Ginsburg scores grand slam at Freehold

On a sunny Saturday (Nov. 18) in Freehold, New Jersey, Vinny Ginsburg crossed the wire before the rest of the field for four out of the eleven races on the harness racing card.

After finishing second by half a length in race one, Ginsburg returned in race two and steered 4-5 Gold Star Yoder (Mysticism, Dennis Watson) to victory after a tough trip. He left from post five and ended up getting parked out for the first quarter of the mile and did not clear to the lead (which he maintained for the remainder of the race) until after the second turn. They crossed the wire in 1:58.4.

Ginsburg found more success in the second half of the card. In race seven, he settled in fifth on the rail from post five with 3-1 Albert A’ Scootin (I Scoot Hanover, John Bavosi). Before the half, he pulled to the outside and stayed parked out for the remainder of the mile and rallied to victory in 1:57.2.

The preferred handicap took place in race nine. Ginsburg captured the early lead from post three with 4-5 Lyons Steel (Rock N Roll Heaven), leaving Passa-Grille Beach and Eric Abbatiello parked out. As soon as Abbatiello cleared to the lead, Ginsburg pulled and went right around him to take the lead again. He faced some pressure at the three-quarter pole but fended it off to win the Freehold feature in 1:55.0. This gave Dennis Watson a training double.

It didn’t take long for Ginsburg to come back and claim his grand-slam as he steered 1-2 Tie Your Shoe Ed (Jereme’s Jet) to victory via a perfect pocket trip in 1:58.4. This win also made a double for the trainer/owner combination of John Bavosi and Frank Budzinski.

Tyler Miller had a driving triple. Austin Siegelman had a driving double.

Live racing at Freehold Raceway returns on Friday and Saturday starting at 12:30pm.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

by Katie Eick, for Freehold Raceway