$174,000 New York Sire Stakes at Monticello

Monticello, N.Y. – Monticello Raceway will host its first New York Sire Stakes event of the harness racing season on Monday, June 6, when the 3-year-old pacing fillies take the stage. On tap are two divisions of NYSS events and four Excelsior events, for a total of more than $174,000 in purses.

Two stellar fillies, both sired by American Ideal,  Gotthegreenlight and Joyride Hanover, are among the participants. Both competed successfully last season on the Grand Circuit and NYSS.

The first division of NYSS is Race 1 at $57,000. The morning line favorite is Gotthegreenlight, who will score from post position 3, in the short, five-horse field. The filly torched the Buffalo Raceway oval in her last start, setting a new track record of 1:52.2. Jason Bartlett will drive.

In the second division, worth $58,100 and carded as Race 8, six contestants will compete, with Joyride Hanover as the morning line favorite. She set the track record last year for 2-year-old pacing fillies at Monticello Raceway at 1:54.2.

She will start from post 5 and will be driven by Jason Bartlett for trainer Nifty Norman. She was a winner in her last start in NYSS action at Buffalo, where she won in 1:55.3. Last year, she banked $185,000 and has earned $33,000 thus far in this young season. Eric K Good owns the filly.

Valar Dohaeris (Huntsville, PP2) was sharp in her last two winning outings, where she took a mark of 1:52.4 at Pocono Downs. Mark McDonald will drive for trainer Ake Svanstedt. Last season, Patsville (Huntsville, PP4) raced in the Excelsior class. This season, she steps up in class for trainer John Buthenschoen. Tyler Buter will handle the driving chores.

Jacana (American Ideal, PP6) and Su Su Sussudio (Third Straight, PP4) are among the contestants in the Excelsior event ($15,000), which is Race 3. Nadina Hanover (American Ideal) earned a new mark at Yonkers two starts ago when she won in 1:53.1. Jason Bartlett will drive her in Race 5. Mark Ford has an entry in Race 7 with Clear The Way (Bolt The Duer, PP1) and Twenty Grand (Huntsville, PP4).

For complete race entries, click here.

by Kimberly Winston, for Monticello Raceway