The 2014 New York Sire Stakes two-year-old pacing filly champion Mosquito Blue Chip headlines the three divisions of the travelling series that will stop at Buffalo Raceway on Wednesday night.
There will be three divisions of the NYSS for the three-year-old distaff pacers that will split the $105,000 pot. The wagering card will get underway at 5 p.m.
With the Buffalo Raceway half-mile oval lightning fast – the proof being three new marks set last Saturday night, including Fireyourguns posting an all-time mark of 1:52 – the ladies will be shooting at the record for their division of 1:54.1, which was established by Sweetnsinful in 2014.
The opening race on the 13-dash program is loaded and will feature Mosquito Blue Chip along with top rivals Bossers Joy, Bettor N Better and Not Before Eight. The seven entrants in the field have combined to win over $800,000 in their careers thus far.
Since winning the two-year-old crown on September 13 at Yonkers Raceway by a nose over Bossers Joy in 1:56, Mosquito Blue Chip hasn't quite found her footing yet as a three-year-old.
With two starts in NYSS competition at Vernon Downs and Tioga Downs along with a start in The Simpson at the Meadowlands Racetrack, Mosquito Blue Chip has finished no better than fourth in those races.
Jim Morrill Jr. will get the nod aboard Mosquito Blue Chip (Bettors Delight-Sandfly Hanover) who will start from Post 5 as the 7-2 second choice on the morning line.
Not Before Eight (Bettors Delight-Skinny Dip) didn't race as a two-year-old, but the Steve Elliott-trained filly has been ‘lights out’ in her seven appearances in 2015. She has five victories in those starts and has finished a game second and third in her only two tries in NYSS races. Not Before Eight is the morning line 5-2 choice with Rick Zeron scheduled to drive.
Bettor N Bettor put over $225,000 in the bank in 2014 thanks to strong showings in the two-year-old Matron at Dover Downs and being involved in the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands. She has yet to hit the board in three starts this year and will get the services of Matt Kakaley. They drew Post 4 and are tagged at 5-1.
The deep field also includes Bossers Joy (Art Major-Esthers Joy) who finished a tough-luck second to Mosquito Blue Chip in last year's NYSS final at Yonkers. She's been in two NYSS races this year with a second-place finish at Vernon and was battle tested in the Reynolds Stakes at the Meadowlands. Bossers Joy, with earnings of over $133,000, will have Greg Merton in the bike as the pair score from Post 3 at 9-2.
In the second NYSS race, scheduled as the back half of the early daily double, Beyonces Rockn arrives fresh off a second-place finish at Tioga, finishing two lengths in back of Bettor Be Steppin. The Rock N Roll Heaven-Im Betting On You filly has been in the money in all nine appearances this year with $41,314 earned. Morrill will guide her as the 3-1 morning line choice from Post 5.
The main threat should come the Ron Burke-trained Band Of Angels (Rock N Roll Heaven-Time N Again) who won over $187,000 last year and looks to just be rounding into shape. She finished third in her most recent start at Tioga Downs, finishing two and a half lengths behind Bettor Be Steppin. Kakaley is slated to drive the 7-2 proposition out of Post 3.
The field of seven in the $39,900 second division has combined earnings over $440,000.
The final $39,900 race on the NYSS menu will have the red-hot Bettorhaveanother as the one to catch. Tied for the points lead with Bettor Be Steppin (100 apiece) after two rounds of races, Bettorhaveanother is riding a two-race win streak, including back-to-back 1:51 victories in the NYSS at Tioga and Vernon Downs. She'll start from Post 6 for Morrill Jr. as the morning line choice at 2-1.
Heaven On Earth (Rock N Roll Hanover-Mango Hanover) arrives for her first start in the NYSS this year. She's coming off two victories in her most three recent tries at Yonkers. James MacDonald will score Heaven On Earth from Post 5 as the second pick on the morning line at 3-1.
There will also be a pair of $15,000 races in the Excelsior 'A' Series and a $6,800 non-betting race in the Excelsior 'B' Series that has a 4:30 p.m. post.
(Buffalo Raceway)