Driver Jim Marohn Jr. celebrated his birthday with a five-bagger at Freehold Raceway on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 24 as he continues his impressive comeback.
Five wins on a single race card is no easy feat; however, Marohn’s five-bagger on Saturday was especially impressive as this was only his third day back in the bike competing in pari-mutuel racing action in 2024 after recovering from injuries sustained in an accident last November. Easing back into driving, he only had seven mounts on Saturday's card, winning five and also picking up a third-place finish. He won three out of five starts on Friday, Feb. 23 at Freehold after returning to action with a pair of drives on Thursday, Feb. 22 at Yonkers Raceway. Since his return, Marohn has won eight out of 14 starts and his UDR is .635. To make things even sweeter for Marohn, Saturday marked his 42nd birthday, and what better place is there to celebrate than the winner’s circle?
Marohn's victories included Saturday's feature race, the $16,216 Preferred Handicap Pace. Starting from the outside post seven, he got away at the back of the pack with the Scott DiDomenico-trained A Rocknroll Star ($3.60). Making his season's debut, the seven-year-old A Rocknroll Dance gelding patiently paced along last in line, as the race fractions went in :28, :57.1 and 1:26.2. As the field approached the three-quarter pole, the horses began to fan two, then three-wide, and finally Marohn rallied the favoured A Rocknroll Star four-wide around the entire field. It was anyone’s race heading down the stretch, but Marohn and A Rocknroll Star ended up on top at the wire in 1:55.2 after a :28.1 closing kick. Gratian Hanover and Johnathan Ahle finished 1-1/4 lengths behind in second with Nome Hanover third for Vinny Ginsburg.
Marohn's first win of the day was a close call as Always Close ($7.40) prevailed by a nose for trainer Edwin Quevedo. Marohn then won four races in a row, teaming up with trainer Shawn Vallee for victories with Fizzing N ($2.60) and Euphoria N ($3.40) before A Rocknroll Star's feature win, and then scoring with Three In Heaven A ($6.80) in another nose decision for trainer Jeff Smith.
Marohn wasn’t the only one with the hot hands, though. Johnation Ahle visited the winner’s circle four times on the 12-race card. If he wasn’t winning, he wasn’t far behind. He placed second twice and third four times, only missing the board once out of his 11 starts.
Mike Polansky was the star of the day's American Harness Drivers Club racing action as he perched My Big Kadillac ($22) on cover and launched into a victorious far-turn assault in the $12,162 trot. Polansky owns and trains the 10-year-old gelding by Kadabra, who won in 2:01.2. The amateur driving club action resumes at Freehold next Saturday.
Live harness racing at Freehold returns on Friday and Saturday, with the races starting at 12:30 p.m.
(With files from Freehold Raceway & American Harness Drivers Club; Marohn driving Three In Heaven A [inside] to his fifth Freehold win on Saturday)