Fans of the New York Sire Stakes and Monticello Raceway will be in for a treat this coming Monday (July 21), as NYSS divisions and Excelsior Series featuring two-year-old pacing cols and geldings will dominate the 13-race docket.
There will be five NYSS divisions and five Excelsior Series splits.
The day will commence with arguably the best $21,800 NYSS division on the card. Two speedy freshmen, Freedomformysoul and Rockntouch, are set to clash in Race 1. Both were NYSS winners at Saratoga Raceway on July 12, and both put in eye-opening performances.
In what was only his second lifetime start, Freedomformysoul, a son of If I Can Dream-Hello Grin, made a quarter pole move to the front and then bristled to a stunning 1:53.3 victory for driver Jim Morrill Jr. He’ll start from Post 1 again with Morrill in the bike.
In his first lifetime start Rockntouch sailed wire to wire for a splendid 1:55 triumph with Morrill at the controls. However, on Monday, Yannick Gingras will be in the pilot’s seat when the son of Rock N Roll Heaven-Touch Of Bogart starts from Post 2
Freedomformysoul is trained by Nancy Johansson for the Freedomformysoul Stable while Monte Gelrod conditions Rockntouch for Fred Monteleone.
In another NYSS division (Race 4) the undefeated Oneisalonelynumber and Aimo Hanover will lock horns. Both pacers won their respective NYSS divisions at Saratoga in identical times of 1:57.3
Oneisaloneynumber, an altered son of Bettors Delight-No One Is Alone, is trained by Casie Coleman for the West Wins Stable and Adriano Sorella. Aimo Hanover, an Artiscape colt out of Allamerican Celeb, is owned by the Doug Ackerman Stable and trained by D.R. Ackerman. Jim Morrill Jr. will drive the former while Jeff Gregory will handle the latter.
In a third split (Race 8), K Ryan Bluechip has received the nod as the morning line favourite. He was a close second to Freedomformysoul at Saratoga and was officially timed in 1:54.1. The son of Art Major-Fool That I Am won a baby race at Pocono Downs in 1:54.2 on June 20.
Joe Pavia trains and drives K Ryan Bluechip for Steve Held, Joe Barbera, the AGC Stable, and Harbor Point Hospitality. They will start from Post 4 on Monday afternoon.
The fourth split (Race 10) will feature K Rock, a Rock N Roll Heaven-Sunduel colt that was recently a 1:55.1 NYSS winner at Saratoga for Bruce Aldrich Jr. From the powerful Ron Burke Stable, K Rock will be driven by Yannick Gingras and the duo will start from Post 3.
JD Hes Da Bomb, who earlier this season won two baby races at Tioga Downs, will be the one to beat in the final NYSS division (Race 12). Blocked and beaten by just one length in his NYSS split at Saratoga and individually timed in 1:55.4, the Art Major-Cherry Bomb colt will start from Post 1 with Corey Braden at the lines. Paul Bernardo trains JD Hes Da Bomb for Joe Martinelli.
The undercard also features some nice colts in three Excelsior ‘A’ divisions and two Excelsior ‘B’ divisions. They’ll be joined by three overnight events.
The 13-race card will get underway at 12:50 p.m.
(Monticello)