MEET STATS: 216-88-45-29/$388.70 (-$43.30) BEST BETS: 23-14-6-0 /$36.20 (-$9.80) SPOT PLAYS: 23-6-7-2 /$51.40 (+5.40) BEST BET:  #1  IM THE MUSCLE (7th Race) SPOT PLAY:  #2 AYR BALMORAL GB (6th Race) Sadly, we have arrived at the final day in the history of this landmark, Freehold Raceway. I am beyond humbled and honored to serve as the emcee of festivities and track announcer on this final day. I hope I can do justice to the magnitude of the day and honor of every horse, trainer, driver, horsemen, employee and fan that has been part of Freehold’s 170+ year history. Freehold Raceway has been more than just a harness racing track; it has been a cornerstone of the local community, a keeper of history and a witness to generations of dreams, triumphs and shared memories. It stood through wars, economic upheavals and countless transformations in our nation and in the local area. Though the gates are closing, the spirit of Freehold Raceway will forever pace and trot on in the memories of all of us who have passed through its doors, became part of the Freehold family and have been graced with the beauty, pageantry and excitement that this historical landmark has brought to some many people. We will surely miss you Freehold Raceway!!! Race 1: TrackMaster 68.5/Optional Claiming $5,000/NW 1 (5) KEEP US HAPPY drops down for high-percentage trainer, Jose Ramos, and has been caught in some quick miles the last couple of months. He has hit the board in four of his last seven races and has been the beaten favorite in three of his last six. He has the highest TrackMaster rating here and meets possibly the softest field he has seen in quite a while. (6) MISTER GODRO won two back at his level as the 6:5 favorite and the 11-year-old veteran has 53 wins and knows how to get the ball in the end zone. (4) LUNATIC FRINGE has cashed checks in each of his last six races and has the second highest TrackMaster rating in the field. However, he’s just 1-51 from 2023-24 and was scratched lame at the gate last Saturday so “Buyer beware!” [DRF HARNESS: Get Harness Eye PPs for this card] Race 2: TrackMaster 72.5/Optional Claiming $7,500 (Trot) (Pick 4) Let me get sentimental on Closing Day. Everyone is rooting for Irish Joe Hanney on the comeback trail after a horrific accident when he was kicked by a horse on a local farm just over a year ago. Joe was airlifted to a local hospital and placed in a medically induced coma. Here we are just over a year later and Joe is back in action epitomizing strength, courage, bravery and resiliency; all of which is the embodiment of Freehold Raceway on this special day. (3) MAGAZINE THEME is Joe’s best chance at finding the Winner’s Circle here for the first time since coming back, which would make the day even more special. On 11/16 this 5-year-old gelding used a rail skimming trip to win by a length at this level at 9:5 odds. Last week, he sat last at the top of the stretch and was flying late, making up five lengths to miss by just a length and a half. He has the second highest TrackMaster rating in the field and we will all be rooting for him and Irish Joe! (5) BOURBONS COURAGE has won two of his last five, both at a lower level. He upgrades to Mark Herschberger and could be in line for a good trip. (1) HOMESTRETCH WES ships back in from the Meadowlands but comes in off a sick scratch. He’s hit the board in 21-43 starts in 2024 and he fits at this level. Provisional driver Bryan Quevedo has proven to be more than capable. (4) MOONWARDS HANOVER has the highest TrackMaster rating in the field but spit the bit at the top of the stretch last week when on the lead. Maybe he didn’t like the slop and will try to make amends. [DRF BETS: Wager on today's Freehold Raceway card at DRF Bets.com!] Race 3: NW $1,500 L5/TrackMaster 73.5/Optional Claiming $8,500 (4) DARK HORSE drops down, moves inside off of two consecutive seven posts, has the most wins in the field in 2024 and has by far the highest TrackMaster rating in this field. He won back-to-back races on 11/16 and 11/23 at this level in 1:56 2/5 and 1:55 3/5 respectively and will be very tough to beat. (1) ALBERT A’ SCOOTIN beat better here on 11/9 in 1:56 and drops to the lowest level in quite some time and draws inside. (2) ALWAYS B BILLY goes third time off the bench off two horrible post positions and now draws inside. He was battling much tougher earlier in the fall and should show improvement. Race 4:  NJ Sired/Earnings