The New York Sire Stakes makes its first stop of the year at Monticello Raceway on May 11 and brings with it two colts aiming for Hambletonian glory this Summer.
On slate are four divisions of NYSS ($30,450), two divisions of the Excelsior A ($15,000), and two divisions of Excelsior B ($6, 600) on the day's 14-race card. The caliber of the entries is indicative of the quality of the New York Sire Stakes program in recent years.
At first glance one would think that this was a Grand Circuit event with the likes of Crazy Wow and Habitat. According to Monticello Race Secretary Eric Warner, “this is an exceptional crop of colts this year and the track record may be in jeopardy.” The track record for three-year-old trotting colts is also the all-age track record of 1:55:2, which is held by Gural Hanover.
In the second race, first division of Sire Stakes, Crazy Wow will start from post four. The Ron Burke-trained son of Crazed comes into the race after two impressive qualifiers at the Meadowlands. He was the winner of last year’s NYSS final. Crazy Wow is ranked fourth, right behind last year’s two-year-old Trotting Colt of the Year Pinkman in the experimental time ratings. Last year he took a record of 1:54, with lifetime earnings of $232,928.
In the fourth race, local favourite Hollywoods Thatway will look to defend his three-race Monticello win streak. The son of Conway Hall is trained by Ed Hart, Billy Parker will be driving.
Habitat, fresh off a victory in the Dexter Cup at Freehold last weekend, will start from post three in the eighth race. At two he earned $567,056, lifetime earnings in excess of $600,000 and a two-year-old mark of 1:53.4. His victories last year include the William Wellwood Final, Matron Stakes, and the Champlain.
The final division of the Sire Stakes is in race 14, with two Hambletonian winning owners vying for victory, Malvern Burroughs of Malabar Man fame, and Paul Fontaine owner of 2013 winner Royalty For Life. Burroughs will send forth Mambo Blue Chip, and Fontaine Lucky Ten K for trainer George Ducharme.
(Monticello Raceway)