by Carol Hodes, for the SBOA of New Jersey

Manalapan, NJ — Time To Kill and Southwind Cocoa were a pair of easy winners in the Marion Dancer Stakes for 2-year-old New Jersey-sired trotting fillies on Thursday (Sept. 6) at Freehold Raceway.

Time To Kill was a 1:59.3 winner for John Campbell.

John Campbell sent Time To Kill off cover in the final turn and drew off to win the first division, the $30,750 fifth race, by 4-1/2 lengths over Connie Keeper. The first two finishers are both daughters of Muscles Yankee. It was 5-1/2 lengths to Find The Magic by Chocolatier in third.

Even-money favorite Time To Kill (Muscles Yankee-Are You Ready), trained by Ross Croghran, trotted the mile in 1:59.3, three-fifths of a second off the stakes record. It was the filly’s first win in six career starts along with a trio of second-place finishes. She improved her earnings to $64,350 for the ownership of the Let It Ride Stables and Robert Cooper Stables.

Southwind Cocoa, a daughter of Chocolatier-Missymae Bluestone, coasted to a two length, 2:02 victory over Southwind Sauna while Muscles Secret was 3-3/4 lengths back in third in the $29,250 eighth race. The second and third place fillies are by Muscles Yankee.

Helene Gregory/World Wide Racing photos

Favored Southwind Cocoa won her division for Jeff Gregory in 2:02.

The odds-on favorite, Southwind Cocoa was driven to victory by Jeff Gregory for trainer Linda Toscano and now has three wins and one third in seven starts, banking $98,585 for Richard Gutnick. Southwind Cocoa adds the Marion Dancer victory to her New Jersey Sire Stakes championship.

The Marion Dancer is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.

A pair of Lou Babic finals are on tap on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 8) at Freehold. Babic Prep winner Ideal Carver (Western Ideal-Yankee Scandal) has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite in the $106,700 Babic Open, the sixth race, while Panera Hanover (Rocknroll Hanover-Paris Hanover) gets the 3-1 nod in the $68,900 Babic Filly, the eighth race.

The Lou Babic Stakes are for 2-year-old New Jersey-sired pacers and are sponsored by the New Jersey Sire Stakes.