Freehold to host Dexter, Lady Suffolk on Saturday
At 0h04, on April 29, 2021 • By FREEHOLD
The biggest day of the Freehold Raceway season is coming up this Saturday (May 1), with the 2021 editions of the Dexter Cup, for 3-year-old colt & gelding trotters, and the Lady Suffolk, for 3-year-old filly trotters. Both races were cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but both return with a flourish this year.
The Dexter Cup drew a field of eight, six of whom competed in last week’s elimination, while two received byes. Ambassador Hanover, for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt, makes his 3-year-old debut in this spot after receiving a bye. He was impressive in the New York Sire Stakes last year, winning four legs in a row before finishing fourth in the final at Yonkers Raceway last September. He qualified at the Meadowlands on April 17, trotting the mile in 1:58.3. He will leave from post position two.
Sunny Crockett, for trainer Julie Miller, also received a bye. He won six of eleven starts as a 2-year-old, including back-to-back wins in the Liberty Bell and the Simpson. In his lone qualifying mile as a 3-year-old, he went in 2:01.3 at Harrah’s Philadelphia on April 6. Andy Miller has the drive from post position three.
Svanstedt is also represented by elimination winner Incommunicado, with driver Yannick Gingras. He won by 2 3/4 lengths at Freehold last Saturday, moving first-over to the lead just before the half and drawing off once he took charge, trotting the mile in 1:57. Once again, he’ll leave from post position seven.
The Dexter is sandwiched between two divisions of the Lady Suffolk, which attracted a total of fourteen entrants and was subsequently split. The first division will go as race 10, with Illuminata, who won the Matron last November at Dover Downs in a 22-1 upset. The second division is the 12th race and one of the likely favorites, in Presto. She won a leg of the Bluegrass series at the Red Mile last fall, then finished second in her Breeders’ Crown elimination at Hoosier Park.
The first live race at Freehold is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
