Monticello, NY – The 2025 New York Sire Stakes season came to its conclusion with Sophomore Filly Pacers at Monticello Raceway on Monday (Aug. 25) with Jason Bartlett and Matt Kakaley each winning a division of Sire Stakes and Excelsiors.
The first split of Sire Stakes with a purse of $52,500 was a field of five starters. After taking the lead past the opening panel from Party Pumps, the favorite Odds On Enigma (Huntsville – Yellow Diamond) was never headed with Matt Kakaley in the bike and went on to score a scant win over Ideal Beauty Queen (J. Stratton) by a neck in 1:56.1. The Huntsville filly is trained by Scott Di Domenico and earned her second Sire Stakes victory of the year for owners Odds On Racing.
The second heat was another field of five vying for $52,500 that pitted the top two point earners in the division, Odds On Monetary and Liberty Style. The betting public made Liberty in Style the post-time favorite.
Going into the first turn, Liberty In Style from post two made the top handily. The second choice Odds On Monetary made a break for the first time in her career entering the first turn and took herself out of contention. From that point it was clear sailing for Liberty in Style and Jason Bartlett as she dictated the fractions and went on to score an easy 3-1/2 length win in 1:56.3 paying $4.50 for the win. Liberty In Style (American Ideal – Fly In Style) earned her fourth Sire Stakes victory for co-owners Bonnie Benson and trainer Andrew Stafford.
The first heat of the $20,000 Excelsior drew a full field plus one trailer but two were declared scratches. Two Twenty Swift (J. Bartlett) hung on and fought off She’s In The Juice (M. Merton) for a 1:56.3 score, a new lifetime mark. Two Twenty Swift is by Huntsville – Jag Out and is trained by Deborah Daquet; it was her second Excelsior win of the year.
Long Shore (American Ideal – Butchie Beach) was a neck ahead of Willow’s Choice (J. Bartlett) and defeated the previously unbeaten Patriot Miss (Tyler Buter), who finished third. Long Shore was driven to the win by Matt Kakaley and is trained by Joe Pavia Jr. She now has five wins in six starts in the Excelsior class with $50,000 earned this year.
Huntsville and American Ideal each sired two winners on the day.