Lettuceriprita Nearly Equals Freehold Track Record

In one of the most dominant pacing performances at Freehold Raceway in a long time, Lettuceriprita obliterated the field in the Preferred Handicap pace on Saturday (October 10). He won by 6 3/4 lengths in 1:51.1, missing the track record for aged pacing geldings by 1/5 of a second.

 

He was 15/1 in the field of eight, and left from post position one. Driver Dan Dube had him in third early on, sitting off a very hot pace set by Lyons Steel. Just after the half, which was paced in 55 seconds, Dube activated Lettuceriprita first-over, and moved up to the throatlach of Lyons Steel nearing three-quarters.

 

As they paced by that mark, in 1:23.3, Lyons Steel had no response, and Lettuceriprita powered away from the field. He went the final quarter in a very impressive 27.3 seconds. 

 

The track record for aged pacing geldings is held by Francam, who paced a mile in 1:51 on September 16, 2006. Lettuceriprita also came close to the all-time record mile of 1:50.3, set by One More Laugh in the 2010 Cane Pace.

 

For Lettuceriprita, it was his second win of the year, from six starts. The race also shattered his previous lifetime best mark of 1:52.1, set at Harrah’s Philadelphia in 2016 and equaled Yonkers Raceway in 2017. Bill MacKenzie trains the winner, and co-owns in partnership with Vincent Ali. Daniel Dube is the winning driver.

 

Dube and MacKenzie also teamed up to win the eleventh race, with Clint Westwood. Dube was the only driver on the 12-race card to win multiple races.

 

Live racing resumes at Freehold Raceway on Friday (October 16), at 12:30 PM.