by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Quietly and without much fanfare Stell R Time trotted the fastest of the New York Sire Stakes late closer trots for sophomore fillies at Monticello Raceway on Monday (July 18) when Jordan Stratton reined the daughter of Dream Vacation to a 1:59.4 triumph in the first of four divisions. Her final time is among the top three fastest ever for 3-year-old trotting fillies at Monticello Raceway.

Geri Schwarz photo

Stell R Time and Jordan Stratton held off Linda Goldstein to win in 1:59.4.

Given a confident drive by the former Mighty M driving champion, Stratton eased his filly away from the gate slowly from the pole position but when Kim Crawford was setting a slow pace with Linda Goldstein, Stratton moved Stell R Time to the front as the timer flashed :30. Once on top they never had a serious challenge and Stell R Time led the field through fractions of :59.2 and 1:29.1 in finishing a solid one length winner over Linda Goldstein.

“She (Stell R Time) started slowly but when I saw Kim (Crawford with Linda Goldstein) take hold of his filly I decided I’d be better off on the front end. And after she took the lead she trotted along so easily that I let her have her way and she just kept right at her business,” Stratton said after the winning drive. “Kim came at us down the passing lane but my filly was still strong at the wire.”

Last week at Tioga Downs, Stell R Time won a NYSS sophomore filly trot in 1:58.3 and Monday’s triumph was her third consecutive after having won in 2:02.3 in a NYSS trot at Goshen on July 3. Trained by Stephen LaBelle for Labelle Livery LLC, Stell R Time paid $3.30 for win.

In another late closer trot, Lon Frocione’s Dream Ticket, another daughter of Dream Vacation, toured the Mighty M oval in a time of 2:01.3 for Zeke Parker.

After leaving from the pole position Parker immediately let Ted Wing grab the front end with Julianna Marvel and he was content to follow Wing’s lead thereafter. Julianna Marvel passed the quarter in :30.2 and then trotted by the halfway point in 1:00.4. With Parker and the eventual winner still tight on Wing’s back, Julianna Marvel was still a length ahead as the two fillies zipped by the three-quarters in 1:31.3.

Despite the fact that Julianna Marvel trotted the final stanza in :30 seconds, Dream Ticket and Parker were the stronger of the two as they collared the leader and went on to a head triumph.

It was Dream Ticket’s second seasonal victory and the first since she won a conditioned trot at Vernon Downs in 1:58.3 on June 16. Trained by Tony Mondi, Dream Ticket paid $4.50 for win.

In yet another late closer trot, All That Dazzle dazzled her competition when John Cross guided the Credit Winner filly to her third consecutive victory, a seven length, eased-up 2:00.3 clocking over One Way Or Another and driver Jimmy Devaux. All That Dazzle won her last start at Yonkers Raceway in late closer action in a 2:00.4 clocking and prior to that she was a 2:06.3 winner at Historic Track.

Cross trains and co-owns All That Dazzle with John Smiel and Gail and Roger Cross. She paid $4.70 for win.

Greg Merton won the final late closer split with a wire-to-wire triumph with Lotto Winner in a time of 2:02.3. They turned back It’s A Diamond and driver Stephane Bouchard by 1-1/2 lengths.

It was the third seasonal triumph for the daughter of Credit Winner who is owned and trained by Sam Schillaci. Sent off as the odds-on favorite, Lotto Winner paid $3.30 for win.