Three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for sophomore trotting colts and geldings, each worth over $39,000, will be featured at Tioga Downs on Friday night (August 11).
In the first division (race three), the 5-2 morning line favourite is Eye Ofa Tiger As. The three-year-old gelding is owned by ACL Stuteri AB with Kjell Johansson and trained by Anette Lorentzon. Eye Ofa Tiger As, by Chapter Seven, has five wins in eight starts this season, including NYSS races at Buffalo and Monticello. Jason Bartlett will handle the driving duties.
The second choice is Top Flight Angel (Andy Miller) at 3-1. Owned by Legendary Standardbred Farm and trained by Julie Miller, Top Flight Angel won a NYSS race at Yonkers last time out. The Archangel colt went gate-to-wire to win by almost six lengths.
The third choice in the first division is Seven And Seven at 4-1. Although the three-year-old colt has yet to win this season, he had four wins as a two-year-old, including the $266,000 William Wellwood Memorial at Mohawk. Seven And Seven (Chapter Seven), owned by Allen Smith with June Durand and trainer-driver Thomas Durand, finished eighth at the Hambletonian eliminations last week at the Meadowlands. His best finish this season was a third-place finish in the $183,230 Goodtimes at Mohawk.
The second division (race five) is also a very competitive race. Trainer Anette Lorentzon and owners ACL Stuteri AB and Kjell Johansson also have the morning-line favourite Guardian Angel As (Jason Bartlett) in this division at 2-1. He has five wins this season, including an eight-length NYSS win at Buffalo. The son of Archangel finished eighth in last week’s $1 million Hambletonian.
His main rival will be second choice Stick With Me Kid (Chris Lems) at 5-2. The George Ducharme-trained gelding is owned by Paul Fontaine, Ashlee Allyn, and Donna Bonno. Stick With Me Kid (Deweycheatumnhowe) has four wins as a sophomore, including a NYSS victory at Vernon Downs. The third choice is Another Chapter (Scott Zeron) at 4-1. Owned by Jeffrey Snyder with Four Friends Stable, LLC and trained by Per Henriksen, the son of Chapter Seven is coming off a NYSS win at Yonkers.
The third division (race seven) features 5-2 morning line favourite Such An Angel (Mark MacDonald). Owned by Samuel Caruso, Jr. with the Purple Haze Stables and trained by Paul Kelley, the son of Credit Winner has just one win in six start as a three-year-old, but won four times in his freshman season.
The Ron Burke trained Arch Credit (Jim Morrill, Jr.) is the second morning-line choice at 3-1. Owned by Weaver Bruscemi LLC and Burke Racing Stable LLC, Arch Credit has one win, three seconds and a third this season. The 4-1 third choice is Swell Chap (Jim Marohn, Jr.), owned by Foge McKeever with Eldon Thompson and trained by Todd Rooney. Swell Chap (Chapter Seven) has won four times this season.
Post time for the 11-race card at Tioga Downs on Friday (August 11) is 6:50 p.m.
(Tioga Downs)