Monticello Raceway will host its first New York Sire Stakes event of the season on Monday, June 6, when the three-year-old pacing fillies take the stage.
On tap are two divisions of NYSS events and four Excelsior events, competing for a total of more than $174,000 in purses. Two stellar fillies, Joyride Hanover and Gotthegreenlight, are among the participants. Both competed successfully last season on the Grand Circuit and NYSS.
The first division of NYSS is Race 1 at $57,000. The morning line favourite is Gotthegreenlight, who will score from post position three in the short, five-horse field. The daughter of American Ideal torched the Buffalo Raceway oval in her last start, setting a new track record 1:52.2. Jason Bartlett will drive.
In the second division, worth $58,100, is carded as Race 8. Six contestants will compete, with Joyride Hanover as the morning line favourite. She set the track record last year for two-year-old pacing fillies at Monticello Raceway at 1:54.2. She will start from post five and will be driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer 'Nifty' Norman. She was a winner in her last start in NYSS action at Buffalo, where she won in 1:55.3. Last year, she banked $185,000 and has earned $33,000 thus far in this young season. Eric Good owns the American Ideal filly. Valar Dohaeris (PP2) was sharp in her last two winning outings, where she took a mark of 1:52.4 at Pocono. Mark MacDonald will drive for trainer Ake Svanstedt. Last season, Patsville (PP4) raced in the Excelsior class. This season, she steps up in class for trainer John Butenschoen. Tyler Buter will handle the driving chores.
Jacana (PP6) and Su Su Sussudio (PP4) are among the contestants in the $15,000 Excelsior event, listed as the third race. Nadina Hanover earned a new mark at Yonkers two starts ago when she won in 1:53.1. Jason Bartlett will drive her in Race 5. Mark Ford has an entry in Race 7 with Clear The Way (PP1) and Twenty Grand (PP4).
(Monticello)