Freehold, NJ — Steven Reisenweaver prevailed in a fierce stretch battle and Yogi Sheridan pounced off a pocket ride to win their respective $7,500 divisions of the American Harness Drivers Club trot at Freehold Raceway on Saturday (Dec. 14).
Reisenweaver held to a narrow win in the first AHDC division with Awol Hanover in a 2:02.2 mile.
Landing in the pocket to a :29.2 first quarter, Reisenweaver pulled Awol Hanover from the pegs as leader Jaydens Pride (Sheridan) slowed the tempo to a 1:01.3 half. Awol Hanover drew alongside Jaydens Pride moving up the backstretch and remained a thorn in his side past three-quarters in 1:32.1. Jaydens Pride clung to a diminishing lead spinning for home until Awol Hanover surged forward and snatched the win at the beam by a nose. He withstood a late push from 2-1 favorite Im The Muscle (Joe Lee), who rallied from second over to settle for second, while Jaydens Pride finished third.
Reisenweaver owns and trains Awol Hanover, a 10-year-old gelding by Donato Hanover. He paid $6.60 to win.
Sheridan delivered 6-5 favorite Kobe B in the second AHDC division in a 2:01.1 mile.
Seated behind tempo-setter Jessies Outlawed (Pearly Allen), Kobe B plodded through a clip of :30.2, 1:01 and 1:30.3 and attacked once first-over challenger My Big Kadillac (Mike Polansky) faltered off the final turn. Kobe B powered forward and dunked Jessies Outlawed by a neck at the beam with Winneress (Anthony Verruso) closing for third.
Richard Johnson trains Kobe B, a 4-year-old gelding by Father Patrick, for owner Robert Weinstein. He paid $4.60 to win.
AHDC action continues on Sunday (Dec. 15) at Harrah’s Philadelphia and next Saturday (Dec. 21) at Freehold Raceway. First-race post time at Harrah’s Philadelphia is 12:40 p.m. (EST) and 12:30 p.m. (EST) at Freehold.