by Don Bielak, Publicity Director, Freehold Raceway

FREEHOLD – – Kathleen LaMontagne’s Motivational and Ted Gewertz, Gerald Farber, Norman Thompson and Matthew Bailey’s Drinks Like A Fish captured their respective divisions of the third round of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for three-year-old NJ-sired trotting fillies at Freehold Raceway on Wednesday.

In the first division, a five filly affair worth $20,000, Motivational scored a wire-to-wire victory with George Brennan in the sulky. The daughter of Muscles Yankee cut fractions of 29.1, 1:00.2, 1:30.4 en route to a four and one-quarter length tally in 2:00.1. A late-arriving Michele Lavec (Marcus Johansson) finished second and Take The Plunge (Jack Baggitt, Jr.) nailed down the show spot, eight and one-quarter lengths behind the winner.

The win was Motivational’s fifth of the season in eight starts. Sent postward as the overwhelming choice in the wagering, the LaMontagne trainee returned a win mutuel of $2.60.

The $20,500 second division, which featured a field of six fillies, was taken by Drinks Like A Fish. Guided by Jack Baggitt, Jr., the Muscles Yankee filly set splits of 30.1, 1:01.4, 1:32.3 and stopped the timer in 2:02.3. Possessed Bydreams (Stephane Bouchard), got a pocket trip behind the winner and rallied to finish a half length back in second. It was another two and one-half lengths farther back to One Iron Mistress in third.

The NJSS victory was the first in four career starts for Drinks Like A Fish. The Baggitt, Jr. trained filly closed as the 3-1 third choice and paid $8.60 to win.