Two divisions—one for $71,815 and the other for $73,115—will
be the featured attractions at Monticello Raceway on Thursday
afternoon, August 16th. Many of the fillies currently in the top ten
in points will be on the racetrack ready for battle that day.
Leading the way is Summertime Lea, a daughter of
Lislea-Donna Summer whose four wins and a second in five lifetime NYSS starts
has her leading the points battle with 225. Owned by Weaver, Bruscemi,
Baldachino ,Smith and the Burke Racing Stable and trained by Ron Burke,
Summertime Lea comes into the Mighty M contest off a stunning 1:52.2 triumph at
Vernon Downs on August 8. However, she’ll have to start on the
far outside from post position eight which could provide a problem for driver
Jimmy Morrill, Jr.
Although Summertime Lea appears to be much superior
than her competition still there are a couple of fillies that could prove
challenging. They are JK All That Jazz, from the powerful Linda Toscano
barn , is a 1:56 winner on Saratoga’s double oval this year and Road Bet,
the Mickey Peterson-trained filly who was a close in her last start
at Vernon Downs individually timed in 1:52:3. The former will be driven by Andy
Miller while the latter will have Andy McCarthy in the sulky.
The aforementioned will lock horns in the 10th
race on the special 15-race card.
Arguably the most competitive split will be race eight
where locally owned filly, Park N Orchard (100 points) will arrive here with
two consecutive victories and three wins in her four lifetime starts.
Co-owned and trained by George Zitone (of nearby Montague NJ) and
Jay Platt, the daughter of Art Major-Allamerican Meadow will start on the
far outside from post seven and be driven by Stephane Bouchard.
Freetime , (145 points) an Artiscape-Bubbas Joicey B filly
with two wins in five starts-- the fastest in 1:56 over Yonkers Raceway’s
double oval--- will prove to be no pushover. Owned by the
Andy Miller Stable and Triple D Stable she’ll have Andy Miller at the
controls.
Others that deserve a second look include Brussels Hanover
((120 points) a 1:57 half-mile track winner with Jimmy Morrill Jr. in the
pilot’s seat and Silk Pajamas (135 points) , a 1:54.4 winner at Tioga
Downs five-eighths mile oval with Jason Bartlett in the sulky. The
former, a daughter of Bettor’s Delight-Barcelona Hanover, will leave from
the two-hole while the latter, a Bettor’s Delight-Silkandiamonds filly, will start
from post five.
Along with the NYSS action will be five $12,700 divisions of
the Excelsior Series for freshman pacing fillies. They’ll go as races one,
five, seven,12, and 14.
Post time for the 15-race card will be at 12:50pm.
