Monticello Raceway’s New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) season
will kick-off on Friday, June 6 when the 3 year-old pacing fillies come to
town. The races will be the second stop for the sophomores en route to
the $225,000 Final at Yonkers Raceway in September.
On tap are four divisions of Sire Stakes fillies, each for
approximately $30,000- and two $12,500 splits of Excelsior “A” events
along with two $6000 splits of Excelsior “B” events.
Headlining the NYSS paces is the locally- trained Bettor
Chill Out from the Bruce Borden barn who won a sire stakes event at Vernon
Downs in 1:52 on May 30. Jeff Gregory will handle the driving chores for Borden
and owner Joe Meany when Bettor Chill Out leaves from the four-hole in the
third race.
Another locally-owned filly, Just Add Vodka, figures to be
among the favorites in the her NYSS split when Jimmy Morrill, Jr. jumps-up on
the bike and starts from post two in race two. A 1:58.4 winner in March on
Yonkers Raceway half-miler, and a third place finish last Saturday in a 1:52.4
mile at Vernon Downs, the daughter of Art Major will start from post two. She’s
owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Dr. Herbie Burns, Steve Demeter and Nahuel
Agosti.
However, Just Add Vodka might encounter stiff competition
from Medusa, a Bettor’s Choice filly owned by W.J. Donavan, a winner of five of
six starts this year. Chris Lems will handle the driving chores from the
five-hole.
Sweetnsinful, a $219,000 winner with a 1:52.3 mark as a
freshman, made an inauspicious debut last Saturday finishing back in a 1:52
mile at Vernon Downs in NYSS action. However, she figures to be better this
week now that she‘s had a race under her belt. Owned by Homer and Connie
Hochstettler and James Michaels, the American Ideal filly will be driven by
Jimmy Whittemore and they’ll leave from the four-hole.
But don’t put a circle around Sweetnsinful’s name yet.
She’ll have to contend with Scandalicious, a 1.54.3 winner at Harrah’s
Philadelphia on March 8. Also a daughter of American Ideal she’ll have Danny
Dube in the sulky when they start from post five.
Blush Hanover figures to be the best in a final NYSS split
despite leaving from post seven. The Linda Toscano-trained Art Major
filly has three wins and two seconds in five starts. Owned by Stake Your Claim
Stable, Seth Coen and George Derocker she’ll get the driving services of Jimmy
Morrill, Jr.
In that contest Lotza Matzah will probably get the attention
of hunch bettors on just her name alone since the Mighty M is in the former
Borscht Belt, but she brings along a 1:52.4 record taken at Pocono Downs on May
20. Trainer Eddie Hart assigned Jason Bartlett to drive and they’ll start
from post four. Another American Ideal filly she is owned by Blue Chip
Bloodstock Daniel Zucker, Steve Demeter and Christine Sallee.
The Excelsior Stakes will make a nice undercard on a day
when all the races feature New York-bred sophomore pacing fillies.
First post will be at 12:50pm.
