Freehold, NJ — On Friday (Nov. 10), driver Eric Abbatiello reached the winner’s circle three times on the ten-race afternoon card at Freehold Raceway.

He didn’t get his first victory until race seven, where he patiently sat the pocket behind 6-5 favorite Lincoln’s Girl N (Austin Siegelman for Leah Posner) and rallied past her late in the stretch with 3-1 Almost Karen. This gave Maria Reid a training double after she had won the fourth race with Don’t Trip (Tyler Miller).

It wasn’t long until Abbatiello returned to the winner’s circle as he steered Drazzmatazz for trainer Terry Morgan to victory in the eighth race. He left from post seven and captured the early lead. Soon after, Sorprese (Tyler Miller for Joe Eisenhower) overtook the first place position. Abbatiello sat behind that cover until they reached the final turn, where he shook his 4-1 mount loose and led the field to the wire.

In the final race of the card, Abbatiello set the pace for the field after leaving to the lead from post three with 3-5 favorite Goinroundncircles for owner/trainer/breeder Thomas O. Lail. Though admirable attempts were made to overtake Abbatiello, he wasn’t going to let them get in the way of the driving triple that he earned as he crossed the wire first.

More live racing takes place at Freehold Raceway Saturday (Nov. 11) at 12:30 p.m. The 12-race card includes the Veterans Day Pace in race seven.