cap of $35,000 in 2024 (5) GIRL ALMIGHTY has won two of her last six and has hit the board in five of those starts. She was spectacular in defeat last week, being parked the entire mile from the eight hole and still just missing by a neck and settling for third. On 11/15, she won here in 1:56 1/5 and she has been battling tougher much of this meet. Throw in that she has the best TrackMaster rating in this field and she is going to be super tough to beat here. (6) LAZARUS GIRL has also been battling tougher most of this meet and picks up the services of Daniel Dube. She’s a bit light on the win end with just three wins in 31 starts this year but she’s more than capable of hitting the board. (8) YOU BEDA ROCK ships back in from the Meadowlands and has hit the board in 9-18 starts this year. She won three back on a mile oval converting a good pocket trip to victory and she has put in some real solid miles here at Freehold.  Race 5: American Harness Drivers Club Amateur Finals (Pick 5) (2) GRAFENBERG has 15 wins in 54 starts from 2023-24 and has won three of his last seven starts. He dominated the Amateurs here on 12/7 going wire-to-wire by 4 3/4 lengths and beat TrackMaster 72.5 trotters on 10/4 in 1:58 1/5. He picks up 2023 Amateur Driver of the Year John Calabrese  and he is clearly the one to beat. (1) WINNERESS is a bit light in the win column with just three wins in 36 starts this year but has hit the board 20 times. He crushed an Amateur field here on 10/26 rolling off cover to an easy 6 3/4 length victory and Anthony Verruso is a top notch Amateur driver. went wire-to-wire two back at the Meadowlands in an Amateur event and has hit the board in three of his last four. There’s not a lot of early speed in here and he should be able to secure good early position. (8) LIONHEAD has eight win in 40 starts this year, 17 exacta finishes and has hit the board 26 times. He has won three of his last five starts, all in the Amateurs with 2024 Amateur Driver of the Year Yogi Sheridan. He draws the worst of it but has enough early speed to try to work out a trip despite the eight hole. Race 6: NW $5,000 L5/TrackMaster 78   Two of the most prolific winners in the sport combine for one appearance at Freehold closing weekend: Ron Burke and Yannick Gingras. That is good enough for me. However, (2) AYR BALMORAL GB also has things to like. He ships in from Yonkers where he has hit the ticket in four of his last six. The two times he missed the ticket were a no chance trip from the eight hole last time out and on 11/26 when he was parked from the seven post the entire mile and fought back to finish fourth (in a race I announced and actually commented about how game the horse was in defeat that night). He has hit the board in 23-45 career starts. He draws inside his toughest rivals and I can’t imagine Burke and Gingras combining for one entry on the final day at Freehold to not to end up in the Winner’s Circle. I anticipate a pocket trip and Winner’s Circle photo. (3) BB LUCKY BOY put in what might be the mile of the meet on 12/7; an eye popping wire-to-wire 11 length victory in 1:52 4/5. Yes, 1:52 4/5! Last week he opened up 12 lengths at the 3/4 pole at 1:5 odds and pretty much needed an oxygen tank, coming home in 32 1/5 to get beaten by today’s rail horse. He has 23 wins in 90 career starts and clearly is the one to beat.... Joe Bongiorno didn’t want to miss closing day either and he ships in (5) ROCK THE BELLES, who has 24 exacta finishes in 61 career starts. He’s been battling in some fast miles out of town and ships in from Yonkers and will need to work out a trip in what could be some fast fractions. (1) KNOCKIN OUT sat the pocket last week to BB Lucky Boy and made up over 13 lengths in the final quarter to win by a length and a quarter. He has just five career wins in 60 career starts but he’s super sharp right now. Race 7: American Harness Drivers Club Amateur Consolation (1) IM THE MUSCLE has cashed checks in each of his last seven races and draws the pole for the very capable Joseph Lee. He’s finished second in three of his last four races and faces a bit of a soft field that he really should dominate from the inside. This 9-year-old is a classy veteran, who has 46 career wins and $564,000 banked. (6) ALL RISE has hit the board in 9-19 starts this year. He went wire-to-wire in the Amateurs on 12/7 with Tony Beltrami and beat a TrackMaster field from the seven post on 10/25 using