Batavia Downs will host the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) again on Wednesday, Aug. 26 with a single, eight-horse field lining up for $110,200 USD in purse money headlined by three leading ladies from the two-year-old trotting filly division.
Seveallisto (Chapter Seven-Callisto Dream) is the top earner ($79,740 USD) of this division, but sits second in points (124) on the strength of two NYSS wins so far. She has done her best work this year at Yonkers Raceway, where she took a lifetime mark of 1:58. For the year overall, she has yet to miss the board in five starts. Seveallisto, the 9-5 morning line favourite, will start from post five with driver Leon Bailey as assigned by trainer Jessica Okusko.
Jula Florence (Chapter Seven-Jula Shes Magic) is in a virtual statistical tie with Seveallisto, as she is second in earnings ($78,085 USD) but first in points (143) and also has two NYSS wins to her credit. She took her mark at Tioga Downs when she won in 1:56.4 in a gate-to-wire victory, and aside from an untimely break two starts ago, she has not been worse than second in her five outings. Jula Florence drew post six for trainer Julie Miller, who has Tyler Miller aboard here once again.
Chapizzy (Chapter Seven-Mizzy Brenda K) ranks third among this group for both earnings ($45,297 USD) and points (73) and may have very well charted higher if it weren’t for her penchant for breaking, which she has done in half of her four lifetime starts. It’s anyone's guess what she’ll do here, but the outside draw was not favourable to her this week. Chapizzy has post seven for this start and trainer George Ducharme has Matt Kakaley in the bike as usual.
There is another filly that has really come on strong lately in this field as well. Seven Thirds (Chapter Seven-Dune Hill) comes in on a three-race win streak, two of which were in Excelsior Series action. However, her last win was in the top-tier NYSS and produced her lifetime mark of 1:58.1 at Saratoga Raceway. A continuation of this trend could definitely find her getting her picture taken on Wednesday. Seven Thirds will have to overcome post eight for trainer Lucas Wallin, who has tabbed Jason Bartlett to steer.
Post time for the first race at Batavia Downs on Saturday is 5 p.m. The main event is race six. There are also two $20,000 USD Excelsior Series events on the card, programmed as races seven and eight.
(With files from Batavia Downs; photo of Seveallisto from a previous win)