On July 4 at Monticello Raceway, two-year-old pacing fillies strutted their stuff in four divisions of the New York Sire Stakes and were accompanied by four divisions of the Excelsior Series.
All four NYSS events were paced in 1:58 or better, and in the fourth NYSS division the track record for their age, gender and gait fell when Yannick Gingras guided Ali Blue to a 1:56.1 triumph. The win time erased the former mark of 1:56.3 set by Double Major and Jason Bartlett in 2011.
The other NYSS winners were Supplemental Income (1:57), Scandalicious (1:57.2) and Gentlemens Delight (1:58).
Although Ali Blue Chip put in a record mile over the Monticello strip, many eyes were on Gentlemens Delight, who is a full sister to See You At Peelers.
Yannick Gingras and Jimmy Takter teamed up for a 1:58 victory with Gentlemens Delight. Gingras put the daughter of Bettors Delight-Westside Glory on the lead and she went on to record a one and a half-length triumph.
“She’s real good and does what she’s asked [to do],” Gingras said about Gentlemens Delight, who is owned by Christina Takter and John Fielding.
Gentlemens Delight returned $3.00 and $2.30. There was no Show wagering offered on the race.
Although Gentlemens Delight had pedigree purists excited, the night belonged to Ali Blue, a daughter of American Ideal-Mintjulep Blue Chip from the powerful Jimmy Takter barn.
In her split, Ali Blue was pitted against Mind Over Matter, the division's seasonal record holder on a half-mile track.
Since Mind Over Matter had the favourable Post 1, Gingras gunned Ali Blue to the lead as Tim Tetrick and Mind Over Matter followed in close pursuit. The duo was one-two by the quarter in :28.3 and the order remained the same past the half (:58.4) even though Tetrick had his hands full trying to keep his filly in the two hole.
Gingras managed to get Ali Blue to the third stanza in 1:28.2 where the pace quickened and the diminutive filly began to open daylight on the field. As she turned for home, Ali Blue had two lengths on Mind Over Matter, and at the wire the margin was extended to three lengths.
Gingras was asked why he sent Ali Blue to the lead when he could have let Tetrick go with Mind Over Matter.
“I raced her on the front end in her first (qualifying) start and she was game on the lead,” Gingras explained. “Tonight she came a last quarter in :27.4 and was so good that I didn’t even pull the (ear) plugs. She could have gone in (1:) 55 tonight.”
Owned by Christina Takter, John Fielding, RAW Equine and Jim Fielding, Ali Blue paid $5.20 for the Win and is now two for two lifetime.
Although Tim Tetrick didn’t win a NYSS event, he did, however, score three victories in the Excelsior Series. He won with Barbuda Babe in 1:59.2, with All About Boyz in 1:58.3 and with Keep Dreaming in 2:00.4. A final Excelsior split went to Spreester in 1:59.1 driven by local teamster Jimmy Devaux.
A huge fireworks display followed 45 minutes after the final race much to the enjoyment of thousands that evening.
(With files from Monticello)