by M. Kelly Young, Executive Assistant, Harness Horse Breeders of NYS

Latham, NY – When 47 two-year-old trotting colts step onto the track at Monticello Raceway on Sunday, July 18, for the first New York Sire Stakes start of their young careers, nearly a third of them will be offspring of first-crop sire Credit Winner.

Credit Winner, a Kentucky Futurity champion who earned $1.5 million during his two racing seasons, was the first of three prominent stallions Blue Chip Farms brought to Wallkill, N.Y., beginning in 2000.

Prime Rate, owned by Joseph Ricco Jr. and Ron Abbondanza, is among the 14 Credit Winner colts competing at Monticello. Timed in 2:01.1 in a qualifier at the Meadowlands and a winner of his only start, a Landmark Stakes at Historic Track in Goshen, N.Y., on July 2, he will start from post six in the sixth race.

“He’s a pretty nice colt. From day one, he’s done everything we’ve asked of him,” said trainer David Dziengiel. “If he looked like he does now when I bought him as a yearling, he would have easily brought twice as much at the sale. He’s still pretty small, but he was a peanut when I bought him. He grew over the winter and he’s a nice looking individual, he is long-barreled and stands very good.”

Prime Rate, who was bred by Marie Richardson and Leo Fallon, has qualified three times over the Meadowlands’ mile track. When he starts at Monticello it will be the only half-mile oval he’s trotted on other than his home track in Goshen.

“If he likes the (track) surface at Monticello, he could very likely go in 2:04 or 2:05. I like his chances,” said Dziengiel.

Dziengiel trains his stable at Historic Track and was involved in a racing accident there in mid-June, fracturing his hip. Since leaving the hospital the first of July, he has been laid up at home and oversees his horses from a distance.

“I went to the track yesterday (Wednesday) to see Prime Rate train,” said Dziengiel of his first visit back to the site of his collision. “It was pretty tough. But, I sat in my wheelchair and Joe (Ricco) trained him; he looked good.”

Dziengiel can only move with the aid of a walker and likely will not be able to sit behind any of his horses again before October. In the meantime, fellow Goshen trainer Octavia Rappoport is aiding in the day-to-day operations of his barn.

“I get on the computer and try to keep up with the horses all over the country. I watch some races and just try to stay involved,” explained Dziengiel. “I have doctor visits every other day, therapy three times a week and I’m still managing the stable, but being in one room I get awfully restless.”

Top Meadowlands driver George Brennan, step-son of co-owner Ricco, will be directing Prime Rate at Monticello. Brennan is not a regular driver on the New York Sire Stakes circuit, but according to Dziengiel, he has committed to directing the colt in a number of starts this season.

Six divisions of the Sire Stakes were drawn and will go off as races two, four, five, six, eight and 10 on the 13-race card. Combined purses for the Sire Stakes events will reach nearly $115,000. Post time is 1:10 p.m.