Odds On Monetary notched her second straight victory in the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) as she captured the lone $171,549 event for three-year-old pacing fillies on opening day of the summer/fall meet at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, July 22.
Liberty Style (Jason Bartlett), previously undefeated this season while making all three starts in the NYSS, was first to the front while Odds On Monetary (Ridge Warren) also left but had to navigate around the breaking Taladega Express (Leon Bailey) on the first turn. Liberty Style put up the quarter time of :27.2 but then yielded to Odds On Monetary, who was in control to the half in :56.3.
Surreal Spirit (Jeff Gregory) pulled first-over and made her way up to second in the breeze, a length behind the leader at three-quarters in 1:25.2. That rush stalled on the third turn, leaving Odds On Monetary and the pocket-stalking Liberty Style to battle from there on. When Odds On Monetary turned for home, Liberty Style dipped into the passing lane and was under a drive. She made up ground down the stretch but came up a head shy of Odds On Monetary, who scored in 1:54.2. Surreal Spirit also closed late and finished third.
Odds On Monetary took her third consecutive win, raising her seasonal record to four-for-six for trainer Travis Alexander and owner Odds On Racing. The Huntsville-All On Top Hanover filly has three victories from four seasonal NYSS starts and is now eight-for-16 lifetime with $439,464 in earnings. She paid $19.68 to win.
There were also three $28,169 Excelsior Series races for sophomore pacing fillies on the card, and all three were won by horses piloted by Jason Bartlett. Grazia, a daughter of Huntsville-Ramalama, maintained perfection in her seventh career start with a romp in the second division. The Joe Pavia Jr. trainee grabbed the lead passing the quarter in :27.3, was unopposed through :56.2 and 1:25.2 middle fractions, and stormed away to a five-length victory in 1:53.4. Lilyville (Leon Bailey) was second-best, followed by Shes In The Juice (Drew Monti). Grazia, who debuted in April, has earned $71,028 for owners Vincent Ferriero Jr., Pint Size Racing LLC, Dominic Pavia and Steven Held. She paid $2.10 to win.
The first division was won by Bueckers ($2.94), who is owned by Bonnie Benson, Ethan Stafford and Andrew Stafford, who also trains the filly. The American Ideal-Finnish Your Way miss scored in 1:55, improving to three-for-four in the Excelsior Series this year.
The third split went to the Huntsville-Hard Eight filly Carry Back ($2.10), a 1:54 winner for trainer Linda Toscano and owner The Bay’s Stable LLC, Polger Stables LLC, Fred Wallace and Richard Jack. She won her Excelsior Series debut after competing in the NYSS and Kentucky Sire Stakes earlier this year.
Bartlett added a fourth win in an overnight event with Grannys Watching (1:54.4, $6.04) to register a natural grand slam in races three through six.
Live racing will resume at Batavia on Saturday at 5 p.m. The track will initially host racing on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays before switching to a Wednesday-Thursday-Saturday schedule at the end of August, continuing through to December.
(With files from Batavia Downs)