by Carol Hodes, for the New Jersey Sires Stakes

Freehold, NJ — Dark Sign continued to race under a winning sign, extending his streak to four with a four length tally in the $35,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes Green Acres Final for 3-year-old pacing colts, the fifth race on Friday (September 21) at Freehold Raceway.

The gelded son of Life Sign has won five of his last six starts and eight of 20 this year.

Dark Sign ($2.60, $2.10, $2.10) was driven to victory by Cat Manzi. The Richard Johnson protégé has now finished in-the-money in 21 of 28 lifetime starts and banked more than $85,000 for the ownership of Michael Deutsch of Hackensack, N.J., Vito Cucci of Glen Ridge, N.J. and Anthony Paul Ambrosio of Verona, N.J.

Dark Sign coasted to a clocking of 1:54 for the mile.

In the battle for second, Poker Hat ($2.40, $2.10), a son of Cam’s Card Shark, prevailed by a quarter length over Heaven Touch ($2.10), a son of Artsplace.

Two fillies competing in $26,600 second round divisions of the New Jersey Sires Stakes for 3-year-old pacing fillies turned in matching 1:53.1 miles, equaling the stakes record of JK Songdance, a Life Sign filly, who established the mark on September 5, 2005.

Lightning D Dube (Western Ideal) in the second race and Artcotic (Artiscape) in the third race both were easy winners in 1:53.1.

Lightning D Dube, driven by her namesake, Daniel Dube, and trained by Anthony Mannino, was a 4-1/4 length winner with a last quarter in :27.3. She is owned by the Lightning Stable of Manalapan, N.J.

Artcotic, handled by Steve Smith for trainer George Teague, Jr., had the lead at every station and won by 2-1/2 lengths with a final frame in :28.2. She is owned by Rodney Mitchell and Montrell Teague of Delaware.