The first ($48,941) grouping saw division leader Mamora Bay (Sam Schillaci, $3) win a stretch-length battle with Run for Royalty (John Campbell) in 2:00.2.
‘Mamora,’ from post position No. 5, had planned to race off-the-pace, but the requisite number of misbehaving young ladies kept improving her position. She stalked Run For Royalty in what turned out to be a match race, then wore her rival down by a head.
It was some 22 lengths back to Billie Blue (Brian Sears), who jumped it off as the first leader before recovering enough to get the bottom of the ticket.
Mamora Bay, a daughter of Chapter Seven trained by her driver for owner Peter Barbato, has won five of her eight starts (2-for-2 here, board-placed in all eight).
“The best thing about here is her will to win,” Schillaci said. “Even tonight, in the lane, she made a bad step. Many horses would have gone off-stride, but she just trotted right through it.”
Monday night’s second ($48,941) statebred event was a rout for Amber Ella (Campbell, $2.40), who won her fourth consecutive (sire stakes) outing, this won by 11 widening lengths (2:02.1).
Leaving from post No. 2, ‘Ella’ took over from an early breaker, then opened as she pleased. Netflix Hanover (Ray Schnittker) minded her manners and held second over a early-jumping Shechatedondewey (Matt Kakaley).
Amber Ella, a Chapter Seven miss trained by Linda Toscano for co-owning stables Enviro and Camelot, she has those fours win in five ’16 tries.
“She just learning as she goes,” Campbell said. “Getting better each and every start.”
The evening’s final ($49,841) NYSS event was given a different appearance when probable prohibitive, pole-sitting favourite Barn Bella was scratched-sick.
That, plus another defection, left a field of five, taken the distance by Teasin N Pleasin (Larry Stalbaum, $5) in 2:00.3. Maewegonow (Charlie Norris) was a pocked second, with 3-4 choice Heels On Wheels (Kakaley) a loomed-but-flattened third.
For ‘Teasin,’ a daughter of CR Excalibur co-owned by (trainer) Tom Corelli, Fred Corelli and Edward Reich, she’s now 4-for-7 this season (first NYSS win, three in Excelsiors).
Sire stakes continue here Thursday night, with the $146,823 New York Sire Stakes Jim Crawford Pace (two-year-old colts/geldings).
As a sidebar to Monday night’s New York Sire Stakes soiree for trotters, a perfect pacer invaded Westchester for the first time.
Prairie Sweetheart (Matt Kakaley, $2.10) made it 11 wins in as many career starts, easily winning the $25,000 ninth-race pace (:27.4, :56.2, 1:24.2, 1:52.1). The final margin, from post position No. 5, was 4-1/4 lengths.
The three-year-old daughter of Royel Millennium, co-owned by her trainer (Mike Deters), her breeder (Laurie Poulin) and John Spindler, first made her name by slapping around Sunshine State rivals down at Pompano last fall.
‘Sweetheart’ was originally scheduled to race here last month (different condition), but came up ill.
“She just jogged,” Kakaley said after her fourth win as many 2016 tries. “For her first start over a half (-mile track), I was a bit careful in the first turn, but from here, no concerns. Easy sailing.
“She’s a real nice filly. I wish they could have supplemented to her into some late-season stakes to give her a shot, but I think the plan is to race her here once more, then go back (to Pompano) for some Florida-bred races.”
Monday’s win increased Prairie Sweetheart’s career earnings to $98,774.