter, who is trained by her father and owned by her mother, Camilia.

Winbak Blondie by Muscles Yankee, who cut the fractions, was second by a length and three-quarters and Dagget by Chocolatier was third by 2-3/4 lengths.

Chocolate Delight has $22,825 in earnings this year and $31,885 lifetime.

Chocolate Delight, who was second by a neck in the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes-Green Acres, will skip the second leg and be pointed toward the third leg and final, according to Oyvind Hegdal.

The New Jersey Futurity is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.

A pair of $25,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes (Green Acres Finals) are on tap this weekend at Freehold Raceway.

On Friday afternoon, in a non-wagering event, 2-year-old trotting fillies are in the spotlight. The five finalists, in post position order, are Shelikescandy [Chocolatier], Revergreen [Revenue], Muscle Pump Queen [Muscles Yankee], I’ll Bring Dessert [Chocolatier] and Worldrecordsweeper [Muscles Yankee].

The final for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings is the ninth race on Saturday. Seven are scheduled to race. In post position order, they are: Always There [Western Ideal], Sky Is The Limit [Western Ideal, Troon [Rocknroll Hanover], Rockaholic [Rocknroll Hanover], Rocnrolwilneverdie [Rocknroll Hanover], Ima Giggity Fool [Cam’s Card Shark] and Ahdoughnolum [Rocknroll Hanover].