On Monday (July 23) at Batavia Downs, Standardbreds will gather for the start of the 72nd season of live racing at the oldest lighted harness track in America. The raceway will celebrate the meet’s opening card by hosting three $36,567 divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old trotting fillies.
The NYSS events have been carded as Race 2, 4 and 6. Post time for the card is 6 p.m.
The first NYSS dash has Quincy Blue Chip (Chapter Seven-Sirenuse) listed as the 8-5 morning line choice, and she certainly looks the part. After having won her first lifetime start in wire-to-wire fashion over an off track at Yonkers Raceway on July 3, Quincy Blue Chip just got beat a neck in her second outing at Buffalo Raceway, but still raced two full seconds quicker than her initial clocking, as she was timed in 1:59.
Quincy Blue Chip will start from Post 4 with driver Jim Morrill Jr. for trainer Garth Dowse.
Gobi Princess (Muscle Mass-Mrs. D) made a break in her career debut at Yonkers, but still finished fifth despite the trip. In her last start at Buffalo, she minded her manners and was rated well along the pylons to finish a strong second, as she was closing at the wire. She looks to be a major competitor from Post 1 and should get a perfect trip from there.
Trainer Annette Lorentzon has called on Scott Zeron to be in the bike behind Gobi Princess, and they have been listed at 7-2.
In the second split, Safe Word (Credit Winner-Fifty Shades) is coming in off of a two-race win streak and has improved with each start. After having finished second in her first outing at Monticello Raceway, she proceeded to win at Yonkers by a head and then won again at Buffalo by almost five lengths. She is currently tied with Amal Hall as the top point-getter in the series and also leads all her divisional peers for earnings.
It will be a Batavia Downs homecoming for Jeff Gregory, who trains and drives Safe Word and will start from Post 1. The duo is 9-5 on the morning line.
The horse to watch in the race is Conway Kellyanne (Conway Hall-Pacific Centerfold), who seemed to really blossom in her second lifetime start on July 3 at Yonkers. She left, cut the mile and cruised to a very fast 1:58.1 win, which was a lifetime mark for her and the fastest of four heats at the Hilltop that night. Her connections did not race her in the third leg at Buffalo, so she will come in 20 days between starts. Look for her to use her speed to get forwardly placed and take her best shot late.
Charlie Norris trains and drives Conway Kellyanne who will start from Post 4. She is 7-2 on the morning line.
The final leg is headlined by Amal Hall (Credit Winner-Arabella Hall), who is coming into the race red hot. She won her first NYSS start at Monticello then finished second to Conway Kellyanne in 1:58.2 at Yonkers. Her last outing at Buffalo was not only another win – it was a 1:59 lifetime mark for her and a new track record for age, gender and gait by a full second. She looks to be a stalking force from inside with her late brush.
Amal Hall will start from Post 2. She has been listed at odds of 2-1 for ‘Team Orange Crush’ – Julie Miller doing the training and Andy Miller in the bike.
Winndevie (Credit Winner-Vida De Vie) heads into the race batting .1000 in the NYSS. She has two starts (at Monticello and Yonkers), two wins, and has displayed two different styles of racing. She closed in :28.4 in both of her wins and dropped almost three full seconds off her win time between the two outings. She currently sits third in the point standings right behind Amal Hall and Safe Word and is poised to move forward.
Trond Smedshammer both trains and drives Winndevie who will start from Post 5. She is 5-2 on the morning line.
There looks to be an upset-minded filly in the race – Sensibility (Muscle Mass-Twin B Sensation). She has yet to win a NYSS event, but hasn’t missed the board, either, as she has finished second twice and third once. She has dropped a full second in three consecutive starts and has closed in :28.2 her last two tries, which is faster than anyone in the race besides Amal Hall.
Sensibility is trained by George Ducharme and will be driven from Post 6. She is 4-1 on the morning line for driver Scott Zeron.
There will also be four $15,000 Excelsior ‘A’ series trots on the card (Race 1, 5, 7 and 9) and two Excelsior ‘B’ series trots (Race 3, 8 and 10).
(Batavia Downs)