by Carol Hodes, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Freehold, NJ — Princetonian ($2.20, $2.10, $2.10) commanded the lead at every call and drew off to a 6-1/4 length victory in the $100,000 Charles I. Smith Memorial Trot on Friday (October 19) at Freehold Raceway.

World Wide Racing Photos/John Pantalone

Princetonian was all alone at the wire in the $100,000 Charles I. Smith Memorial Final

The Dream Vacation gelding trotted the mile in 1:57, a stakes record, on a track rated “sloppy.”

Hope Reins Supreme ($3.20, $2.60), also a son of Dream Vacation, was second and it was 9-1/4 lengths back to Sir Spitsbergen ($2.60), who is by Self Possessed, in third.

The CI Smith for New Jersey-sired 3-year-old trotters is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.

Princetonian, driven by Daniel Dube, was unraced at 2 and has finished in-the-money in 16 of 19 starts this year. A $9,000 New Jersey Classic yearling purchase, he has banked $147,277 for co-owners John Lichtenberger of North Bergen, N.J., and his trainer, Hall of Famer Ray Remmen.

Five stallions were represented in this year’s final: Muscles Yankee (Strive For Perfect, Vitamight), Dream Vacation (Princetonian, Hope Reins Supreme), Self Possessed (Sir Spitsbergen, Bamboo Yankee), Enjoy Lavec (Enny Youngman) and Donerail (Sullivan’s Travels).

The stake is named for the late Charles I. Smith, a New Jersey harness racing pioneer, founder of the New Jersey Sires Stakes program and owner of trotters.

The previous stakes record at Freehold of 1:57.3 was set in 2006 by Enough Talk (by Enjoy Lavec).