For the second time in as many racing days, a band of state-bred fillies will be invading Batavia Downs. They will do so on Wednesday afternoon (July 25) when the New York Sire Stakes three-year-old pacing fillies head postward to compete in three divisions.
Total purses for the NYSS stop will be $120,400.
The divisions have been carded as Race 1, 5 and 7. The card will kick off with a 5 p.m. first-race post time.
Headlining the pool of 22 participants will be Wisdom Tree (Betterthancheddar-Wisdom) who will be competing in the $39,900 third division. The filly is not only tearing up the NYSS this year, she is also racing large on the Grand Circuit.
Besides winning three New York events so far, Wisdom Tree also won the $142,000 Nadia Lobell at Hoosier Park on July 6, and set a new lifetime mark and track record of 1:49.4 in the process. A week later she drew Post 12 in the one and one-eighth-mile $191,800 Mistletoe Shallee at the Meadowlands. She finished a strong-closing fourth in that race behind the winner, Kissin In The Sand, after having been parked out over half a mile in the distance race which was timed in 2:04.1.
Wisdom Tree ranks high in stats among all three-year-old pacing fillies in North America. For the year so far she is the third richest ($195,835), fourth fastest (1:49.4) and fifth winningest (seven) against all her rivals. In the NYSS she is the highest point-getter, has the most wins, and has earned the most money.
Trainer Ed Hart has called on Kevin Cummings to drive Wisdom Tree, who has been installed as the 8-5 early favourite. She is scheduled to start from Post 6.
Ubettergo Go (Art Major-Ubetterthink) will contest the first $39,900 division. She started the year strong, as she won back-to-back NYSS events. She then qualified for the $315,400 final of the Fan Hanover at Mohawk where fast early fractions caught up to her late and saw her finish seven lengths behind the winner. She was given a 26-day rest after that start and looked fresh while finishing second by a head in 1:52.2 in a NYSS event at Vernon Downs. Now after another 11-day break, she looks like the one to beat.
Trainer Blake MacIntosh has called on Mark MacDonald to be in the bike behind Ubettergo Go, who will start from Post 7 and has been installed at odds of 5-2 on the morning line.
The main competition looks to be Solitary (American Ideal-Lonesome Day), who will move up from Excelsior ‘A’ action at Vernon (where she finished a strong second in 1:52.1) and Apothic (Art Major-Permafrost), who paced in 1:51.3 and finished third in a NYSS race at Vernon as well. Both fillies are still looking for their first NYSS win.
Solitary will start from Post 1 for driver Jim Marohn Jr. and trainer Nick Surick. Apothic will start next to her in Post 2, and trainer Mark Harder has called on Drew Monti to drive.
The second division will feature a purse of $40,600. Alexis Faith (American Ideal-Cannae Cammie) has been listed as the 5-2 morning line choice. Alexis Faith has yet to win a NYSS event this year after having been the two-year-old champion in 2017, but she has finished second on two occasions. Like Ubettergo Go, Alexis Faith also raced in the Fan Hanover final and fared a bit better. After having cut three quarters of the mile and held an open lead at the head of the stretch, Alexis Faith ended up finishing fourth by only two lengths and was clocked in 1:50.4.
Presto Blue Chip (American Ideal-Cantors Daughter), who just got beat at Vernon in 1:52.2 in her last start in NYSS action, will look to be in contention, as will Jewels Forreal (So Surreal-Dandys Jewel), who took a lifetime mark of 1:51 at Tioga Downs in the $23,500 Geers Stake on June 29.
Drew Monti is set to steer Presto Blue Chip from Post 2 for trainer Jeffrey Smith. Jewels Forreal will have the services of Matt Kakaley from Post 6 for trainer Ron Burke.
Two $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior ‘A’ series will also be contested during the program (Race 2 and 3) and one $6,800 division of the Excelsior ‘B’ series (Race 11).
(With files from Batavia Downs)