On Wednesday (August 1), Batavia Downs will play host to a pair $52,000 New York Sire Stakes divisions for two-year-old pacing fillies.
The NYSS events have been carded as Race 1 and 7. First-race post time will be at 5 p.m.
So Awesome (So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) will lead the way in the first of the five-horse divisions, and she has some impressive early career stats to back her. She has recorded two wins from four lifetime starts (both were in NYSS races). Oddly enough, they were both scored at Yonkers Raceway and both timed in 1:55.3.
As a result of her work, So Awesome has put $70,365 on her card thus far, which makes her the richest, fastest and winningest filly set to contest the race. So Awesome also ranks second in points and earnings in her age, gait and gender group overall in the state-bred series.
So Awesome is trained by Scott Di Domenico and will start from Post 2 with driver Jim Morrill Jr.
JK American Beauty (American Ideal-JK Black Beauty) has yet to win a NYSS race, but she hasn't been off the board, either. With a second and two thirds to her credit, she has continued to learn each week while finishing well in all her starts. The filly is almost certain to get another good trip Wednesday from inside and could break her maiden if things go right.
JK American Beauty will be driven from Post 1 by Daniel Dube for trainer Nancy Johansson.
Looking to get back on track in the second split will be Brooklyn Lilacs (Rock N Roll Heaven-Sombodythatiustono) who won her first two NYSS tests, but got disqualified in the second after having paced pacing erratically at the three-quarters mark. She had over two weeks off after that race and then qualified impressively at Harrah's Philadelphia in 1:56.1. This will be her first start back and her current form appears to bode well for her chances.
Trainer Joe Holloway will have Jim Morrill Jr. back in the bike for Brooklyn Lilacs’ third NYSS start, and they will start from Post 3.
Hurrikane Norakane (Art Major-Western Heat) appears to be the formidable foe. After having got her first NYSS win through the disqualification of Brooklyn Lilacs three starts back, she experienced a very rough trip at Tioga Downs the next week, as she got parked-out the better part of the mile. Although, she bounced back well in her last start, which was back at Yonkers where she finished a strong second to top point-getter St. Somewhere in 1:53.4. Now finding herself right back in a week later in a short field, Hurrikane Norakane will look to put herself in the spotlight.
Hurrikane Norakane will start from Post 1 for driver Daniel Dube and trainer John McDermott.
There will also be a pair of $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior ‘A’ series on the card.
(Batavia Downs)