by Courtney Stafford, Publicity Consultant for SBOANJ

Freehold, NJ — Freehold Raceway hosted the $55,300 Renaissance final for 2-year-old filly pacers in a early race before the card. The third race was the New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund final (NJSDF) final where 3-year-old filly trotters competed for a $50,000 purse. Hurrikane Empress and Southwind Avanti captured those contests.

World Wide Racing photo

Hurrikane Empress wins the Renaissance final for 2-year-old filly pacers at Freehold Raceway on Friday afternoon.

Hurrikane Empress was parked to the quarter in :28 before taking the lead from Some Renditions. The John McDermott Jr. trainee kept the lead throughout the rest of the mile, until she and driver Dan Dube stopped the timer in 1:58.3.

The Hurrikane Kingcole daughter notched win number five from 10 starts and bumped her lifetime earnings to $131,815 for owners Jonathan Klee Racing, Kuhn Racing LLC and Pegasis Investment Group.

Cruzinforavictory recovered from an early break behind the gate to finish second, while Some Renditions came in third.

In the third race on the card, Southwind Avanti continued her winning ways at Freehold Raceway in the $50,000 NJSDF final for 3-year-old filly trotters.

This victory bettered the Muscle Hill filly’s record to three wins in four starts on New Jersey’s half-mile track.

Jason Bartlett and Southwind Avanti left from post position four to wire the field in 1:58.1.

Owned by SRF Stable and bred by Southwind Farms of Pennington, N.J., her lifetime earnings are now $121,495.

Easy Passer finished second while Romancing Rachel came in third.

Freehold resumes live racing action on Saturday (Sept. 30) with a post time of 12:30 p.m.