The majority of the 72 two-year-old colts and geldings were on their best behaviour Monday afternoon at Monticello Raceway.
Four divisions of NYSS were contested, each offering a purse of $27,750. Also on tap were four Excelsior As worth $15,000 per dash and two heats of the Excelsior B, each worth $6,500.
In the first division, Brian Sears aboard Gimpanzee took control of the fractions after taking the lead past the quarter in 31 and continued to take the pack through fractions of 1:02 and 1:32.2 on his way to a one-length victory in 2:02.4. Leap Year Lucky (Dan Daley) was second, followed by Light Come On (Scott Zeron).
Gimpanzee is trained by Marcus Melander for owner Courant Inc. and SRF Stable of Delray Beach. The $170,000 son of Chapter Seven notched his first lifetime win.
The second heat saw Pushthebuttonmax take the field of eight to the quarter in 30.2 and the half in 1:01. The eventually race winner Keystone Cash was the first to pull at the half first over. As the pack headed down the back side the second time, Keystone Cash was in control at the three-quarter pole in 1:30 and put a quick three lengths on the rest of the field and held on for the win by two lengths in 1:59.3. The son of Chapter seven is owned by Howard Taylor, Judith Taylor and Order By Stable.
Race 6 was the third heat of NYSS, and it was Scott Zeron and Jake Gs Champion looking to score a wire-to-wire win. ‘Jake’ tripped first two beams of the teletimer in :30.2 and 1:01.4. Certify (Claude Huckabone, Jr.) was the first to the three-quarter marker in 1:32.1. Jimmy Marohn, Jr. wrangled with JNR Express (PP7) the entire mile, but that one was full of trot in the paddock turn and continued his attack and overtook Certify by a slim head in 2:01.4. Certify held on for second, and the early pacesetter Jake Gs Champion finished third.
Getting no respect from the betting public, JNR Express returned $61.50. The son of Conway Hall is trained by Jessica Okusko.
Down the road was the rule of the day, and Ake Svanstedt did just that with his pupil Cavill Hanover, the son of Muscle Mass scored a well in hand win in 2:02.4 over Our White Knight (Scott Zeron) and Fashion For Credit.
Cavill Hanover is owned by Little E LLC, Vanersol Inc and Wolfgang Stable.
In one of the afternoon’s more impressive races, Mr Vicktor trotted his middle half in :58.2 for driver Jim Morrill, Jr. and won by 15 lengths in his Excelsior A race in 2:00 for trainer/co-owner Buzzy Sholty. The son of RC Royalty will be looking to shed his Excelsior company and take on all comers next start for owners Joe Lee and Diamond Pride Stable.
Crazy Every Time lit up the tote in his Excelsior B heat, the son of Crazed scored from the post 3 in 2:03 and paid $88.00 for win.
Other winners on the card were Speeding Moose (Dan Daley) in 2:08.1, Praying Angel (Jim Morrill, Jr.) in 2:02.4, Frank Hanover (Claude Huckabone, Jr.) 2:07.4, Trond Smedshammer scored with two Purple Haze horses Bazillionare in 2:03.1 and Charismo in 2:07.1.
Next up on the Sire Stakes calendar is three-year-old trotting colts on Monday, July 16.
(Monticello)