On Tuesday September 19, Monticello Raceway will host the final leg of New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for harness racing 2-year-old pacing fillies. The next stop for the upper echelon fillies will be the NYSS Night of Champions at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday October 14. As luck, would have it, or not, the top 4 point leaders are competing in the same heat of Sire Stakes in race 10. Ubettergo Go is the point leader by with 207 points, followed closely by Hurricane Shorty with 205, Alexis Faith with 200 & Betterthangraduate with 195.
The first heat of Sire Stakes is race 8, the 6-horse field will race for $53,500, Surreal Feeling has reeled off 6 consecutive wins in the Excelsior B class, the $6,000 Goshen Yearling graduate was impressive last week at Batavia, where he made a break at the start and gathered himself to still win in 1:57.2, taking a new lifetime record in the process. The connections of Surreal Feeling have opted to jump over the Excelsior A's and tackle the elite group, she will start from post 5 for trainer Dale Lawton and will be driven by leading Monticello Raceway dash leader Jim DeVaux. KJ's Bekah (PP4) has traveled a similar path, already a 3-time winner in the Excelsior A class, the $140,000 Lexington Select yearling purchase is owned by Kenneth Jacobs. The daughter of American Ideal – Upfrontandpersonal is trained by Linda Toscano, and will be driven by Jason Bartlett.
The 2nd dash for the cash ($54,500) has a trio of evenly matched freshman fillies, all with similar paths, as they have individually have won 3 Sire Stakes each, thus far this season. The top point leader of the category Ubettergo Go, drew post position 4, the daughter of Art Major– Ubetterthink is trained by Blake Macintosh, Mark MacDonald will drive. Her credentials are impressive with over $87,000 in earnings, she scored a NYSS win in her last start at Batavia Downs in 1:55.3 and sports a speed badge of 1:53 taken at Vernon Downs.
Right next to her behind the starting gate is another Goshen Yearling Sale alumni Hurrikane Shorty ($8,000) from post 5, her black type includes 2 NYSS wins at Yonkers, and 1 at Saratoga. The Art Major – Speed Date offspring is owned by Little E, Jason Settlemoir & A. Geiger, she is trained by Kevin McDermott, Jason Bartlett is in the bike, she is the fastest filly of the bunch with a mark of 1:52, taken at the Meadowlands. The morning line favorite, by virtue of drawing the rail is Alexis Faith, she also has 3 win blankets in her tack trunk this year, she is 3rd in points in the division with 200. Cassie Coleman trains the American Ideal – Cannae Cammie bay filly for owners West Wins Stable, Jim Fielding, J Robert Darrow and Kevin McKinlay. The 2 time NYSS winner Betterthangraduate, will start from PP6 and will be driven by Matt Kakaley.
Post Time is 12:50
By Shawn Wiles