Freehold, NJ — Freehold Raceway will ring in the new year in style, with a 12-race card on New Year’s Day (Jan. 1). The co-features are the Preferred Handicap Trot and the Fillies & Mares Preferred Handicap Pace, with both of last week’s winners seeking repeats.

Kinda Lucky Lindy won the Preferred Trot last week, coming from behind to get up in the final few strides. He drew post position eight in his bid to repeat at this level, for trainer Daniel Renaud.

He’ll face some stiff competition in here, wth Sumatra and Obrigado serving as perhaps his toughest rivals.

Sumatra, trained by Tom Fanning, has won three out of his last four starts at Yonkers Raceway, most recently winning a non-winners of $10,000 event in 1:57.3. In his last race at Freehold, on Sept. 18, he crushed the field by 9-1/2 lengths. George Brennan has the drive from post position six.

Obrigado drew post position seven for trainer Paul Kelley. He had an epic 2016 campaign, winning seven major stakes races while earning more than $800,000. In 2020, he won seven times from 22 starts, including a solid win at the non-winners of $15,500 level at Yonkers Raceway three races back. He’s competed at tracks all over the country in his 117-race career, but this will be his first start at Freehold.

Boots N Chains, The Big Muscle, Dot Dot Dot Dash, Muscle Ave, and Gettin Messi round out the field. This will be the sixth race on the card, scheduled to go to post at 2:10 p.m.

In the Fillies & Mares Preferred, Alexa Skye looks for her second win in a row at this level, and her fourth consecutive win overall. She won for the father/son team of trainer Brett Pelling and driver Jack Pelling last week, closing from behind to win going away. She once again has the outside post position.

Two of her rivals from last week, third-place finisher Angel’s Pride and fifth-place finisher Ideal Classic, are back to take another shot. The primary new shooters include Golden Quest N, who has been in good form lately at Yonkers and The Meadowlands, Darkrshadeofpale N, who came from behind to win at Harrah’s Philadelphia last out, and Bye Bye Felicia, who has hit the board in her last five races.

Windmeupnwatchmego and Bronze Over N round out the field. It will be the ninth race on the card, scheduled for 3:10 p.m.

The first of 12 races at Freehold on Friday will go at 12:30 p.m.