NJSS to Artzina, Friday Night Lights

Artzina, the Dan Patch Award winner as the 2-Year-Old Pacer of the Year in 2006, posted his first win of the year in a $27,200 New Jersey Sire Stakes, the ninth race on Saturday at Freehold Raceway.

The 3-year-old son of Artiscape scored a head victory over Tiber Hanover (Cam’s Card Shark), pacing the mile in 1:52.4. It was 5-1/2 lengths back to St Pete Star (Life Sign), in third.

Artzina, driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Dylan Davis, was making his eighth start of the year. He now has one win, one second and one third, and earnings of $40,000, in 2007.

Sidelined in the spring, he is attempting to reclaim the form that earned him more than $486,000 at two with seven wins, one second and three thirds from 13 starts. In 2006, he won the $221,176 Matron Stakes Final and $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for owners Kal Liebowitz of New York City and Marc Rubach of West New York, N.J.

In the seventh race, the first of the two divisions of the first leg of New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colts and geldings on the pace, 15-1 Friday Night Lights (Cam’s Card Shark) defeated the even money favorite Laughing Art (Artsplace) by 1-3/4 lengths, in 1:54. It was 3-1/2 lengths back Idealic Life (Western Ideal), in third.

Owned by Frank Bellino of Bronxville, N.Y., Friday Night Lights was driven by Jim Meittinis and is trained by Bruce Saunders.

In a singe $54,500 division of the third leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings, carded as the 10th race, McCedes (McArdle) posted his fourth win in seven starts, by a nose, over Cold Cape Cod (Artiscape). Cash Cab (Western Ideal) was third, by three-quarters lengths.

McCedes, driven by Cat Manzi and trained by Chris Ryder, is owned by Ryder in partnership with the Sampson Street Stables of Old Forge, Pa. and Jerry and Rosalie Silva of Bellmore, N.Y.

The $85,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for the 2-year-old colt pacers will be raced on September 22 at Freehold. (NJSS)

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