The New York Sire Stakes season is entering the homestretch. The sixth leg of the eight-leg series for three-year-old trotting fillies was contested on Monday afternoon (Aug. 15) at Monticello Raceway with In A Tiny Way ($6.10) and Valentina Blu winning their respective $57,000 divisions.
In the first event, Perfect Vixen started from the rail (John Stark Jr.) and she was five lengths off the gate after breaking stride. In A Tiny Way, starting from post position three with Jordan Stratton in the bike, reeled off splits of :29.3 and 1:00. Favourite La Vie En Blanc (Joe Bongiorno) was throwing in a few extra steps during the mile before making a break at the five-eighths marker. In A Tiny Way was still in command as the field hit the next panel in 1:28.4 and won by 1-1/4 lengths over Gertrude (Tyler Miller) in 1:57.3, with Perfect Vixen recovering from her early miscue to finish third. The homebred daughter of Conway Hall, now four-for-11 in her debut year, is trained by Mike Simons and is owned by Ellen McNeil of Vernon Center, New York.
The second division was also a five-horse contest. Cash Infusion (Tyler Buter), the heavy favourite, made an uncharacteristic break before the start. Mark MacDonald, aboard Bomb Hugger, led the way through fractions of :29.2 and :59.4. Approaching the half, Cash Infusion caught the pack. Going down the backside, Valentina Blu and Joe Bongiorno made a wicked brush from near the back of the pack, followed by Cash Infusion, and they passed three-quarters in 1:30. Valentina Blu was half a length outside of the leader, Bomb Hugger, turning for home and midway down the lane, before she kicked into overdrive to overtake that rival to score in 1:58.1 by 1-3/4 lengths, trotting her last quarter in :28.1. Seven On The Rocks (John Stark Jr.) finished third. The win was the second of the year from five starts for the Chapter Seven filly, trained by Tony Alagna and owned by Crawford Farms. The lion's share of the purse pushed her career earnings over the $450,000 mark.
Deli Tessel (Jim Taggart Jr.) scored in Excelsior A action for trainer Marissa Chadbourne in 2:00.2. The daughter of Credit Winner is owned by Todd Frocione. Telenova scored a 16-1 upset in 2:00.2 with Jordan Stratton driving in another $15,000 Excelsior A division for trainer Claude Huckabone III.
Next week is the final NYSS event at Monticello Raceway with two-year-old colt pacers. The Night of Champions finals is slated for Sunday, Sept. 11.
(With files from Monticello Raceway)