by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Three $12,700 divisions of 3-year-old trotting fillies in the New York Sire Stakes late closing program will be featured at Monticello Raceway on Monday afternoon, July 27, and are slated to go to post in races one, four and five on the 13-race card.

In the first race, Freeneasy De Vie comes into her event off a stunning 2:00.2, wire-to-wire late closer victory at Saratoga Raceway on July 17, but she’ll have to contend with Anikawiesahalee, herself a 2:00.3 late closer winner at Saratoga that same night.

Freeneasy De Vie, a daughter of Credit Winner-Angus Twirl, trained by Sam Serianni, will start from the pole position in the first race with Stephane Bouchard at the controls while Anikawiesahalee, a Credit Winner-Sahalee filly from the Maureen Salino barn, will be leaving from post four with Jay Randall in the bike.

Serianni has another nice filly, Becca Won, in the second split, also to be driven by Stephane Bouchard. A daughter of Conway Hall-Becca J, Becca Won was a 2:00.1 winner at Vernon Downs earlier this year. But she’ll face stiff competition from Praise, a daughter of Plesac-Kiss Dot Com, trained by Bob Bloodgood with Zeke Parker at the controls. She owns a 1:58 record, also taken at Vernon Downs.

Waltzing Bertie, a daughter of Dilbert Hanover-Waltzing Savannah, figures to be the betting favorite in the final split off her 2:01.1, wire-to-wire victory at Saratoga Raceway in her last start. Trainer Harold Smith will hand the lines to Billy Dobson when Waltzing Bertie starts from the pole position.

However, the David Dziengiel-trained Princess Robyn, a Conway Hall-Peace N Harmony filly, and DW’s Jasmine, a daughter of Dilbert Hanover-Yankee T L C, from the Jeff Deslandes barn, may pose trouble. The former, who was a close second in her last start at Goshen, individually timed in 2:00.3, will have Kyle DiBendetto at the controls and start from post two while DW’s Jasmine, a 2:01.2 winner at Saratoga Raceway, will have Stephane Bouchard in the pilot’s seat.

Post time for the Monday afternoon card is at 1:10 p.m.