French Cafe and Sexy Wow traded wins in the first two legs of the New Jersey Sire Stakes - Standardbred Development Fund for three-year-old filly trotters. French Cafe was the 1/2 choice to win the NJSS-SDF Final on Friday afternoon (Oct. 18) at Freehold Raceway, and lived up to the hype.
Driver Andy Miller put his filly right on the lead early, letting her cruise through a half-mile in a meandering 1:00. George Brennan made a menacing first-over move with Sexy Wow nearing the three-quarter point, but French Cafe brushed her off and drew off to victory by 3-1/2 lengths. Marveloustrix got up for second, edging out Sexy Wow.
French Cafe has now won eight races from 21 career starts, including two legs of the Kentucky Sire Stakes earlier in the year. She's trained by Julie Miller and owned by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld.
Her victory was one of four for Andy Miller on the Friday card, as he swept the early pick 4. Miller also won with Deep Dreamer in Race 2, Rockn Legend in Race 4, and Real World Goal in Race 5. He teamed up with leading trainer Nick Surick on all three of those wins. That makes 116 wins for Miller at Freehold this calendar year, good for first place by more than 50 victories.
Live harness racing continues at Freehold on Saturday, with a scheduled first post time of 12:30 p.m.
(Freehold)