Monticello, NY — Monticello Raceway was the host of the New York Sire Stakes County Fair finals on Tuesday (Sept. 6), with eight races going to post with $80,000 up for grabs.
For a summer that had very little precipitation, Mother Nature didn’t co-operate as the area received rain for 48 hours straight, causing the track to be rated sloppy.
Top catch driver Jim Devaux won three of the Fair finals.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Flaunt It To Winit scored in a wire-to-wire effort in 2:00.3 for driver Bruce Aldrich Jr. over the division leader Fire Flower (Jim Devaux). Blazin Chally (Kyle Cummings) mounted a challenge the second time around to no avail to finish third. The offspring of Credit Winner is trained by Sam Sergi and notched her fifth win on the year.
Two-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
The betting public keyed in on the 1-5 favorite Even Stevens (Bruce Aldrich Jr.). Starting from the rail, she set the tempo for most of the mile with fractions of :29.1 and 1:00.1. At the five-eighths pole, Hunts Flower and Brian Cross exploded with a strong brush to overtake the leader in the blink of an eye and had five lengths on her contemporaries in the paddock turn. At the top of the stretch, Cross needed little urging as the daughter of Huntsville drew off and won by 7-3/4 lengths in 1:59.4 ($8.30) over Even Stevens and In Her Arsenal (Brandon Parker). Hunts Flower is trained and owned by Scott La Page and earned a new a lifetime speed badge.
Three-Year-Old Trotting Colts
Scoring from post position four, BJ’s Smitty trotted through sloppy splits of :30.3, 1:01, and 1:31.4 with Jimmy Devaux at the helm to score in 2:02.3 ($8.80) after withstanding a late move from Gale Force Benny (Kevin Gale) in the last turn. Divine Power (Bob Davis), the division top point earner, was second. Finishing third was Gale Force Benny. BJ’s Smitty is a son of Credit Winner and is owned and trained by Karen Smith-Ashley.
Two-Year-Old Trotting Fillies
Six of the eight starters made miscues during the mile. The winner, Nice Top Line, made a break as well before the start. After she regained her gait in the first turn, she bobbed and weaved through the breakers and was fourth at the opening panel in :32.2. With a quick brush, she made the top at the half, parked in 1:04.4. After she cleared Clancy Brigit, she was on cruise control and had five lengths at the three-quarters in 1:35.3. In the lane, she got leg weary as Clancy Brigit was bearing down on her, but she was able to withstand the challenge to win by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:09.1 ($5.00). The daughter of Met’s Hall was driven by Todd Cummings and is trained by Tammy Cummings.
Two-Year-Old Pacing Colts
The top five point earners in the division raced for bragging rights. The favorite, Davey Day Trader, hailing from post position seven, left swiftly to get the lead, and set fractions of :27.4, :57.3, and 1:27.4 in a spread-out field. Sitting the pocket the entire mile was Astaires Arsenal, who is the spitting image of his sire In The Arsenal. He dug in at the top of the lane and overtook Davey Day Trader by a length in a lifetime best of 1:59.3 ($11.40) for his third win on the season. Misty Carey trains the gelding for owner Jeffrey Hayes.
Two-Year-Old Trotting Colts
Dewey Wanna Rock minded his manners and stayed on gait to set splits of :31.3, and 1:04.3. At the five-eighths pole, the pocket-sitting 6/5 favorite Paya Tuesday (Jason Bartlett) pulled the right line and took his shot at the leader, followed by Biden His Time (Mark Whitcroft) as they hit the third quarter in 1:36.4. The trio had open lengths on the rest of the pack as a confidant Bartlett steered Paya Tuesday to a 2-1/2 length win in 2:08.2 ($4.50). Finishing second was Biden His Time, followed by Dewey Wanna Rock (Ron Houghtaling). Paya Tuesday is a son of Crazy Wow and was bred by Salt Hill Farm. He is owned and trained by Ann Yurenka. It was the fifth win on the year and a new lifetime mark for the winner.
Three-Year-Old Pacing Fillies
The field of eight saw Center Attraction grab the early lead over Goodlucksweetheart with some urging and took them to the opening panel of :29. Just past opening panel, Jim Devaux, driving Goodlucksweetheart, popped out of the pocket to regain the lead. Approaching the half at 1:00.2, Idon’tthinkso with Bartlett came first over with a quick brush but was stalled on the outside and never saw the wood. James McNeight, sitting third with Center Attraction, pulled in the paddock turn three-wide to get past the leg weary Idon’tthinkso. Midway in the lane, Center Attraction found another gear and paced away from Arrive In Style in 2:00.3 ($11.20). Goodlucksweetheart was third. Center Attraction is an American Ideal filly and is trained by co-owner Robert Anderson along with co-owner Pamela Schieber
Three-Year-Old Pacing Colts
The glamour division saw Kisses From Above, one of the two 4-5 favorites, first off the gate, getting the lead for driver Jim Devaux and taking the pack to the opening stanza of :28.2. At the half in :59.3, the other 4-5 favorite, Wild Dude (Bruce Aldrich Jr.), got underway and came first over, only to see Kisses From Above scoot away by three as they hit the next panel in 1:29.2. The lead would diminish as the two paced down the lane but Kisses From Above held off Wild Dude by a neck in 2:00.1 ($3.70). Jimmy Boltthe Door was third. Kisses From Above was a $7,000 yearling purchase by American Ideal and is trained by David Dewhurst. It was his fifth win on the year and pushed his seasonal earnings over $20,000.