Helen Smith Final at Freehold Set - Muscle Shirt Wins Elim

Muscle Shirt won the $10,000 elimination race on Friday (Aug. 8) in 1:58.2 while the first eight of nine advance to the $70,000 Helen Smith final on Aug. 15 at Freehold Raceway.

Muscle Shirt, driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Chuck Sylvester, took command before the half, was up five lengths at the top of the stretch and held on for a three-length victory in Friday’s fifth race.  Only Kate of the Art, who broke at the start, failed to earn a spot in the final.

Muscle Shirt, by Muscles Yankee-Paisley Yankee, was followed to the wire, in order, by Winbak Brat, Winkys Magik, Lunar Dream OM, Fancy Vacation, Katie’s Kiss, Punk Lady and Meucci Madness.

It was the first win of the year for Muscle Shirt, fourth in 14 career starts.  She has banked $77,260 for owners Irving Liverman of Hampstead, PQ, Neal Goldman of Washington Township, N.J., Alan Caplan of Manalapan, N.J. and Keith Dickstein of Las Vegas, Nev.

The Helen Smith is restricted to fillies sired by New Jersey stallions and is sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey.

Originally raced as the Charles I. Smith Filly Trot, this stakes was renamed in 1995 to honor Smith’s wife, Helen. Charles I. Smith was a New Jersey harness racing pioneer, founder of the New Jersey Sire Stakes program and owner of trotters. Mrs. Smith was an active SBOANJ member for years and named an honorary member in 1992.  She died in 1990 at the age of 90.

The stakes record for the Helen Smith of 1:56.2 was set in 2002 by Fair Winds Farm’s Marla Bar [Malabar Man] with Jack Moiseyev driving for trainer Trond Smedshammer. (SBOA-NJ)

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