by Carol Hodes, for the SBOANJ

Manalapan, NJ — A well-balanced field of eight 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, including New Jersey Classic winner Sweet Rock, will face-off in the $42,000 New Jersey Futurity, the ninth race on Saturday (Sept. 6) at Freehold Raceway.

Sweet Rock rallied for a nose victory in the $225,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic on Aug. 2 at the Meadowlands in a lifetime best of 1:49.4. In his last start, the $54,072 Tompkins-Geers at Tioga Downs on Aug. 17, he was third.

The Wayne Givens trainee, driven by Brett Miller, has been rated 9-2 in the morning line from post eight. This year, he has two wins, four seconds and two thirds from 15 starts, banking $142,133 toward a career total of $167,391 for the Delaware-based ownership of Legacy Racing, Reginald Hazzard and Gary Calloway.

Art History (Western Ideal) was given the slight 3-1 morning line nod from the rail with Hall of Famer David Miller driving. Art History, trained by Steve Elliott, has two wins and three thirds in seven starts this year, banking $17,840 for Kenneth Klein and the Old Block Stables.

The Tony Alagna-trained Gold Rocks (Rocknroll Hanover) will be paired with driver George Brennan, leaving from post five, and is rated 7-2 in the morning line.

The New Jersey Futurity is restricted to New Jersey-sired horses and is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.

The field for the $42,000 New Jersey Futurity (3-year-old open division) with sire, driver, trainer and morning line odds: 1-Art History-Western Ideal-David Miller-Steve Elliott-3-1, 2-Card Shock-Cam’s Card Shark-Daniel Dube-Mark Silva-10-1, 3-Earthshaker-Rocknroll Hanover-Eric Abbatiello-James Petruccelli-6-1, 4-Nubble Light-Rocknroll Hanover-Steve Smith-Deleston Cote-9-1, 5-Gold Rocks-Rocknroll Hanover-George Brennan-Tony Alanga-7-2, 6-Cheyenne Seeber-Rocknroll Hanover-Jack Baggitt Jr.-Robert Siegelman-30-1, 7-Rocknroll Reality-Rocknroll Hanover-Andrew McCarthy-John Butenschoen-9-2, 8-Sweet Rock-Rocknroll Hanover-Brett Miller-Wayne Givens-9-2.