For the second consecutive day, the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) will highlight the harness racing action at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Aug. 2 when the two-year-old pacing fillies come to town. There are two divisions sporting short and evenly matched fields that will go postward for a total of $110,100 in purses.
The first group will compete for $54,100 and features three morning line co-favourites.
Camerican (American Ideal-Camille) leads the fillies for points and earnings in this division and comes in off a big effort in a NYSS event at Yonkers Raceway, where she took her lifetime mark of 1:55.2. She has two wins and two seconds in four lifetime starts and has flashed some good finishing speed for trainer Ron Burke. Jordan Stratton will be in the bike, starting from post three.
Similarly, Delightville (Huntsville-D D Delightful) has also won in a lifetime best of 1:55.3 at Yonkers last week and has two wins this year as well, justifying her co-favourite status here. Matt Kakaley will steer for Travis Alexander from post one.
Also in the mix is Peace Talks (American Ideal-Triple V Hanover), who got her initial career win at Yonkers last week while easily pulling away by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:56. She has not missed the board in three starts and drew well for this start with post two. Jason Bartlett will drive for trainer Chris Ryder.
The second division is a five-horse field with a purse of $56,000.
Bronx Barista (Huntsville-Apricot Sour) started her year with two wins before a disappointing finish in her last outing at Yonkers, where she finished a distant sixth. The filly qualified at the Meadowlands three days later in a sparkling 1:52.1 mile with a fast last quarter of :26.4. This will be her third start in the last eight days. Mark MacDonald will drive from post four for trainer Ray Schnittker.
Blue Point (Huntsville-Amber Blue Chip) has a win and two seconds this year, all in NYSS action, with her only board miss after an unfortunate break three starts ago. That seemed to be an anomaly as she has since taken a lifetime mark of 1:54.3 at Saratoga. Blue Point is sure to get a lot of consideration here as Jason Bartlett will steer from post five for trainer Ed Hart.
So Well Dressed (So Surreal-Gotmyreddressontnit) currently sits second for both points and earnings in this division behind Camerican, after winning her first two NYSS events of the year. She has not had the best racing luck since then but still finished an impressive third in her last outing. She drew post two and driver Jim Morrill Jr. will steer for trainer Chuck Connor Jr.
There are also four $20,000 NYSS Excelsior divisions on the program and those splits are in races six, seven, eight and nine. The NYSS races are carded as races 10 and 11. Post time for the first race on Tuesday is 6 p.m.
(Batavia Downs; Photo of Camerican winning at Yonkers Raceway)