by Don Bielak, publicity director, Freehold Raceway
Freehold, NJ — The Paul Doherty-trained entry of Self Obsessed and Armbro Barrister has been installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite in the $75,000 final of the New Jersey Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings at Freehold Raceway on Friday.
Perhaps the stronger of the two is Perretti Racing Stable, Ray Schnittker and John Rizzo’s Self Obsessed. In last week’s round of the Sires Stakes, the son of Self Possessed led for most of the mile but weakened at the wire and finished a neck behind his entrymate, Armbro Barrister, in a 1:593 mile.
Prior to that, however, Self Obsessed had scored identical 1:573 scores in preliminary rounds of the NJSS, and a return to that form can get him back on the winning track on Friday.
Ray Schnittker, Earl Scheelar, Kelks Inc. and Jack Adkins’ Armbro Barrister has also had a good deal of success in the NJSS series. The Malabar Man colt finished third in both the August 20 and August 27 preliminary rounds prior to his game win in last week’s leg.
Self Obsessed will start from post one and will be guided by Cat Manzi. Armbro Barrister has drawn post four and will have Ray Schnittker in the sulky.
One that figures to give a good account of himself is Beissinger Hanover. In last week’s NJSS leg, the son of Self Possessed showed good speed throughout and surged at the wire to be beaten only a head by Armbro Barrister.
Beissinger Hanover has had a great deal of success at Freehold — he won the $178,000 Dexter Cup Final at the central New Jersey oval this spring — and a bit of racing luck on Friday could be the recipe for a close up finish.
Stephen Smith will handle Beissinger Hanover for trainer Karen Garland. The duo will leave from post five as the 3-1 second choice in the early line.
Command Post, Ripped and Jailhouse Joey comprise the remainder of the short, but talented field.
A pair of excellent $15,000 Open handicaps, one for trotters and one for filly and mare pacers, will also be contested on the Freehold card on Friday.
In the Open handicap for filly and mare pacers, Miss Galvinator A will open on the board as the 2-1 choice in the morning line.
In a $10,000 Filly and Mare Preferred last week, the five-year-old Fake Left mare led throughout en route to an easy, 1:541 tally.
Miss Galvinator A has been assigned the outside post seven on the handicap. Jim Morrill, Jr., who reined Miss Galvinator A to victory last week, will drive for trainer Ross Croghan.
The 2-1 early favorite in the Open Trot is Jake’s Nordic. Most recently, the five-year-old gelded son of Keystone Nordic set a track record of 1:554 when he won the August 27th edition of the Open Trot at Freehold.
Hall of Famer Cat Manzi will be in the sulky for trainer Sam Beegle. The duo has been handicapped with the outside post seven.
A first post of 12:30 p.m. has been set for Friday’s 13 race card at Freehold.