by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — When Eric Warner, the Director of Racing at Monticello Raceway, received the New York Sire Stakes entries for the 2-year-old trotting fillies he knew he’d have a lot but still he was surprised with the 63 that the judges handed to him.

“I knew with a purse of over $150,000 and Monticello being just the second stop (on the road to the $175,000 final this fall) that we’d have quite a few entries but I certainly didn’t expect 63,” said Warner. “But with eight divisions it’ll be an interesting afternoon on Wednesday (July 20).”

Many of the fillies won a sires stakes division at the first stop in the series at Buffalo Raceway on July 6. Winners there included Eddie Lohmeyer’s daughter of Conway Hall, Miss Fidget (race one on Wednesday); Ray Schnittker’s Credit Winner filly, Lima Playmate (race four); John Stark, Jr.’s daughter of Conway Hall, Glee (race six); and Ray Schnittker’s Credit Winner filly, Borrow And Spend (race 12).

Miss Fidget is two for two lifetime and besides her six length victory in 2:03.3 at Buffalo Raceway, on July 14 she also won in 1:59.4 at Tioga Downs in a leg of the Tompkins-Geers stakes.

Lima Playmate is two for three this year with a 2:03 NYSS triumph at Buffalo followed by a 1:58 victory in a division of the Tompkins-Geers at Tioga on July 14.

Glee has a win and a third in three lifetime starts. She won her Buffalo Raceway NYSS event in 2:05.2 on July 6.

Borrow And Spend is two for four this year with an early win at Goshen in the Landmark Stakes followed by a 2:06 triumph in sires stakes action at Buffalo Raceway on July 6.

But arguably the best filly on the Wednesday program at Monticello is the Joe Holloway-trained For A Dance, who is two for two lifetime. The Conway Hall filly won a qualifying race at the Big M in a time of 1:58.3. Her latest victory was a stunning 1:57 clocking en route to winning a division of the Reynolds at Pocono Downs on July 6.

Of course there are others in the NYSS fields of 63 fillies who will either stamp out a great racing career or be a producer of good trotters as a broodmare.

The New York Sire Stakes 2-year-old filly trots will be contested in races one, two, four, five six, nine, 11 and 12. Post time for the first race is set for 12:50 p.m. on Wednesday.