by Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Ake Svanstedt has not raced often at Batavia Downs, but he will be well represented there in the New York Sire Stakes on Wednesday (July 26) as his four starters are all morning line favorites as five divisions (races two through six) of 2-year-old trotting fillies vie for a total of $108,600 in purses on opening night.

In what looks to be the fastest of the divisions (sixth race), Svanstedt’s 8-5 early favorite Plunge Blue Chip (Muscle Mass-Dunk The Donato) is undefeated in two starts this year, winning by open lengths in each outing. After going gate-to-wire at Buffalo Raceway in 2:00 and setting a new track record for age, sex and gait, she came right back with a mirror effort at Yonkers Raceway in a lifetime best 1:59 by nine lengths. Svanstedt will do the driving from post one.

Her main rival will be Lima Novelty (Chapter Seven-No Pictures Please) who has also gone two-for-two this year and also both on the front end. In her last start at Yonkers she set a lifetime standard of 1:59.2 in handy fashion and comes in looking to extend her streak. Trained by Linda Toscano, the 2-1 Lima Novelty will leave from post two and will be driven once again by Jason Bartlett.

In the first division Svanstedt will drive Fury Road (Muscle Mass-Bar Ballad) from post two and is listed as the 2-1 favorite. Fury Road chased Supergirl Riley (Muscle Mass-Crown Laurel) at Yonkers last week in a near track record time of 1:57.3. Finishing second by only two lengths, Fury Road comes into this race tight and confident and should be tough to beat.

Despite drawing post seven, Electro Pump (Muscles Yankee-Cardio Pump) will be the one to try and is the only filly in this race that has a win this year. In her only lifetime start, Electro Pump eked out a nose decision at Yonkers in 2:00.4 and may have to step that up a bit to get the job done here. Mark MacDonald picks up the lines for trainer Casie Coleman and is listed at 4-1.

The second division features Nifty Norman’s Lucky Rainbow (Credit Winner-Lady Rainbow) who is listed as the 2-1 track handicapper’s selection. Lucky Winner was an easy four length victor in her last start at Yonkers and is the lone filly to hit the win column in this race. With post one and her front-running style, driver Jeff Gregory should make his 2017 homecoming a winning one.

Missus Mia Wallace (Credit Winner-Upscale) put in a stellar effort at the Meadowlands in the Kindergarten Series over a sloppy track, finishing fourth in a mile that went 1:56.3. She will be making her first start on a half-mile track and much depends on how she handles that. Trainer Homer Hochstetler has Jim Morrill Jr. up and they are listed at 3-1 from post five.

Svanstedt has the 2-1 choice in the third division with Natalie Hanover (Chapter Seven-Nanticoke Hanover) from post two. After winning her first lifetime start at Buffalo, she couldn’t catch a strong Lima Novelty at Yonkers last week, but put up a great effort in defeat. With the inside post and not much early speed in the race, Natalie Hanover should pretty much get her way in here.

Oooteeny (Credit Winner-Lindys Head Nurse) trotted a perfect mile at Buffalo, winning gate-to-wire in 2:03.4 with a 1:01.1 back half. Last week she held her own chasing a runaway winner and was race timed three seconds faster than her first start. If she continues to improve, driver Mark MacDonald could give the favorite some stiff competition. Jim Campbell trains Oooteeny who will leave from post seven at 3-1.

And in the fourth division, Lucky Ava (Lucky Chucky-Ava Marion) rounds out Svanstedt’s quartet and is once again favored at 2-1 from post five. She has two wins in two starts this year and is in against a field that is collectively winless. She can leave and that may be the best strategy here in what could be a catch-me-if-you-can outing for her.

White Cheetah (Muscle Mass-Wheely Quick) had to deal with post seven and a lot of road trouble at Yonkers last week but still put in a solid effort, finishing second to Plunge Blue Chip. She moves inside to post three and gets Mark MacDonald again who got along well with her. That all makes this Paul Kelley trained filly a solid competitor in this race at 4-1.

There are also four divisions of the Excelsior A series that go for $15,000 each in races seven to 10 and the card opens with a $6,800 Excelsior B event in race one.

Post time for the 13-race card is 6 p.m.