A field of nine two-year-old filly pacers will line up for the first time in their racing careers on Wednesday, June 18 at Buffalo Raceway with $112,100 USD on the line in the New York Sire Stakes.
With many having just a qualifier or two under their saddle cloths, one will emerge as the fabulous filly at the end of the day with a nice paycheque of $56,050 USD awaiting her connections.
It is hard to gauge who will be the one to beat from the qualifiers. The ladies were widespread at Harrah's Philadelphia, Monticello Raceway, Pocono Downs, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Saratoga Raceway in their prep qualifiers.
Last week, driver Mark MacDonald and trainer Ray Schnittker combined to sweep three Excelsior Series events along with the New York Sire Stakes race for the three-year-old pacing fillies. They'll try and keep their streak alive when they shuffle off to Buffalo Raceway with Bellbottom Country (Huntsville-My Girls A Star). Bellbottom Country took a length qualifying victory at Saratoga in 2:00.1 and drew the trailing nine post on Wednesday with MacDonald scheduled to be back aboard.
Another damsel who was impressive in her qualifier was Ev Does It (Roll With Joe-Tesla Hanover), who toured the Monticello Raceway course in 1:59.4, posting a 3-3/4-length qualifying score. Michael Whelan will be in the driver's seat from post five for trainer Mark Ford.
Liberty Style (American Ideal-Fly In Style) notched a length qualifying victory in 1:59.2 at Harrah's Philadelphia in her prep attempt. Jason Bartlett will guide Liberty Style from post three for the Andrew Stafford stable.
Country Reba (American Ideal-Reba Dobie) had a solid 3-1/2 victory in her qualifier at Monticello in a dialed down 2:02.1. Driver/trainer Cory Stratton will be at the controls of Country Reba when she leaves from post two.
Coming in off a 1:57.1 second-place qualifying mile at Mohawk, the Canadian-owned Blake MacIntosh trainee American Shine (American Ideal-Platinum Choice) will start from post seven with Brett Beckwith listed to drive. He is a half brother to MacIntosh's Grand Circuit stakes winner Sterling Choice.
The remainder of the field includes Bueckers (Kevin Cummings), Cookie Bar (Joseph Chindano Jr.), Hurrikanemaisykane (Drew Monti) and American Cheese (Colin Kelly)
The NYSS event will go off as the fifth race on the 13-race program. There is a $20,000 USD Excelsior Series event as well. First post is 2:30 p.m.
The Pick-5 has a carryover of $2,602 on Wednesday that begins in the second race.
(With files from Buffalo Raceway)