a three wide move. (2) CALL ME THEFIREMAN has landed in the exacta in 28-76 races from 2023-24 with 16 wins. The last time he drew inside he went wire-to-wire in the Amateurs but note he switches from owner and regular driver Anthony Verruso to Joe Faraldo, a move which I imagine is to allow Joe to participate on this great day at Freehold. Race 8: NW $2,500 L5/TrackMaster 75.5/Optional Claiming $10,000 (Pick 4) (1) PINEBUSH LIFESAVER moves inside off a seven and eight post where he showed good pace in both efforts. He’s been facing better much of this meet and has cashed checks in six of his last seven races. He’s not super fast off the car but this field is somewhat void of early speed, which should inure to his benefit. This is Brett Beckwith’s best chance for a win on the final day. (6) THREE IN HEAVEN A has seven wins in 2024 and drops in class. He’s been facing much tougher for awhile and he went wire-to-wire here on 11/2 against much tougher in 1:56. (8) RISKY BUDDY has won two of his last three starts, both wins were one step below this level. He’s hit the board in seven consecutive starts but has to overcome the bad draw. Race 9: TrackMaster 72.5/Optional Claiming $7,500 Two horses are perfectly named for the final day and one is not: Pack Your Bags and I’m Sorry Man, then there’s My Wish Came True and I won’t touch on Seize Control! Let’s roll with horses that fit the theme. (4) I’M SORRY MAN sums the mood up perfectly and comes in with by far the highest TrackMaster rating in the field, however he’s just 1-25 this year and 6-66 in his career. He has hit the board in 11-25 starts this year and he went wire-to-wire at this level on 12/14 at 9:5 odds. (1) PACK YOUR BAGS ships in from the Meadowlands and has eight wins in 44 starts this year. Last week he was flying late and missed by nose, finishing second. (2) SOMETIMESAWINNER has two wins and two second place finishes in his last seven races and picks up the services of Daniel Dube. This is the best he has drawn in quite some time. (7) SEIZE CONTROL has been facing better the last few months and dropped down to this level last week and won at 4:5 odds. He gets a tough draw but has more than enough talent to make some serious noise here.  [DRF HARNESS: Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter] Race 10: 12-14 YEAR OLDS You have to love this race of veteran old-timers. (4) SPIRIT OF TRUTH looks flat out faster than the rest in here. He has by far the highest TrackMaster rating in the field and comes out of some fast miles recently. He has exhibited early speed in the past and expect him to implore those tactics.  (6) ARCHETTO HANOVER has hit the board in 18-36 races this year and has finished second in three of his last five. He picks up Daniel Dube and he has good early speed to overcome the tough draw. (8) SWORD OFTHE SPIRIT draws the eight hole for the fourth time in his last five but this is by far the easiest field he has faced in a long time. He has closed strongly of late to earn checks in four of his last six and he could spice up the exotics here. (3) IAMMRBRIGHTSIDE N comes in from the Meadowlands and has hit the board 15-29 times this year but his morning line seems a bit cheap probably because of the faster miles on a big track. Race 11: NW $3.500 L5/TRACKMASTER 76.5/Optional Claiming $12,500 (1) SHORE OF HIMSELF has won three of his last six and draws the rail in the Ultimate Finale! He went wire-to-wire from the eight hole last week over at Philly in 1:55 4/5. He went wire-to-wire in back-to-back weeks here on 11/9 and 11/16 in 1:55 3/5 and 1:56 4/5 respectively. He has excellent early speed to secure good early position in the Final Race, which I am sure is a race where everyone will be trying to win! (4) TS RAIDER II has been drawing poorly of late but finds himself in a good position here. He has 20 wins in 93 career races with 43 on the board finishes. He has cashed checks in each of his last six races and he will be charging late. (3) BLUE COLLAR MAN has been no worse than fourth in his last seven races. He has just one win in 29 starts in 2024 but has hit the board over 50% of the time. He has been battling consistently at slightly above this level and certainly could be a factor.   That’s all Folks!!!! It’s truly been an honor for me to call races at Freehold and to write a column for the DRF. Thank you and much love to the Freehold family! We will miss you forever Freehold Raceway!!!