When the three-year-old trotting filly division of the New York Sire Stakes rolls into Batavia Downs on Saturday night (August 13), three of the top six richest distaff sophomore trotters of 2016 will be on hand to compete for the $119,300 in purses being offered.
In the first $60,200 leg, which has been carded as Race 3, Non Stick (Lucky Chucky-Meucci Madness) will head in with $158,332 bankrolled this year on the strength of a win in the $225,000 Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Downs on June 19 in a career-best 1:54. Those earnings rank her fourth among all three-year-old trotting fillies in North America.
Last week at Yonkers Raceway, Non Stick was a beaten 1-5 favourite after having made an uncharacteristic break for driver Daniel Dube while on the lead on the final turn. But the filly drew well again for Saturday and will look to make amends this week.
Non Stick is the 2-1 morning line favorite and will start from Post 2. Trainer Ake Svanstedt will take back the reins and will do the driving Saturday.
Fad Finance (Credit Winner-Armbro Vanity) is more than a formidable foe and heads in boasting three straight NYSS victories. On July 24, Fad Finance finished third in the $140,000 Zweig Memorial trot at Vernon Downs and was beaten by Flowers N Songs and Womans Will, both of whom competed in the Hambletonian Oaks eliminations at the Meadowlands on Saturday (July 30).
Fad Finance has four wins this year, is the leading point-getter in her division of the NYSS and has $141,806 banked, which places her sixth in North America in earnings for her age, sex and gait. The filly has been listed at 5-2 on the morning line and will once again get the services of Jim Morrill Jr. in the bike.
Race 4 is the second $59,100 division, and Swinging Royalty (RC Royalty-Swing Anna Cash) heads in with a very impressive resume. After having finished second to Non Stick in the EBC, Swinging Royalty scorched the Vernon Downs oval in an overnight event in 1:54.1, where she won by 15 lengths and registered a new lifetime mark. The filly then backed that win up with her first NYSS victory the week after at Tioga Downs.
Swinging Royalty is the third highest point-getter in her division and her $142,147 in earnings this year has her ranked fifth among all three-year-old trotting fillies in North America.
Trainer George Ducharme has Chris Lems back in the bike after a two-week hiatus and he will start from Post 6 at 2-1. Lems has been aboard for all four lifetime wins by Swinging Royalty.
Goosebump Hanover (RC Royalty-Good Common Cents) had a slow start this year before winning the $27,690 Tompkins trot at Tioga in July. However her subsequent two outings may have been considered less than expected. So trainer Ron Burke added Lasix for her last start at Yonkers and that could make a difference this week.
Jim Morrill Jr. will steer again this week and will start from Post 5 at 3-1
Earn Your Wings (Credit Winner-Southwind Serena) put in a stellar effort at Yonkers last week, as she won from Post 8 in 1:57. After having left in :28.2, Earn Your Wings yielded the lead to the heavy favourite, Non Stick, and then sat in the pocket. Non Stick made a break before the stretch and Earn Your Wings took it from there, as she scored a one-length victory at 30-1.
With three wins this year and just under $100,000 accumulated, Earn Your Wings has drawn Post 2 and trainer Annette Lorentzon has called on Mark MacDonald to pilot this week.
There are also three divisions of the $15,000 Excelsior ‘A’ series carded as races five through seven and all look like solid wagering opportunities.
Wendys Girl (Lucky Chucky-East Creek Wendy) is the 8-5 choice in Race 5 for trainer Tracy Brainard and driver Jim Morrill Jr., Winkys Gal (RC Royalty-Tessel) is the 5-2 favourite in Race 6 for driver Chris Lems and trainer James Weidman and Outsidecourt (Conway Court-Getaway Cheyenne) is the 2-1 morning line choice in Race 7 for driver Jim Morrill Jr. and trainer Gary Messenger.
Post time for the first race is 6:15 p.m.
(Batavia Downs)