by Leon Zimmerman, for the New Jersey Sire Stakes

Trenton, NJ — New Jersey-sired 3-year-old pacers will be competing for $166,000 in four NJSS Premier Division races on Saturday afternoon (August 15) at Freehold Raceway.

With another $20,000 in two NJSS Green Acres Division races for 3-year-old pacing colts and geldings, the total of $186,000 on the August 15 program exceeds the $163,900 in purses for the NJ-sired 2-year-old trotters on opening day (August 12).

There will be two Premier Division races with $42,400 purses each for sophomore pacing fillies on Saturday, while the colts and geldings will race for $40,600 in each of two races.

Making her 2009 debut will be Twist N Clout, the daughter of Western Ideal that was chosen NJSS 2-year-old pacing filly of 2008. The filly, owned by the Val D’Or Farms and trained by Joe Holloway, drew post one in a nine-horse field for Hall of Fame driver John Campbell. Twist N Clout earned $496,297 last year, winning the NJSS Championship Final at the Meadowlands among her five victories.

In opening day NJSS competition, IPO Blue Chip (Yankee Glide) uncorked a 1:59 victory in a $22,800 split that was the fastest of the first preliminary leg trot of the Premier Division series at Freehold. Other freshman trotting filly winners were Lindy’s Two Step (Muscles Yankee) in 2:03 and Glide By (Yankee Glide) in 2:02.1.

The winning 2-year-old colt trotters were Take My Picture (Classic Photo) in 2:00.2 and Flex The Muscle (Muscles Yankee) in 2:03.