The NYSS and Excelsior for freshmen trotting colts accounted for 10 of the 12 races on the Monday night card at Tioga and were true to the promise of unpredictable form the baby trotters exhibit.

Top driver Brian Sears made the trip from Jersey for just the one drive on Tirade Hanover and Sears made it count. The precocious, gelded son of first crop sire Crazed responded to a flawless steer by lowering the track record for his division by a second and a half to 1:55.4 under minimal encouragement.

Now a winner four times in seven starts (with a few legitimate excuses thrown in) and boasting a return of nearly $80,000 on the $10,000 purchase price for the partnership of Leigh Nichol, S. M. Moss, H. & H. R. Solomon and trainer Tyler Raymer, Tirade Hanover looks to be a comer in the program.

Upsets marked the first couple of splits, with Jeff Gregory steering a pair of outsiders to rewarding scores for their small legion of backers.

Insider Access got the gold for the first time in his brief career for trainer Jonas Czernyson and owner Jarold Hawks in an impressive 1:59 - taking the initial sires stake offering. Gregory spun right back in division two at a mutuel of $47.40 with Prove Up for trainer Linda Toscano and owner Richard Balog when the short-priced Twisted Pretzel went awry in the stretch.

Form returned in the final NYSS division when the flashy, Credit Winner colt Fashion Blizzard won as expected after his well meant third in the Peter Haughton final last week. Jim Morrill, Jr. was aboard for trainer Jim Campbell and owner Jules Siegel's Fashion Farms. This colt is a homebred from Mr. Siegel's good stakes-winning mare of a few seasons ago, Fun And Strokes.

Most impressive among the six Excelsior winners were two more sons of Crazed.

Frank Antonacci let the homebred Crazed N Lindy roll through a wicked 1:25.4 three quarters before coasting in for a 1:57.3 tally. He is owned by the breeders, Lindy Racing Stable, along with Robert Rudolph.

Robin Would sprinted home off a pocket ride to record a 1:58.2 score with Morrill aboard for trainer Larry Remmen and owners Joseph Jannuzzelli, Saverio Spagnolo and Ray Remmen; posting another credit for Crazed's siring résumé.

(Vernon Downs)