Tioga Downs welcomes two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for sophomore trotting fillies on Sunday (July 14). Both divisions will race for a purse of $57,600.
In the first division Quincy Blue Chip (Jim Morrill Jr.) and Winndevie (Jason Bartlett) will once again square off. The last time they went against each other was during the NYSS event at Buffalo. Winndevie came late to nip Quincy Blue Chip by a nose. Two weeks before that, Quincy Blue Chip went gate-to-wire in a NYSS leg at Saratoga to beat Winndevie by a length at. In the Empire Breeders Classic, it was Quincy Blue Chip with an easy victory while Winndevie finished a disappointing sixth. Last year, the NYSS freshman final went to Winndevie. She passed Quincy Blue Chip in deep stretch.
Quincy Blue Chip, who is trained by Gareth Dowse for owner Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., is the 3-1 morning line favourite. She has four wins this season and eight career victories. Winndevie is owned by the Purple Haze Stables and is trained by Trond Smedshammer. With two wins this season and eight career tallies, she has been made the second choice at 7-2.
Blue Ribbon Gal (Jim Morrill Jr.) is the 3-1 favourite in the second division. The Credit Winner filly is trained by Gareth Dowse for owners Richard Lombardo and Joshua Green. She has two wins this season and four career victories.
The second choice at 7-2 is the John Butenschoen-trained Stella Jane (Jason Bartlett). Crawford Farms Racing owns the Crazed filly, who won the 2018 Kindergarten Classic Final at The Meadowlands. She is still in search of her first win as a three-year-old.
Sunday's 15-race card at Tioga Downs starts at 1:00 p.m.
(Tioga)