State Time pacing series underway at Freehold
April 20, 2005,by Don Bielak, publicity director, Freehold Raceway
FREEHOLD, NJ – – John Horner’s Parker Hanover and Salvatore DeSantis, Jr.’s Agassi captured their respective $5,000 divisions of the opening round of the State Time pacing series at Freehold Raceway on Wednesday.
In the first division, Parker Hanover rallied gamely in the deep stretch and recorded a neck victory in 1:58 with Cat Manzi in the sulky. The seven-year-old No Nukes gelding held off a late surge by The Golden Horn (Marcus Johansson) to preserve the win. Cam’s Laughing Boy (Jim Pantaleano) was prominent throughout and finished third, three-quarters of a length behind the winner.
Parker Hanover recorded his fifth win in 13 outings this year. The Allie Reynolds-conditioned veteran closed as the second choice in the wagering and returned a win mutuel of $5.80.
Division two saw Agassi take the lead approaching the three-quarter mile mark and coast to the wire for a one and one-half length tally in 1:56.2 with Marcus Johansson in the sulky. A late-arriving Black Fog HR nailed down the place spot and third went to Mr Music (Cat Manzi), who finished 10 and three quarters lengths behind Agassi.
The victory gave Agassi, an eight-year-old Abercrombie gelding, four wins in 13 starts this season. The trainee of Delvy Llopez paid $4.40 to win as the betting favorite.
The State Time will have its second – and final – preliminary leg on April 27. The top eight money earners in the two preliminaries will gain berths in the $12,000 (est.) final which will be contested on May 4.
Wednesday also marked the return to Freehold of driver Jeff Gregory. Gregory had been sidelined due to injuries he sustained in a mishap at Freehold in mid-January.
The popular reinsman wasted no time regaining his form, winning his first drive aboard Spam ($5.00) in the first race on the card.
Gregory added another victory when he scored with Bogambo ($4.00) in the 11th race.