There are three legs of the New York Sire Stakes for three-year-old filly trotters on Saturday night at Batavia Downs, and on paper all divisions seem to have a different flavour to them, which should make for some intriguing racing.
Besides battling for $42,000 in each leg, they'll all be chasing the Batavia Downs' track record for three-year-old filly trotters of 1:57.2 set by Cowgirl Hall in 2012. On Wednesday night, the Batavia Downs surface was lightning fast as the track record for two-year-old pacing fillies was broken and the all-aged time for mare pacers was tied. With good weather, it could be in serious jeopardy.
The opening division appears to have a solid favourite in Lola De Vie; the second division looks to be a much-anticipated matchup between local favourite Barn Babe and the red-hot Bouncing Bax, while the final leg has a six-horse field with all but one having at least two victories and any of which are capable of pulling off a win. With that said, races aren't run on paper.
The first race on the 13-race program is the opening division of the NYSS, and Lola De Vie will open as the 2-1 morning-line favourite from Post 3 with Jim Morrill Jr. in the sulky. She has earned $327,224 this season with seven victories in 12 starts. Lola De Vie (Credit Winner-Fan Favourite) had a break in her last appearance on September 5 at Yonkers Raceway in NYSS action and looks to rebound from her disappointing fourth place finish. She'll be battling five other fillies who have a combined bankroll of $244,846 in 2013 and just eight victories in 52 starts.
The main threat could come from Bostonz Credit (Credit Winner-Pleasecometoboston) who is fresh off a 1:59.2 win at Yonkers on September 5. She used a late drive to score a neck decision over Wygant Lady. Brett Miller will steer Bostonz Credit, a winner of $77,009 this season.
Local favourite Barn Babe, owned by Steven and Nancy Pratt of nearby Corfu, NY, looks to improve on her already impressive credentials in the second division which will go off as the fourth race. She's won $173,662 in 2013 and $320,236 lifetime and just posted a three-length win in 1:59.4 at Yonkers in NYSS competition on September 5. John Cummings will be in the sulky and score Barn Babe (Cash Hall-My Babys Momma) out of the six hole as the 3-1 second choice.
The favourite, however, is the ever-improving Bouncing Bax (Credit Winner-Bax Machine) who arrives on a three-race win streak including a four and three-quarter length victory in 1:57.3 at Yonkers on September 5. She has a half-length win over Barn Babe under her belt at Saratoga Raceway on August 29 in 1:58.1. Morrill will drive the 2-1 favourite who has $234,624 in the bank, $177,392 coming this season.
The final division is the seventh race and a case could be made for just about all of the entrants.
The two inside fillies in the six-horse field are the favourites. Palm Beach Chic (Conway Hall-Back On Track) gets the rail for driver Marcus Johansson and is the 5-2 choice. It's a rare starting position for Palm Beach Chic as her last sniff of an inside post was the two-hole back on June 23. Since then she's been relegated to the outside and a start from the pylons could be a huge factor. She has won three times this year in 11 tries and has made $91,942.
Proclaiming April starts next door to Palm Beach Chic and has the services of Morrill. She finished in a hard-fought third place finish, just a neck behind Bostonz Credit, at Yonkers Raceway on September 5. Proclaiming April has two victories and has been in the money four other times, good for $160,114.
The 13-race card, which will also have three $12,800 divisions of the Excelsior Series for three-year-old filly trotters along with the $8,500 Open Pace, will begin at 6:30 p.m.
(Batavia)