by Carol Hodes, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Manalapan, NJ — E L Rock has been installed as the 9-5 morning line favorite in the $75,000 Charles Smith Final and Don’t Cry Lindy gets the 5-2 nod in the $65,000 Helen Smith Final, both carded on Friday (September 9) at Freehold Raceway.

The Charles Smith for 3-year-old trotting colts (third race) and the Helen Smith for 3-year-old trotting fillies (fifth race) share the spotlight with a pair of non-wagering stakes for 2-year-old trotters, the $60,000 Harold Dancer for colts and the $50,725 Marion Dancer for fillies.

The four stakes for New Jersey-sired trotters offer a total of $250,725 in purses and are sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.

E L Rock, a gelded son of Yankee Glide, will leave from post five with George Brennan driving. The Anette Lorentzon-trainee comes into the Charles Smith with two wins and a third in nine starts this year, earning $30,300 for ACL Stuteri AB (Ann-Christin Lorentzon and John Erik Magnusson) of Paris, Ky.

Cat Manzi is listed to drive Don’t Cry Lindy, who will leave from post five in the Helen Smith. The daughter of Chocolatier has a win and three seconds from nine starts this year, banking $26,948 toward a career total of $75,603 for the ownership of Martin Sternberg of Brookville, N.Y., and Alvin Katz of Port Washington, N.Y.

The stakes record of 1:55.4 for the Charles I. Smith, named in memory of a founder of the New Jersey Sire Stakes program, is held by 2010 winner Flex The Muscle (by Muscles Yankee).

Originally raced as the Charles I. Smith Filly Trot, this stakes was renamed in 1995 to honor Smith’s wife, Helen, who died in 1994 at the age of 90. The Helen Smith stakes record of 1:56.3 was set by Muscle Shirt (by Muscles Yankee) in 2008.

The stakes record of 1:59 for the Harold Dancer, named in memory of the respected trainer and driver, was established by 2010 winner Chapter Seven, a son of Windsong’s Legacy.

In 2010 the Harold Dancer Filly Trot was renamed in memory of Dancer’s wife, Marion. The stakes record for the Marion Dancer, since it moved to Freehold in 2000, is 1:59 held by 2005 winner Lovely.

The fields, in post position order with stallion, early driver, trainer and morning line:

$75,000 Charles Smith (3rd Race): Aladin AS (Chocolatier), Cat Manzi, Chris Scicluna, 10-1; Take Heart (Yankee Glide), David Miller, John Butenschoen, 5-2; Winuendo (Windsong’s Legacy), Ray Schnittker, Ray Schnittker, 7-2; Musclelaneous (Muscles Yankee), Mike Lachance, Ray Schnittker, 7-2; E L Rock (Yankee Glide), George Brennan, Anette Lorentzon, 9-5; and Muscles Malone (Muscles Yankee), Jeff Gregory, Frank Ingrassia, 7-2. Winuendo, Muscleaneous and Muscles Malone are coupled in the wagering.

$65,000 Helen Smith (5th Race): Firstclassprincess (Classic Photo), Trond Smedshammer, Trond Smedshammer, 6-1; Taya’s Photo (Classic Photo), Jeff Gregory, Erv Miller, 5-1; Ilia (Windsong’s Legacy), Jeff Gregory, Linda Toscano, 8-1; Katie Done Did It (Windsong’s Legacy), Jim Marshall III, Donna Marshall, 9-2; Don’t Cry Lindy (Chocolatier), Cat Manzi, Linda Toscano, 5-2; Windsong De Vie (Windsong’s Legacy), Jim Meittinis, Oyvind Hegdal, 10-1; and Pure Barre (Classic Photo), Cat Manzi, Thomas Gonsalves, 7-2.

$60,000 Harold Dancer (1st Non-Wagering Race, 12 p.m.): Muscolo (Muscles Yankee), Mike Lachance, Ray Schnittker; Map Of Hawaii (Chocolatier), David Miller, Jim Campbell; New York Muscle (Muscles Yankee), Cat Manzi, Joseph Vance; Kingapore (Revenue S), Ray Schnittker, Ray Schnittker; and Swag (Muscles Yankee), Jeff Gregory, Joe Holloway.

$50,725 Marion Dancer (2nd Non-Wagering Race, 12:15 p.m.): Riverfest (Windsong’s Legacy), David Miller, Joseph King; Hula La (Muscles Yankee), Jim Meittinis, Jim Meittinis; Purple Rain (Muscles Yankee), Jimmy Takter, Jimmy Takter; and Valentines Way (Muscles Yankee), Chase Vandervort, Leah Vandervort.