As the western New York harness racing scene switches back to the oldest lighted harness track in America on Monday (July 27), Batavia Downs wasted no time welcoming back the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) to its schedule.

The series makes the first of eight stops at the Genesee County oval with a group of lightly-raced state bred two-year-old trotting fillies, who will compete in four divisions, vying for purses totaling $109,500.

The first leg is led by Dolly Drama PV (Lucky Chucky-Massive Drama) from the Mark Harder stable. This filly has made two starts this year, finishing third and first, respectively, while banking $16,241. Last week at Buffalo Raceway, she left sharply to gain early position and then trotted home in a snappy :29.4 to win by two lengths in a lifetime-best 2:03.4. Dolly Drama PV is 5-2, leaves from post two and will be driven by local favourite Jeff Gregory.

The royally-bred Pampered Winner (Credit Winner-Pampered Princess) ships in from The Meadowlands to make her first NYSS start for Hall of Fame trainer Jimmy Takter. After qualifying three times at the iconic New Jersey track, she made her first lifetime start there in a juvenile overnight event where she finished five and one-half lengths off the pace in 1:59.3. Pampered Winner is the track handicapper’s selection at 2-1.

The second split features Goosebump Hanover (RC Royalty-Good Common Cents), who won the fastest (2:01.4) of four divisions at Buffalo last week for the top money-earning trainer in North America, Ron Burke. After getting away second, she went to the front past the quarter and then led the rest of the way for an easy one and one-half length victory. Jim Morrill Jr. picks up the lines for this week’s outing.

Steel Wheels (Lucky Chucky-Some Girls) made an unfortunate break at the start of her race last week that took her completely out of contention. That, after posting a win through disqualification at Monticello Raceway in an Excelsior A level race the week before. Steel Wheels, who is trained and driven by Gates Brunet, is coupled as a betting interest with Goosebump Hanover and they go postward as the morning line favourites at 2-1.

Royal Encore (RC Royalty-Spin The Planet) sat out last week after posting a solid second-place finish at Monticello on July 3. Now ready to make her second lifetime start, Royal Encore looks to improve for trainer/driver Trond Smedshammer. They leave from post four and are listed at 5-2.

Ron Burke’s Winning Princess (Credit Winner-Cabaret Princess) is the 2-1 early choice in the third division and looks to get back to her winning ways. She made a break at Buffalo last week that she couldn’t overcome after posting two convincing wins prior. In those starts, she was victorious in 2:00.2 and 2:00.3 by a combined 10 lengths. Jim Morrill Jr. is back in the bike for the third consecutive time.

Winning Princess starts from post two, and is coupled as a betting interest with Starlingmoon (Prayer I Am-Meadow Dion), who leaves from post seven with Brett Miller aboard.

Posterity (Lucky Chucky-Vintage Chip) looks to pose the greatest threat to the favourite after having scored a first and second-place finish in NYSS action this year. Charlie Norris both trains and drives Posterity, who leaves from post three as the 5-2 second choice.

In the final leg, Lindylicious (Credit Winner-Scrumptious) is moving up from Excelsior A action after two solid wins over that group to take on the top level trotters here. Her 2:01.2 win at Buffalo last week was actually faster than the fastest NYSS leg, which was won by Goosebump Hanover (2:01.4). She has proven to be a versatile performer; racing both on top and from off the pace, and her gate speed will suit her well this week as she leaves from post six. George Ducharme, who won the 2013 Hambletonian with Royalty For Life, conditions Lindylicious and her regular driver Chris Lems is back up for the ride. They are rated as a 5-1 shot to win.

Dizzy Broad (Broad Bahn-Portia) is coming off a NYSS win in her first lifetime start at Buffalo last week. It was a convincing victory, but also the slowest of the quartet that day (2:05.1). Western New York’s leading driver, Kevin Cummings, will be aboard the 5-2 handicapper’s choice for the second time.

Love Crazy Love (Crazed-Love U Overandover) drew the rail for the second straight week and has one win in NYSS action this year for trainer/driver Gates Brunet. She is a solid competitor that is listed at 3-1 morning line.

There are also two divisions of Excelsior A action that offer $30,000 in purses and two divisions of Excelsior B horses that will go after their share of $13,500.

Post time for the first race is 6:35 p.m. Opening night at Batavia Downs also features free programs and free magnetic schedules to all fans attending the races live. (While supplies last.)

For more information on all the events at Batavia Downs this year, log on to bataviadownsgaming.com. There you can get full race schedules, entries, results as well as watch all the race replays immediately after each race is declared official. Live streaming video of all the races is available by becoming a member of Bataviabets.com.

(Batavia Downs)