By Shawn Wiles
The 2017 New
York Sire Stakes seasons kicks off on Tuesday July 11 at Monticello Raceway
when 3 year old trotting fillies take center stage. Going to the gate are
2 division of Sire Stakes, each split racing for $59,100, 3 heats of the
Excelsior A class ($15,000) and 2 heats of the Excelsior B class, going for a
purse of $6,800 each.
The first
heat of regular Sire Stakes is in race 1, pits the top 2 fillies of the state,
Barn Bella and Mamora Bay. Barn Bella who won last year’s NYSS Final will start
from the rail, with regular diver Jeff Gregory. The Conway Hall –
Bravissima is filly is owned by Steven & Nancy Pratt & Purple Haze
Stable and sports a respectable tally of $354,645 in lifetime earnings and a
lifetime mark of 1:51.3, taken in the Empire Breeders Classic last month at
Tioga Downs. She come into the race with 6 wins in 7 starts this year,
her only miscue came Buffalo Raceway when she made a break and opened the door
for bridesmaid Mamora Bay. Mamora Bay (PP6) is very familiar with the
Monticello oval as she won as a 2 year old in 2:00:1 at the Mighty M
oval. The Chapter Seven – Giulie lass has a win and a 2nd in
Sire Stakes competition thus far this year. She will be driven by trainer
Sam Schillaci for owner Peter F. Barbato of Demarest, NJ. Thus far this year in
Sire Stakes competition she had a win last week at Buffalo in 1:59.4 and a 2nd
place finish Tioga Downs, with $41,433 earned in 2017 and a mark of
1:57.3. She comes into the race with a solid base under her with 4
qualifiers and 3 stakes events under her belt, she will need to be tight
starting from the outside.
Race 8,
features the 2nd heat of Sire Stakes with 6 starters. Celebrity
Ruth, 5-2 morning line, starting from PP2 looks to be the one to beat, fresh
off her 2nd place finish in the Empire Breeders Classic. She
has 1 NYSS win this year at Tioga, and finished 2nd in the Lady
Suffolk. The Archangel - filly has earned $90,971 thus far this year with a
record of 1:53.4 is trained and driven by Trond Smedshammer for owner White
Birch Farm. Maewegonow (PP4) trained and driven by the capable Charlie
Norris will also be in the hunt, she was 2nd last start at Buffalo
behind Maewegonow, and visited the winners circle at Tioga Downs in the same
company
On paper
Prairie Diamonds (Diamond Goal – Princess Cosette) looks the one the to beat in
the first heat of the Excelsior A Class in race 2, fresh off her win at Tioga
Downs in 1:56.4 in overnight company, she will start from PP 4 and is
3-1. Cinnamon Prayer (PP7) sports a 4 race win streak coming in to the 3rd
race, the Prayer I Am – Cinnamon Caviar filly is trained by the Dennis Laterza,
who is always a threat at Monticello and will be driven by Jim Morrill Jr and
is owned by Roy Dobbins. The last division of the A class, race 6, features
local talent Comfort To A Fool (Credit Winner-I Promisenottotell) she is
trained longtime Monticello horseman Gary Messenger and co-owned by Messenger
in conjunction with Scott Woogen.
Post time
for the afternoons Sire Stakes action is at 12:50
