by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Seven races for New York-bred sophomore colt and gelding trotters will adorn Monticello Raceway’s Tuesday afternoon card (Sept. 17). More than $158,000 will be offered in two New York Sire Stakes divisions and they’ll be accompanied by five $12,700 splits for Excelsior Series colt and gelding trotters.

Patricia Stable’s Crazy About Pat, a seasonal winner of $217,505, has been installed as the early line favorite in first $77,975 NYSS division which will go as race eight, while Modest Prince, a $217,000 seasonal winner, gets the nod in the second $79,375 split, race 12 on the card.

Jimmy Morrill, Jr. will be in the sulky behind the Noel Daley-trained Crazy About Pat when the son of Crazed-Dibrizzi leaves from post five in the six-horse field. The colt has had six wins and four seconds in 16 starts this year and has a lifetime mark of 1:54 taken at Vernon Downs on July 13.

Of interest, especially to the local fans, will be Doc’s Tebow, a Credit Winner gelding whose dam was the good race mare, local track record holder and NYSS standout Miss Gibbons. He’s owned by Doc Gill and Howard Okusko, Jr. will handle the driving chores when they start from post four.

Doc’s Tebow has five wins, three seconds and two thirds in 13 seasonal starts and this race will be the first time the colt will compete against the Sire Stakes colts after having been successfully mired in the Excelsior Series.

Modest Prince, a Linda Toscano trainee off a 1:54.4 victory in his last start, is the early line favorite in the second $79,375 split. Consistently on the board with three wins in 13 starts, Modest Prince will get the driving services of Andy Miller and the luxury of starting from the pole position. He is owned by Richard Gutnick.

But the Ron Burke-trained E L Rocket, a $170,000 seasonal winner with a 1:53.1 mark taken in a NYSS trot at Vernon Downs on July 13, will offer stiff competition. The Credit Winner-Courtney Hall colt has drawn post six and will have George Brennan in the bike.

And Tirade Hanover can’t be counted out, despite having to start from the seven hole. Jimmy Morrill, Jr., who drove the Crazed-Teagarden Hanover gelding to wins in his last three starts, will again handle the driving chores.

The Excelsior trots make for a solid undercard and they’ll go in races one, four, five, six and 11.

First post for the 13-race card will be at 12:50 p.m.