Monticello, NY – The fourth leg of the New York Sire Stakes program will get under way on Monday (July 27) at Monticello Raceway, when 2-year-old male pacers will go to the gate. There will be one NYSS division, worth $108,300, and four divisions of the Excelsior class, each worth $20,000.
The Sire Stakes dash has seven starters and is race 5 on the 11-race card. Missing is the division’s point-leader, Beatle Blue Chip, who was not entered. Marie’s Jet, from post position 4 with Jason Bartlett in the bike, has been installed the 5-2 morning-line favorite by virtue of his second-place finish behind Beatle Blue Chip in his last NYSS outing. He was a winner of a NYSS event two starts back at Buffalo, in 1:56.2. The son of Roll With Joe-R Marie Hanover is trained by Aaron Lambert.
Bastonata Blue Chip (American Courage-Ascending) will start from post 7 with Brent Holland in the bike. He scored in his Sire Stake debut at Buffalo in 1:55.4 and finished second in his last start in this company. Clear Deal (American Ideal-Clara) has picked up a check in every start and will start from post 5 with Leon Bailey in the bike for trainer Chuck Connor Jr.
The Excelsior class is highlighted by Twin B Wildfire (Huntsville-Twin B Fabulous), who will score from post position 4 in his seven-horse contest. The freshman colt is the Excelsior point-leader after a 1:57.1 win at Buffalo and a second-place finish at Vernon Downs. He will be driven by leading Sire Stakes driver Jason Bartlett.
The existing track record for freshman male pacers, 1:54.1, was set by Groovin Will in 2024.
Post time for the card is 12:10 p.m. (EDT).