by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — The sophomore trotting fillies will strut their stuff at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 15) in the $160,000 New York Sire Stakes and they will be joined by other 3-year-old fillies who’ll compete for more than $64,000 in the Excelsior Series.

The Sire Stakes divisions will each go for purses in excess of $53,000 while each of the Excelsior Series splits is worth $12,700.

Although she’s not invincible, Lola De Vie figures to be the odds on favorite in her $53,383 NYSS division. Already this year the daughter of Credit Winner-Fan Favourite has won six times in nine tries including the $237,600 Empire Breeders Classic at Vernon Down on June 9 in a 1:55.2 clocking.

Owned by the Joie De Vie Farm and trained by Chris Ryder, Lola De Vie already has $249,039 on her card and she’ll have Jimmy Morrill, Jr. in the sulky when she leaves from the five hole.

But trouble may loom in the presence of Alphadoodle, also a Credit Winner filly but out of Ella Minnow Pea. She sports a 1:57.1 triumph over the half-mile track at Yonkers Raceway on July 8. With more than $76,000 bankrolled this year the mostly Canadian-owned filly will be driven by Stephane Bouchard and start from the pole position.

Steve and Nancy Pratt’s Barn Babe is the early line favorite in her $53,383 division. This daughter of Cash Hall-My Baby’s Momma won a NYSS split at Batavia Downs in 1:58.1 and owns a sophomore record of 1:54.2 which she earned at Tioga Downs, also in Sire Stakes action. John Cummings, Jr. will handle the driving chores and they’ll start from the pylon position.

Perhaps the stiffest competition will be supplied by the Dan Daley-driven Royal Malinda who’ll leave from the three hole. This RC Royalty-Linda Mac filly has been on the board nine times in 13 starts with the fastest of her two victories a 1:55.2 effort at Vernon Downs on July 19. She is owned by Ann Mari Daley, the Purple Haze Stable and Richard Lombardo.

A third NYSS split for a $52,383 purse has Long Island Tea as the 5-2 early favorite. The daughter of Credit Winner-Tea Muscles comes into the contest off a 1:54.4 win at Vernon Downs on Aug. 2. Unraced at two, Paul Kelley trains the filly who has won six of 10 races this year and purses in excess of $61,000 for owner Steve Stewart.

However, the Cat Manzi-driven Wygant Lady has won a NYSS trot at Yonkers Raceway in 1:56.1 on July 8 and figures to be a formidable foe from the two hole. The daughter of Credit Winner-Rose Street Angel has already earned more than $102,000 for owners Taylor Gower and Alan Stull.

And though she is yet to return to her freshman form, the now Linda Toscano-trained Lady Riviera has only had four starts this year and is without a victory. Last season she won four of nine and earned more than $129,000. Toscano will hand the lines to Jimmy Morrill, Jr. when the filly starts from post four.

The NYSS splits will be races one, five and eight on the card while the Excelsior divisions will go as races four, six, nine, 11 and 12. The 14-race program will get underway at 12:50 p.m.