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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

MR - LOLA DE VIE HEADLINES $160,000 NYSS FOR SOPHOMORE TROTTING FILLIES




The sophomore trotting fillies will strut their stuff at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon (August 15) in the $160,000 New York Sire Stakes and they will be joined by other 3 year old fillies who’ll compete for over $64,000 in the Excelsior Series. The Sire Stakes divisions will each go for purses in excess of $53,000 while each of the Excelsior Series splits is worth $12,700.

Although she’s not invincible, Lola De Vie figures to be the odds on favorite in her $53,383 NYSS division.  Already this year the daughter of Credit Winner- Fan Favourite has won six times in nine tries including the $ 237,600Empire Breeders Classic  at Vernon Down on June9 in a 1:55.2 clocking.
Owned by the Joie De Vie Farm and trained by Chris Ryder, Lola De Vie already has $249,039 on her card  and she’ll  have Jimmy Morrill, Jr. in the sulky  when  she  leaves from the  five hole.

But trouble may be loom in the presence of Alphadoodle, also a Credit Winner filly but out of  Ella Minnow Pea.  She sports a 1:57.1 triumph over the half-mile track at Yonkers Raceway on July 8. With over $76,000 bankrolled this year the mostly Canadian-owned  filly  will be driven by Stephane Bouchard  and start from the pole position. 

 Steve and Nancy Pratt’s , Barn Babe, is the early line favorite in her $53,383 division. This daughter of  Cash Hall-My Baby’s Momma won a NYSS split at Batavia Downs in 1:58.1 and owns a sophomore record of 1:54.2 which she  earned at Tioga Downs also in Sire Stakes action. John Cummings Jr. will handle the driving chores and they’ll start from the pylon position.

Perhaps the stiffest competition will be supplied by the Dan Daley-driven Royal Malinda who’ll leave from the three-hole. This RC Royalty-Linda Mac filly has been on the board nine times in 13 starts with the fastest of her two victories  a 1:55.2 effort  at Vernon Downs on July 19.  She is owned by Ann Mari Daley, the Purple Haze Stable and  Richard Lombardo.

A third NYSS split for a $52,383 purse, has Long Island Tea  as the 5-2 early favorite. The daughter of Credit Winner- Tea Muscles comes into the contest off a 1:54.4 win at Vernon Downs on August 2. Unraced at two, Paul Kelley trains the filly who has won six of 10 races this year and purses in excess of $61,000 for owner Steve Stewart.

However, the Cat Manzi- driven Wygant Lady has won a NYSS trot at Yonkers Raceway in 1:56.1 July 8 and figures to be a formidable foe from the two- hole. The daughter of Credit Winner-Rose Street Angel has already earned over $102,000 for owners  Taylor Gower and Alan Stull

And though she is yet to return to her freshman form, the now Linda Toscano-trained Lady Riviera has only had four starts this year without a victory. Last season she won four of nine and earned over $129,000. Toscano will hand the lines to Jimmy Morrill, Jr. when the filly  starts from  post four.
The NYSS splits will be races one, five and eight on the card while the Excelsior divisions will go as races  four, six, nine,  11 and 12.

The 14 race program will get underway at 12:50pm.