Two-year-old trotting colts were center stage on Monday, Aug. 1 at Monticello Raceway, with more than $140,000 in purses up for grabs in New York Sire Stakes action.
In the first $53,500 division, Kierkegaard K led from start to finish for a 1:58.3 victory. Starting from post three, the Ake Svanstedt trainee was in complete control the entire mile. He had a four-length lead at the half and it remained unchanged at the finish. Jax Spratt (Wally Hennessey) benefitted from a perfect trip to garner the place spot, followed by favourite Unique Style (Mark MacDonald).
The win was the first in three starts for the son of Chapter Seven. He is owned by Knutsson Trotting Inc. of Delray Beach, Florida.
The second division, worth $54,500, featured the unbeaten The Gruffalo, who was the betting favourite off his two-race NYSS win streak. After the gate left, three horses broke stride by the time they hit the first turn. Among them was The Gruffalo. Going into the first turn, Wally Hennessey had breakers to the front of him and to the inside, yet his mount kept his composure and stayed on gait and cut the mile. Taking advantage of the turmoil was Wild Bill Kelso, who rushed to get the lead first-over at the quarter pole in :30.1, with Barney Goldstein sitting in the garden spot. Ake Svanstedt, driving Cecil Hanover, was the first to pull approaching the half. As the pack hit the three-quarter-mile maker in 1:29.4, Cecil Hanover took a shot at the leader but was unable to make up any ground, with Wild Bill Kelso tripping the timer in 1:59.1. Barney Goldstein (Brett Crawford) mounted a strong challenge but came up a long neck short. Kilgore S (Brian Sears) finished third.
The high-stepping son of Crazy Wow is owned by the Runthetable Stable of Montvale, New Jersey and is trained by Jim Campbell. This win was his second of the season from five starts to go along with his other win in NYSS company at Buffalo.
In an Excelsior A class, racing for a purse of $15,000, Jim Devaux scored aboard the pocket-sitting City Of Hope (sired by Mets Hall) in 1:59.1 for trainer David Dewhurst, overtaking Daleys Rep (Dan Daley) at the wire.
You Got It and Brian Sears won another split in 2:01 for trainer Marcus Melander. The son on Chapter Seven was owned by Steve Heimbecker of Waterloo, Ont. and sold to Dave Offenberg of New Jersey in an onGait auction for $72,000.
In the lone Excelsior B race, Crazy Fool (sired by Crazy Wow) won in 1:59.3 for owner, trainer and driver Claude Hukabone Jr. in a wire-to-wire performance.
Sire Stakes action returns to Monticello Raceway on Monday, Aug. 8 with two-year-old trotting fillies.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)