Monticello, NY — The final New York Sire Stakes of 2023 at Monticello Raceway took place Monday afternoon (Aug. 28) with the 2-year-old trotting colts closing out the season.

Vernon, N.Y., based horsemen enjoyed success Monday afternoon as George Ducharme won two events and Dan Daley had one winner to take home three of the four NYSS events. Jordan Stratton drove two winners on the Sire Stakes card.

The lone Sire Stake race was a six-horse contest worth $104,000.

Keep Asking posted a 1:59 NYSS score. Adam Ramli photo.

Titan Your Grip was on the muscle from post position three. The son of E L Titan was up by five in the first quarter in :28.4. The lead was diminished to one length at the half in 1:00.2, with the 2-5 favorite Keep Asking in the two hole.

Down the backside the second time around, Jordan Stratton aboard Keep Asking wasted no time and was on the move when they straightened out with a :29.2 third panel and collared the leader. Keep Asking, the small son of Chapter Seven, stormed home an easy 3-1/4 length winner over Super Duper Cooper (Jason Bartlett) in 1:59. There was a dead heat for third between Titan Your Grip and Chaplind.

The win pushed Keep Asking’s seasonal earnings to $148,813 for owners Bill Donovan, Joe Sbrocco, Jim Winske and trainer George Ducharme.

The first dash of Excelsior action saw Woweress, with Frank Affrunti in the bike, power their way to a wire-to-wire victory over But Why (Marcus Miller) in 1:58.1 ($16.60), a fifth of a second off the track record. The son of Crazy Wow-Chaperess notched his second win on the year. He is trained by Ducharme for owner Purple Haze Stables. The betting favorite Sir Pinocchio finished third for Bartlett.

The following race saw Fringed, with Dan Daley in the bike, blast off the gate despite being straddled with the eight hole. He grabbed the lead past the brisk opening panel of :28.4. From there, Fringed controlled the tempo with a two-length advantage throughout, although a hard charging Barn Credit (Bartlett) gave him a brief scare at the wire. Fringed held on for the win in 1:59 ($14.00). The favorite Tobern finished third. The Crawford Farms bred son of Crazy Wow-Jinx is co-owned by Ann-Mari Daley, Jared Daley, Oleg Ivutin and Bain Racing Stables.

Scoring another wire-to-wire victory was Crazy Brother Jim (Crazy Wow–Isolde). The heavy favorite Voss Blue Chip had a bad day and never made it to the starting gate. The 9-1 Crazy Brother Jim raced very well, controlled the tempo, and strolled home a winner over Sky Box (Mark MacDonald) to earn his first lifetime win in an evenly rated 2:00 ($20.40) for driver Stratton.