by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — New York-breds take center stage at Monticello Raceway on Thursday afternoon, August 21, with over $205,000 up for grabs for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings in five divisions of New York Sire Stakes and over $32,000 on the line in three New York Sire Stakes late closer trots for freshman trotting colts and geldings.

However, not all the NYSS events will be on the betting card.

Because of the New York State 13-races-on-a–single-program rule, one $41,110 Sire Stakes pace and one $10,600 late closer trot will be raced as non-wagering affairs beginning at 12:30 and 12:40 p.m., prior to the first race on the betting card.

The NYSS paces will go as races one, five, six and eight on the betting card while races two and four will feature the late closer trots.

Jimmy Morrill, Jr., always a force to be reckoned with, especially on the NYSS circuit, will handle many of the early favorites.

Morrill will begin his afternoon in the second non-wagering event behind Mathias Meinzinger and Jerry Silva’s My Last Laugh, a winner of four of five this year including his last three consecutive.

Then Morrill will handle Maria Santone and Albert Hanna’s Mr Express, a 1:54.3 winner at Harrah’s Chester in his last outing, in the first betting race, race one on the 13-race card.

Morrill’s next is Spacehill, who’ll be looking for his fifth consecutive victory in race number five. The Space Shuttle-Matts Life colt is the property of Joshua Demon Hill and Edna Collins.

Again Morrill will have the favorite, Mixed Media, in race number six, the fourth NYSS event on the card. The Anthony and Alma Iafelice-owned colt has a 1:56.2 record taken at Saratoga Harness on July 18.

However, in the final $41,110 NYSS pace, Morrill will drive 8-1 shot Always Right, a non-winner thus far. The favorite’s role in that contest belongs to John Fielding’s Giacometti, a 1:56 winner at Tioga Downs on August 9. Stephane Bouchard will handle the driving chores.

Post time for the first betting race is slated for 1:10 p.m.