by Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations

Batavia, NY — There is a veritable who’s-who list of harness racing celebrities coming to Batavia Downs on Sunday (Aug. 2) to take part in three divisions of the New York Sires Stake 3-year-old filly pace and they will compete for $119,000 in total purses.

In what looks to be the marquee division, the nation’s leading trainer, Ron Burke, has Band Of Angels (Rock N Roll Heaven-Time N Again) in town and she has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite. The pace of this division could become a heavyweight battle between her and the second choice, Moremercy Bluechip (Rock N Roll Heaven-Mercy Mercy Mercy), from the Julie Miller Stable.

Band Of Angels is coming off a very impressive effort in the $207,350 Mistletoe Shalee Stake at the Meadowlands on July 18. After winning her elimination heat the week prior in 1:50, Band Of Angels got locked in at the rail early in the final and never had any racing room until deep stretch. When Yannick Gingras was finally able to steer her clear, the filly literally flew through the stretch before running out of real estate at the wire, coming up only two lengths short of a victory.

Band Of Angels has earned $277,904 lifetime on the strength of nine lifetime wins. Matt Kakaley will pick up the lines this week from post three and could pose a serious threat to the standing track record of 1:52.4 set by New Album in 2011.

After getting off to a rather slow start in 2015, Moremercy Bluechip has since won two consecutive NYSS contests, both huge efforts over half-mile tracks. She scored in 1:53.1 at Saratoga Raceway on June 25 and in 1:53.4 at Monticello Raceway on July 14. Andy Miller will make a rare Western New York appearance to drive the filly and will provide stiff competition to the favorite in this race.

The first leg features trainer Paul Jessop’s Mosquito Blue Chip (Bettor’s Delight-Sandfly Hanover), who won at Batavia as a 2-year-old in 1:56.3. She was later crowned the NYSS 2-year-old pacing filly champion after winning the $225,000 final at Yonkers Raceway in 1:56 over a sloppy track.

This year she comes in off of six straight solid efforts that include wins at Buffalo Raceway (1:53.3), Saratoga (1:53.3) and Harrah’s Philadelphia (1:52.3). She is the highest money-earner in the race ($79,735) for 2015 and her lifetime earnings are in excess of $320,000. Jim Morrill Jr. is back up behind Mosquito Blue Chip and they will leave from post four.

Bettor N Better (Bettor’s Delight-Vanite Semalu) is another Burke Stable star and is sporting two consecutive wins coming in 1:53.3 at Saratoga and 1:54.4 at Monticello. On the strength of those outings, she appears to be entering this contest in her best form of the year.

In 2014, Bettor N Better earned $225,090 and took a mark of 1:51 at the Red Mile. She finished fourth in the Breeders Crown elimination to qualify for the final, but ended up unplaced in that event.

Matt Kakaley who was aboard for both recent successes, will be at the helm once again. They will leave from post six as the track handicapper’s 2-1 choice.

The third split appears to be a wide-open affair as none of the entrants have won a NYSS race this year.

Nippy W Hanover (American Ideal-Northern Diligence) has two seconds and a third in NYSS action for trainer Casie Coleman, but none of her three wins have come in this series. Her most recent victory was also her lifetime mark at Tioga Downs in 1:53.4 on June 7. Last week at Yonkers she was parked the middle half and faded late in a non-winners event. She has some gate speed and this would be a good place for driver Jim Morrill Jr. to use it.

Jag Out (American Ideal-Impertinent) has been having regular success in the Excelsior A series and steps up to try her luck in the top tier this week. She does have a nice win at Saratoga on June 25 in 1:54 for trainer Erv Miller, who has enlisted the services of driver Andy Miller, who teamed the filly in her two recent wins.

Nippy W Hanover is the early choice at 5-2 and leaves from post two and Jag Out has the rail and is listed at 7-2.

There are also two divisions of the Excelsior A series on the card to be contested for $30,000 in total purses.

Post time for the first race Sunday is 1:15 p.m.