by Don Bielak, publicity director, Freehold Raceway

FREEHOLD, NJ – – Public Life, driven by Hall of Famer Cat Manzi, led throughout in the $85,000 final of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for two-year-old pacing fillies at Freehold Raceway on Saturday.

Public Life, a daughter of Life Sign owned by Thomas Dillon and Walter Hight, set fractions of 27.4, 58.2, 1:28.1 en route to a one and three-quarter lengths tally in a final time of 1:57.1. Ideal Weather (Yannick Gingras) got a rail trip to finish second and a late-arriving Western Starr (George Brennan) nailed down the show spot, three and three-quarters lengths behind the winner.

The victory gave Public Life her fifth win in eight career outings. The trainee of Steve LeBlanc closed as the overwhelming favorite and returned a win mutuel of $2.80.