For Opinion, click here for View from the Racetrack Grandstand

Friday, June 3, 2016

3 Year Old Pacing Colts take center stage on Monday at Monticello Raceway

By Shawn Wiles

To use a phrase from the great race caller Carl Becker “They are coming from everywhere”, that was the case for the draw when a total of 61 colts were entered for the glamour division of the NYSS, 3 Year Old Pacing Colts, to be raced on Monday June 6. The 13 race cards show cases 9 races of NY Bred sophomores.  The afternoon’s card has 3 division of Sire Stakes, each split racing for $39,900, 4 divisions of the Excelsior A class ($15,000) and 2 races of the Excelsior B class ($6,600).

The first division of Sire Stakes colts is race 2, Missile J, hot off his win in the Rooney Final in 1:53, will start from post 7 for trainer Linda Toscano. The American Ideal- Cantors’ Delight colt who was a $100,000 yearling purchase for owners KJ Stable LLC and Purple Haze Stable LLC. Unraced at 2, the late bloomer has won 3 in row, he will look to extend the streak with Tim Tetrick driving.  Also looking to extend his win streak is Talk Show (PP1), the son of Art Major – Lush Limbaugh is trained by Steve Elliott. 2 starts prior he won in 1:51:1, pacing his last quarter in 25.4 at the Meadowlands.

In race 8, Autotune Hanover (Art Major – Anderosa Hanover) who has yet to return to his 2 year old form, will start from the post 2 for driver Jason Barlett.  A winner of in excess of $200,000, he finished 3rd last year in the NYSS Finals at Yonkers.  Craftship continues to show improvement with each start, finishing 2nd in his last start at YR   (LQ 26:4) Carlos Danger is looking to shed his role a bridesmaids as he is winless in 12 lifetime starts.

The final NYSS event of the card comes in the 10th race, racing for a purse of $39,900. The 7 horse field features, Fine Diamond, the son of Rock N Roll Heaven, out of the Breeders Crown winner Yellow Diamond has drawn post 3, for trainer Ron Burke, Matt Kakaley will drive. He recently has his 4 race win streaked snapped last week. JK Heaven Sent (PP4) who last start finished second at Pocono Downs, pacing his mile in 1:50:4.  The son of Rock N Roll Heaven-JK’s Owhatanite has Jim Morrill Jr in the bike for the first time.

The 4 heats of the Excelsior A class are programmed as races 5, 6, 7 and 9, the Excelsior B class are 
slated as races 1 & 4,

New York Sire Stake actions returns on Monday June 30, as 2 Year Old Trotting Colts come to town.