There are a pair of $60,000 (approx.) races in the New York Sire Stakes for the three-year-old colt and gelding trotters at Buffalo Raceway on Sunday afternoon (July 9) but it's safe to say if you want to win one of those events, you truly are going to have to earn it.
Of the 13 gentlemen entered, six are coming off impressive pari-mutuel victories while another arrives off an eye-popping non-betting win at Historic Goshen Race Track last week.
Competitive fields? You bet. The group combined has a total of 29 victories with only two failing to find the winner's circle so far this year. The entrants have some great credentials and the track mark of 1:56.4 established in 2014 by Cash Me Out could be in jeopardy.
The first division, scheduled as the third race, is loaded with four coming in with a victory in their last start. Stick With Me Kid (Deweycheatumnhowe) is the top money earner with $211,356 bankrolled already in his short career. He just went a 1:53.1 mile at Vernon Downs on July 1 in overpowering the field by 6-1/2 lengths. Stick With Me Kid drew the seven post for driver Chris Lems.
Optimist Blue Chip (Deweycheatumnhowe-Winning Jonlin) gets the rail with Jim Morrill Jr. He has won five of seven races thus far in 2017 including a 1:55.3 win at Saratoga Raceway on July 4.
Money MacIntosh has yet to find his stride this season but put $157,229 in the bank during his two-year-old campaign. Andy Miller will steer Money MacIntosh (Credit Winner-Apple Plush) from the three spot.
Swell Chap posted a 9-1/4 length decision on June 28 at The Meadows in 1:55.3. Winning four times in seven tries this year, Swell Chap (Chapter Seven-Gia) gets the services of Drew Monti from the five post.
Eye Of The Tiger AS (Chapter Seven-Cascade AS) has a pair of big victories at Yonkers Raceway in his last two outings. He went one mile in 1:55.3 and then produced a 1:57 trip in scoring the open length wins. Jason Bartlett will be aboard this three-year-old sidewinder from the two post.
The rest of the opening field includes Aces And Eights (Claude Huckabone III) and Meetmeinthemiddle (Kevin Cummings).
The focus in the second leg, scheduled as the fifth race, will be on Lord Cromwell, a winner of $109,136 thus far in 2017. He captured the $143,737 Dexter Cup Final at Freehold Raceway back on May 6 in 1:55 and is fresh off a 1:59.1 score at Goshen in the $17,747 Landmark on July 3. Lord Cromwell (Chapter Seven-Oh Oh Its Magic) gets the two hole for Monti.
The main contender may be Guardian Angel AS (Archangel-Provide AS) who buried the field by 12-1/4 lengths on July 1 at Yonkers in 1:56.3. He's a winner four times this season in six starts and will score from the five post for Bartlett.
The remainder of the field includes Neon Lights (Chris Lems), Another Chapter (Per Henriksen), Top Flight Angel (Miller) and Arch Credit (Morrill Jr.).
The 10-race card begins at 12:30 p.m. with action also on tap in the Excelsior A and B Series.
(with files from Buffalo)