by Leon Zimmerman, for the New Jersey Sire Stakes

Freehold, NJ — Joe De Fino moved first-over at the half-mile mark and held off a stretch challenge from Howard’s Rock to win the $108,300 Lou Babic Memorial Pace for New Jersey-sired 2-year-old colts in 1:55.3 on Saturday (September 4) at Freehold Raceway.

In the $61,800 companion Babic Filly Memorial Pace, Myluvmylife overtook I Kill Time in the stretch to win in 1:55.2.

The Babic Memorials are named for the late Louis Babic, a co-founder of the New Jersey Sire Stakes Program, which sponsors the 2-year-old stakes races for Jersey-sired horses.

It was the third and biggest victory in five starts for Joe De Fino (Western Ideal), driven by Yannick Gingras and trained by Jimmy Takter. The winner’s share of the purse skyrocketed his earnings to $65,400 for co-owners Christina Takter, John Fielding, DeFino Pyonteck Stables and Fair Island Farm Inc. Howard’s Rock (Rocknroll Hanover) overtook Gritty Millie Boy (Cam’s Card Shark) for the place spot, but could not catch the winner.

Myluvmylife (Rocknroll Hanover) got away fourth, but was sent by driver George Brennan first-over down the backstretch the second time in the Babic Filly and moved alongside I Kill Time (Western Ideal) off the final turn to pull away and win by two lengths. Dutch’s Gal (Western Ideal) closed ground to be third.

The homebred filly, owned by Dreamland Farms, was the leading money-earner in the field, off a fifth-place finish in the $402,400 Sweetheart Pace at the Meadowlands last month. The $30,900 winner’s share of the Babic Filly Pace boosted her total earnings to $90,540. Joseph King was the winning trainer.