Freehold, NJ – Lyons Steel has been a dominant force at Freehold Raceway, winning the Preferred Handicap pace each of the past two weeks. He’ll seek a three-peat on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 10).

Lyons Steel, here winning in March, will be going for a third straight Preferred Handicap victory Saturday at Freehold Raceway. Photo courtesy of Freehold Raceway.

The Dennis Watson-trained gelding has been a regular at Freehold lately, competing in the Preferred each of the past six weeks. After missing in the first four, he got up to win by a head two weeks ago, going the mile in a meet best-1:53.2. Last week, he rallied from last to win by 1-1/4 lengths at 13-1. Over the past 12 months, he’s won the Preferred six times. He was assigned post position eight on Saturday, with usual driver Pat Lachance.

A full field will take him on, including Pyro, a winner of four in a row earlier in the year for Ron Burke, and Century Endeavor, an Open winner at Saratoga Harness in August. The race is scheduled as the eighth on a 12-race card, with a scheduled post time of 2:50 p.m.

The Saturday card also features New Jersey Sire Stakes-Standardbred Development Fund action. In the second leg of the series for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, King James Express will seek redemption. He was the 1-5 favorite in the first leg last week, but made multiple breaks and ended up second-to-last. He’s got post position three, for trainer Mark Harder and driver Jason Bartlett.

The series for 2-year-old pacing fillies begins, with two divisions of leg 1. One division is scheduled as a non-betting race, with a field of five. The second division features a field of six, including Renaissance winner Podium Girl. That will be the sixth race.

Post time for the first race at Freehold on Saturday is approximately 12:30 p.m.