By: Shawn
Wiles
As Monticello Raceway announcer Howard Oil would say
“they’re coming from everywhere” that’s what race Secretary Eric Warner thought
when he opened the box for 3 Year old Trotting Colts for Monday July 17.
He had 52 entries in the box, forming 3 regular division of Sire Stakes
($39,200) 3 heats of the Excelsior A class ($15,000) and 2 Excelsior B’s
($6,000) in total racing for purses in excess of $175,000.
Dexter Cup winner Lord Cromwell will get the action started
in the first race on the card, he will start from post 3 in the 6 horse
field. The Ed Hart trained son of Chapter Seven – Oh Oh Its Magical
already has $110,000 on his card this year and a mark of 1:55 taken in his
Dexter Cup victory. Dunbar Hill has the fastest lifetime mark of the
group 1:54.1 taken at an overnight at Mohawk, this will be his test in Sire
Stakes company. Texican and Royal Casanova are moving up from the
Excelsior A class and trying their luck in the big league.
The second division on paper looks to be the race of the
day, with the track record jeopardy, the record is 1:56.3 set in 2015 by
Habitat. Swedish trainer Anette Lorentzon brings the razor sharp Guardian Angel
AS to the contest, an easy 8 length NYSS winner last week at Buffalo in 1:57.1
and a 12 length romp at Yonkers in 1:56.3, 2 starts prior. The Archangel –
Provide As filly has 5 wins and a 2nd in 7 starts this year and
$77,000 in earnings. Optimist Blue Chip has visited the winners circle 5
times already this year, his last win came at Saratoga in 1:55 2 weeks ago for
trainer Buzzy Sholty. A winner earlier in the year in the Excelsior A’s,
this will be his first attempt at the regular Sire Stakes. Bruce Aldrich Jr. will
be in the bike.
Race 8 features Eye OFA Tiger AS, the interesting home bred
son of Chapter Seven – Seven Cascade – Mack Lobell, is owned by ACL Stuteri AB
and Kjell Johansson. She will be driven by Jason Bartlett and will start
from post 2, she sports a 3 race win steak, and his start was a NYSS win at
Buffalo in 1:57.2. The consistent Stick With Me Kid (PP4) with Brian Sears will
also be in the fray for trainer George Ducharme.
The first Excelsior A heat come in race 3, DW’s Revenge
(PP7) has 2 wins in this class thus far this year, a 5 time winner this year,
recent Hall of Famer inductee Brian Sears will be in the bike. Race
7, pits 3 A class winners in the same dash, Sweetchap (PP3), Patton (PP6) and
morning line favorite Big Man EV (PP4). The last spilt of the A class, comes in
race 10, Southwind Cruze and Andy Miller from the rail are the 5/2 morning line
favorite by virtue of his 2 consecutive 2nd place finishes in this
class.
In the 2nd race, the uniquely colored New York
Chrome, will start from post position 4 in the 7 horse field, in the Excelsior
B class. The son of Deweychetumnhowe was a winner last year at Monticello
and took his 2 year old mark of 2:01.3. The chestnut gelding won in the
same fraternity 2 starts ago at Buffalo.
Post Time for the 13 race card is 12:50
