Three-year-old trotting fillies will square off in three divisions to open the local New York Sire Stakes season on Saturday night, July 28 at Batavia Downs Casino.
First-race post time will be at 6:25 p.m.
The first Saturday night of the annual summer-fall meet will also feature five Excelsior Series divisions, with each division worth more than $12,000.
The NYSS will begin in Race 2, in which $43,980 will be up for grabs. The Credit Winner--Pacific Legacy filly Lima Playmate will start at 5-2 on the morning line for the connections of Ray Schnittker and Lima Playmate Stables.
Lima Playmate will get the services of Steve Smith. Regular driver Ray Schnittker will be at bit tied up, he’s will be at the Meadowlands preparing his world champion filly Check Me Out for the Hambletonian Oaks eliminations.
NYSS action will then move to Race 4, in which $44,780 will be on the line. The much-improved Kristens Victory (Cash Hall--Treasured Victory), who overcame Post 7 at Tioga Downs to score at odds of 29-1 in a division of the Tompkins-Geers, might be the filly to beat in this one.
The Karen Garland trainee has really picked up her game since going on lasix. Owner Steve Smith, who drove her to second place finishes in NYSS races at Monticello Raceway and Yonkers Raceway, will be back in the sulky.
The last but certainly not least $43,980 NYSS division was carded as Race 8. As far as being continuous, it really doesn’t get any better with two of the top sophomore trotting fillies in the NYSS drawing into the same division.
The Credit Winner--Meadowbranch Mary filly Fortunista will open as the favourite on the morning line at 5-2, basically due to post position; she drew the rail for owner-trainer Gilbert Garcia-Herrera and Barbara and Donald Arnstine.
Fortunista ships to Western New York on quite a form spree, having won her last four starts including NYSS legs at Buffalo Raceway, Yonkers Raceway and Monticello Raceway.
The talented Cowgirl Hall (Cash Hall--Britts Spirit) won’t go down without a fight. In her nine starts in 2012 she’s won five and has been second in three of them for trainer-driver 'Gates' Brunet. She’s owned by Ted Gewertz, M. H. Rosenthal and Jean and Debbie Brunet.
The Excelsior series races were carded as Race 1, 6, 10, 11 and 12.
(Batavia)