by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — On Sunday, July 25, Monticello Raceway will have an added afternoon race card which will feature the $165,000 New York Sire Stakes for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings. Eight divisions are on tap and they will be the first eight races on the 12-race program that afternoon.

Of the 59 colts slated to start in the eight races none have had more than three lifetime starts and most less than two. However, despite the lack of experience by most of the youngsters a few stand out and three of them belong to Kenny Jacobs, a great supporter of New York Sire Stakes racing who also has had good fortune with his stock against world class competition. Jacobs is sending out Thomas J in race one, Flipper J in race three, and Major Way in race four, all under the tutelage of trainer Linda Toscano.

Thomas J, an Artiscape colt, won a NYSS event at Buffalo Raceway in 1:57.3 on July 10 and has two wins and one third in three outings thus far. He’ll start from the pole position in race number one with Jason Bartlett at the controls.

Flipper J, an Art Major colt, comes into his event off a 1:55 triumph at Tioga Downs in a division of the Tompkins-Geers Stake on July 18. Jason Bartlett will also handle the driving chores on Flipper J and they’ll leave from post position five.

Major Way, another Art Major colt, has two wins and a third place finish in three seasonal starts, the fastest a 1:58.3 effort at Buffalo Raceway in NYSS action on July 10. Again trainer Toscano will hand the lines to Jason Bartlett.

Roadside Delight, a 1:56.3 winner at Buffalo Raceway on July 10, will start from post seven in race five. The Nifty Norman-trained son of Bettor’s Delight, owned by David McDuffee, will be driven by Cat Manzi.

Samandar, a Larry Rathbone pupil owned by M & L of Delaware, is undefeated in two lifetime starts and his 1:57.3 NYSS triumph at Buffalo Raceway on July 10 is the colt’s best thus far. Jimmy Morrill, Jr. will be in the pilot’s seat when the son of American Ideal leaves from post five in the sixth race.

Also on the card that afternoon are two divisions of the C.K.G. Billings Harness Driving Championship Series, which will go as races nine and 11. It will mark the second consecutive week that the Billings battlers will compete at the Mighty M.

Last week’s winners, Zann Fancisco Bay (Harvey “Doc” Stein); Over The Wire (“Coach Paul” Minore); and Buck ID (Ken “the Virginia Squire” Weckstein) will lock horns in the 11th race.

In the ninth race, “Michelle the Belle” Ruvola will come in from Chicago to drive Sorce Of Victory from post six. When Ruvola drove the trotter at Historic Track on July 2 she was victorious in a 2:02 clocking.

Post time for the 12-race card on Sunday is 12:50 p.m.