They may be young and inexperienced, but the two-year-old trotting fillies that are entered in the New York Sire Stakes at Buffalo Raceway for Wednesday night (July 11) seem to have started off their careers in pretty good fashion.
A total of 17 juvenile fillies will be spread across three $36,000 (approximate) divisions. The group has a combined 32 starts between them – the ladies have produced six victories, 10 second-place finishes and a trio of thirds.
With nine track records either being tied or broken at Buffalo Raceway thus far in 2018, the 2:00.0 mark for the two-year-old filly trotters established last year by Plunge Blue Chip looks very vulnerable, as warm, dry conditions are expected.
The opening leg, scheduled as the first race, is certainly the stacked tilt. Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall) was installed as the 7-5 early favourite with Andy Miller slated to drive. Amal Hall has recorded a first and second-place finish in her two career outings, both of which have come in the NYSS. She captured her bracket in 2:02 at Monticello on June 25 and was second at Yonkers Raceway on July 3, where she lost by three-quarters of a length in 1:58.2.
Sensibility (Muscle Mass-Twin B Sensation) looms as the main threat in the first split thanks to a pair of narrow second-place finishes in sire stakes action. Scott Zeron will steer Sensibility from the two post. The filly has been assessed at odds of 3-1 early.
Others involved include Lifetime Credit (to be driven by John Stark Jr.), Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Blue Ribbon Gal (Jonathan Drury).
With Out A Doubt (Conway Hall-Queen Of More) will headline the second division, which will go off as the back half of the early daily double. Without A Doubt lost by a mere head at Yonkers on July 3 to Safe Word. Miller will guide With Out A Doubt from the three hole. The filly has been gauged as the 8-5 morning line pick.
Exotic Dream (RC Royalty-Not A Diva) is the lone entrant that has a win thus far in her brief career. She picked up the victory in during sire stakes action at Monticello Raceway on June 25, where she won by a head in 2:05.3 after having made up nearly 12 lengths along the way.
The remainder of the field will include Gobi Princess (Scott Zeron), Lindy In The Sky (Claude Huckabone Jr.), Somermusicchapter (Dan Daley) and Royal Trumpery (Jeff Gregory).
The last leg is scheduled for fifth race and Safe Word has received the slight 2-1 early nod with Gregory in the bike. Safe Word (Credit Winner-Fifty Shades) won her last outing by a head over With Out A Doubt in 2:00.4 in sire stakes action at Yonkers on July 3.
Hot Chapter (Chapter Seven-Some Like It Hot) has drawn the rail for Miller and is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line. She has recorded a second and third-place finish from her two starts this season, both of which were in NYSS competition.
The rest of the participants include Its My Party (Sam Schillaci), Pittstop Beki (Dan Daley), Bit Coin (Drew Monti) and Liquorstoreblues (Jim Morrill Jr.).
Fourteen races have been scheduled on the card, which will get underway at 5 p.m. The Excelsior Series will feature a pair of $15,000 events in the ‘A’ division, while the ‘B’ classification will make up two races, each of which will carry a purse of $6,600.
For more information, including the latest news, upcoming promotions, simulcast schedule, race replays, results and entries, head to buffaloraceway.com.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)