Sophomore trotting fillies will strut their stuff at Monticello Raceway on Thursday, August 15 during New York Sire Stakes action.
The New York-bred misses will be joined by another group of three-year-old fillies that will compete in the Excelsior Series.
Although she’s not invincible, Lola De Vie figures to be the odds-on favourite in her $53,383 NYSS division. The daughter of Credit Winner-Fan Favourite has won six times from nine starts this year, including the $237,600 Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Down on June 9 in 1:55.2.
Owned by the Joie De Vie Farm and trained by Chris Ryder, Lola De Vie will have Jim Morrill Jr. in the sulky. The duo will line up in Post 5.
But trouble may be looming in the form of Alphadoodle, also a Credit Winner filly, but out of Ella Minnow Pea. She won in 1:57.1 over the half-mile course at Yonkers Raceway on July 8. With over $76,000 bankrolled this year, the mostly-Canadian-owned filly will be driven by Stephane Bouchard and will start from Post 1.
Steve and Nancy Pratt’s Barn Babe is the morning-line favourite for her $53,383 division. The daughter of Cash Hall-My Babys Momma won a NYSS split at Batavia Downs in 1:58.1 and owns a sophomore record of 1:54.2 which she earned at Tioga Downs in sire stakes action. John Cummings Jr. will handle the driving chores and they’ll start from Post 1.
Perhaps the stiffest competition will be supplied by the Dan Daley-driven Royal Malinda, who has drawn Post 3. This RC Royalty-Linda Mac filly has been on the board nine times from 13 starts, with the fastest of her two victories a 1:55.2 win at Vernon Downs on July 19. She is owned by Ann Mari Daley, the Purple Haze Stable and Richard Lombardo.
A third NYSS split, to be raced for $52,383, has Long Island Tea as the 5-2 early favourite. The daughter of Credit Winner-Tea Muscles was unraced at two and comes into the contest off a 1:54.4 win at Vernon Downs on August 2. Paul Kelley trains the filly who has won six of 10 races this year and purses in excess of $61,000 for owner Steve Stewart.
The Cat Manzi-driven Wygant Lady has won a NYSS trot at Yonkers Raceway in 1:56.1 July 8 and figures to be a formidable foe from Post 2. The daughter of Credit Winner-Rose Street Angel has already earned over $102,000 for owners Taylor Gower and Alan Stull
And though she is yet to return to her freshman form, the now Linda Toscano-trained Lady Riviera has only had four starts this year without a victory. Last season she won four of nine and earned over $129,000. Toscano will hand the lines to Jim Morrill Jr. when the filly starts from Post 4.
The NYSS splits have been carded as Races 1, 5 and 8 on the card, while the Excelsior divisions have been carded as Races 4, 6, 9, 11 and 12.
The 14-race program will get underway at 12:50 p.m.
(With files from Monticello)