On Wednesday (July 4) at Monticello Raceway, two-year-old pacing colts and geldings will look to put their best hooves forward, as $140,000 in purses will be on the line.
The current crop of New York-sired two-year-old pacing colts and geldings caused quite a stir after their first sire stakes start at Yonkers Raceway last week, as they clocked miles that would seem normal at the end of their juvenile campaigns, but unheard for their two-year-old sire stakes debuts.
Art Major will be represented by four sons in the first NYSS division (Race 4), which will feature a $55,500 purse. Jack Nation (who is scheduled to start from Post 5 with driver Mark MacDonald) has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favourite. The maiden son of Art Major finished second behind Major Blake at Yonkers Raceway in his last start for trainer Blake Macintosh. The Gareth Dowse-trained Shanghai Bobby, who is the early co-favourite, is scheduled to compete from Post 6 with driver Jason Bartlett. The son of Art Major won his first baby race at Pocono Down in 1:56.1 and finished fourth in his first sire stakes test, in which he was timed in 1:57. The hometown horse in the field is KJ Leo (PP7), who is trained by longtime Monticello Raceway horseman Gary Messenger. KJ Leo was a game second last week at Yonkers. Jim Taggart Jr. will drive the altered son of Art Major.
The second of the sire stakes races could have gamblers scratching their heads. Major Blake’s (PP4) charted lines show ‘ones’ across the page. The son of Art Major, who recently won his two baby races in Ohio, turned a lot heads last week at Yonkers, as he won in 1:56.1 for trainer Sam Schillaci. Yonkers Raceway’s leading driver, Jason Bartlett, has received the driving assignment for Wednesday’s assignment. Mark Ford will be racing his Art Major charge, Melodies Major (PP7), in the dash for longtime owner Martin Scharf, of Gallo Blue Chip fame. Tyler Buter is scheduled to drive Melodies Major Wednesday.
The program of racing will also feature three $15,000 Excelsior ‘A’ dashes (Races 3, 5 and 7). There will also be a pair of $6,500 Excelsior ‘B’ dashes (Races 1 and 2).
Post time for the eight-race program is scheduled for 12:50 p.m.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)