Three-year-old trotting colts and geldings will ship to Monticello Raceway on Monday (July 11) for the $142,000 New York Sire Stakes. This is the fifth leg of the eight-leg series, with the lucrative final set for Tioga Downs on Saturday, September 5. 
 
Two heats of NYSS are on tap, along with two heats of the Excelsior Series, vying for over $142,000 in purses.

The first heat of Sire Stakes, racing for a purse of $55,900, is carded as Race 1. The short, four-horse field features two of the division’s top point earners: Castle House (PP1) and Chapheart (PP4). Castle House (Jason Bartlett) has been a bridesmaid twice this season in Sire Stakes competition. Last week, he earned a new lifetime mark in an overnight at Harrah’s in 1:54.4. The son of Conway Hall is owned by Winning Key Inc. and is trained by Per Engblom.

Chapheart, hailing from the barn of Trond Smedshammer for the Purple Haze Stable, has earned more than $79,000 this season in six starts. Trond Smedshammer will drive the son of Chapter Seven. He won a heat of NYSS earlier this season at Buffalo Raceway in 2:00.1, defeating Castle House in the process.

The second heat, worth $57,000, has five entrants. Quincy Market is stepping up in class. Last start, he scored in an Excelsior A event in Goshen in 1:57.3. The Nicholas Devita-trained son of E L Titan is owned by Samuel Abdoo. Jason Bartlett will drive. Tantra Blue Chip will score from Post 4 for trainer–driver Ake Svanstedt. He comes into the race fresh off a 1:55.2 score at Harrah’s. This start will be his first in Sire Stakes company.

Also on tap are two divisions of the $15,000 Excelsior Series. The leader of the division is Makadushin N Cheez, who will start from the rail. The offspring of Conway Hall has banked $30,529 thus far this season with four wins. Dave Dewhurst is the trainer and Jason Bartlett will be in the sulky.

Also stepping up in class is Debs Prince Hall, who has been installed as the morning line favourite for Race 2. The son of Conway Hall already has 10 starts this year and has bankrolled $27,662 with three wins on his resume.

First post time for the nine-race card is 12:10 p.m.

(Monticello)