by Shawn F. Wiles, for Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — On Monday (June 29), Monticello Raceway’s 13-race card features eight New York Sire Stake events.

The breakdown is three NYSS ($35,866) races; three Division A Excelsior’s ($15,000); and two Division B Excelsior’s ($6,500) for total purses in excess of $165,000. The average number of starts per juvenile is three, so there is a lot of white paper on the program. For the vast majority of these Sire Stake colts, 13 of the 20 starters, this will be their first lifetime start on a half-mile oval.

Races one and two are Excelsior A events. In race one local favorite KJ Erich, trained by Gary Messenger, will start from post three for driver Jim Taggart Jr. The Roll With Joe colt has two impressive bridesmaid starts thus far under his belt in his young career. Race two also showcases another Roll With Joe/Gary Messenger combination, Cool Breeze De Vie, who sports back-to-back wins at Monticello, his last start a winning effort in 2:01, and he will start from post seven.

The first NYSS event is race four. Ron Burke sends Fine Diamond, a Rock N Roll Heaven youngster who will start from post three. He has two Meadowlands qualifiers under his belt, finishing third in each contest, and his last start shows a snappy :27.3 last quarter. The other contender figure to be Uncle Hal (post five) with Scott Zeron up for trainer Joann Perry. He has a two-race win streak at Tioga Downs.

Race six, second division of NYSS, will see the Canadian based Endeavor come to town with two consecutive qualifying wins by a combined 42-1/4 lengths. He will face tough competition from Autotune Hanover (post four) and Jeff Gregory’s fast Art Major colt Fast N Victorious (post one).

The last heat of day and of the Sire Stakes is race 13, by far the toughest race on paper. Roll With Joe is well represented here with two nice colts. Joe Larry N Curly (post four), trained by Mark Harder and driven by Jim Morrill Jr., will start from the four hole. He won his last start, a 2-year-old qualifier, in 1:55.3, last quarter :28.2. Joe Holloway brings Hudsonandbernard (post five) to the $36,556 dash. He also sports an identical time of 1:55.3. Brigadoon (post two), a natural on the half-miles ovals, has three wins in a row at Saratoga. The American Ideal colt is trained by Cheryl McGivern and will be driven by Saratoga regular Billy Dobson.

Trainers should take note that the date for the first NYSS/Excelsior 2-year-old filly trot at Monticello has been changed. The date will be July 3 and the box closes Tuesday (June 30) at 9 a.m. Post time will be 5:30 p.m. On that evening Monticello Raceway will have its decades famous fireworks after the last race.