Monticello Raceway hosted as leg of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for three-year-old pacing fillies on Monday, June 19. The nine-race card featured three divisions of NYSS, with each split worth $38,533, and three $20,000 Excelsior Series races.
For decades, Wally Hennessey ruled the New York Sire Stakes circuit before handing the baton to Jim Morrill Jr., who enjoyed much success during his reign. The new torch bearer is now Jason Bartlett. Last year, he was the leading NYSS driver, with purse earnings of $758,036. Bartlett, coming out of the gate slowly this year with limited drives, made up for lost time on Monday, driving three winners at Monticello, where he has always enjoyed much success. His first victory was in one of the NYSS divisions with Secret Garden.
In the first division, five horses went to post. Kissin Joe (Mark MacDonald) was the first away from the gate at the pylons. She was on top by 4-1/2 lengths at the opening quarter in :28 and was up 3-1/4 lengths at the half in :57.3. Favourite B On The Hunt (Jordan Stratton) was the first to move down the backside from third, with Kissin Joe still showing the way at three-quarters in 1:26.2. Meanwhile, Secret Garden and Bartlett were in the garden spot throughout the mile and they scooted through the passing lane to just barely nip the pacesetter at the wire in 1:55 flat. B On The Hunt finished a half-length back in third.
Making her NYSS debut after competing in the Excelsior Series as a rookie, Secret Garden (pictured above) earned her first win of the season from eight starts. The daughter of Huntsville is trained by Noel Daley and is owned by Morrison Racing Stables. She paid $7.80 to win.
The streaking NYSS winner Turn On The Charm went wire-to-wire in her division for driver Marcus Miller. Starting from the inside post, she made the front end with ease. The opening stanza was a pedestrian :29.3 and she reached the halfway point in a leisurely :58.4. At that point, having enough of soft fractions, Jack Pelling, driving the favourite Southwind Bella, pulled the right line and got underway from third. Down the backside, Southwind Bella was pacing in tandem with Turn On The Charm as they passed three-quarters in 1:27.3. In a spirited stretch drive, with the last quarter in :27.2, Turn On The Charm prevailed by a neck over Southwind Bella in 1:55 flat. Rock My Socks (Bartlett) finished three lengths behind off a pocket trip.
The win was Turn On The Charm's fourth in a row and third consecutive facing NYSS competition. Bruce Clarke trains the homebred Huntsville filly, who was the Excelsior Series divisional champion last season, for owners Megan Beauchamp and John Coffey. Turn On The Charm paid $5.80 to win.
Earthwindfire was a winner last season at the Mighty M in the NYSS ranks as a two-year-old and was runner-up in the championship to Grand Circuit stakes winner Twin B Joe Fresh. On Monday, the 1-5 favourite barely broke a sweat getting the lead from True Blue Hanover (Bartlett) after a :28.3 opening panel for driver Jack Pelling. Once on top, she was never threatened and coasted through middle splits of :57.3 and 1:27.3 en route to a two-length victory in 1:55.2. True Blue Hanover followed in second and Dame (Miller) was third.
Earthwindfire is now two-for-two in NYSS to start her sophomore campaign. The daughter of American Ideal is trained by Brett Pelling and owned by Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable and Tulip Racing. She paid $2.10 to win.
In Excelsior action, Deborah Daguet trainee Rec Time (Bartlett) scored a four-length victory in 1:54.3 for the co-fastest mile of the day. No Cigar Tony (Bartlett) went wire-to-wire and held off a fast-closing Lady Jericho (Stratton) in 1:55.3 for trainer Scott Blackler. In the final dash of the day, the George Ducharme stable's Celia B Money (MacDonald) was up by six lengths at the third quarter pole and held off Team Colors (Pelling), also winning in 1:54.3.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)