By Shawn
Wiles
The New York
Sire Stakes seasons gets underway at Monticello Raceway on Monday May 23, as 3
Year Old Pacing Fillies take center stage.
When Race
Sectary Eric Warner opened the box there were a total of 44 fillies, this was
broken down to 2 divisions of each the Excelsior A & Excelsior B series and
2 Sire Stake events. The A class’s vie for a purse of $15,000 the B class’s,
races for $6,700, the Sire Stakes go for a purse $61,300 on the afternoons 11
race card.
The action
gets underway in Race 2, the 1st split of the Excelsior B
Series. Monticello horseman Gary Messenger (Sultry Susan) PP1 and Frank
Yanoti Were Gonna Rock (PP3) each have 1 entered. Race 3, is the first
heat of Sire Stakes competition, 7 fillies will go behind the gate. Soft
Idea looks to be tight after 3 Q’s under her belt, the last one a wining effort
in 1:54:4 for trainer Linda Toscano, the daughter of American Ideal won over
$200,000 in her freshman season. Ron Burke will also bring his entry of
Mother of Art (PP4) and Art Critic (PP6) to the fray.
The final
split of the Excelsior B class is race 3, Bullvillefirerworks will look to
light up the sky from the rail. The Bullville Powerful filly who calls
Monticello Raceway home, is looking for her second consecutive win, she won
last week at her home track in 2:00:4, LQ of 29:1. Pop Art Delight,
another Monticello Raceway juvenile with start from post 4, with Jim Taggart Jr
aboard.
The
Excelsior A class starts in Race 5, Erv Millers, Rolling Going Gone starts from
the rail for driver Marcus Miller, The Roll With Joe lass has been busy this
year. Already with 11 starts under her belt this year and a mark of 1:55:4,
taken at Yonkers. Race 7 denotes the final Excelsior A event on the card,
this competitive legs will features LYRA (PP1) Milky Way Rae (PP6) Queen of
Darkness will be dangerous with driver Jim Morrill Jr behind her for the first
time.
On paper,
Race 8 appears to be the race of the day, the final division of the Sire Stakes
eligible’s, Vino and Formaggio, who was an impressive winner at Monticello
Raceway in Sire Stakes action last year, in this same company, will start from
the rail for trainer Ron Burke who also with sent entry mate Encore Deo (PP 6)
with Matt Kakaley driving to post. Crawford Farms LLC, of Syracuse NY, sends
forth, Angels Rockn Pink, the brown daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven will start
from post 4, for master filly trainer Chris Oaks. Purchased as a yearling for
$35,000, Angels Rockn Pink, hailed from the Diamond Creek consignment for her
new owners Crawford Farms LLC. American Curves threw in an unexpected bad
performance last start at Mohawk, prior to that, she was razor sharp grabbing
an early season life mark of 1:56:3.
