by Phil Nero, HHBNYS Communications

Albany, NY — The 2009 sophomore class of New York Sires Stakes pacing fillies gets back in session with many familiar rivals and several fresh faces, as an exciting, new season of racing continues with five divisional contests Wednesday, June 3, at Buffalo Raceway.

With almost $160,000 in total purses up for grabs, expect this class to be interesting right from the start, raising the question: which newcomers might advance fast enough to excel in this classy group of sophomores?

Class shows up immediately in the first the division where Frank Dettore’s Eagle Way looks to recapture her winning form. The Art Major filly, winless in two efforts in 2009, capped off her freshman campaign with 1:55.2 Night of Champions mile at Yonkers Raceway that shaved a full second off the old divisional record. Market Dynamics, an early Sire Stakes winner at Monticello Raceway last year in 1:59 and the game JW Blue Chip also compete here, along with a potentially talented new face in Calico Moon. Trained by John Stark, Jr., and unraced at 2, she comes in off a recent 12-1/4 length, wire-to-wire 1:58.1 maiden score at Saratoga Raceway.

The second division could be called the Bettor’s Delight Pace, as six of the eight entrants share that sire, including Bet On Luck, who paced to a sizzling 1:55.1 win at Vernon Downs last summer. On The Glass (Art Major) was a winner on the same July race card in 1:57, a race in which she was not pushed and was lengths the best. Stakes veterans Salty Dog Blue Chip (post one) and All Spirit (post four) faired better in the draw, as did interesting newcomer Dream’s Bar (post three). Well raced with 21 lifetime starts and trained by Leah Vandervoort, this Dream Away filly was winless last year, but has five wins in 16 starts in 2009 with a mark of 1:56.1 in a Petticoat Series race on April 3 over a Yonkers Raceway surface rated ‘good.’

The formidable Stolly Up Bluechip, with multiple wins on the circuit last year and $164,484 in total earnings, is Dettore’s other Art Major-sired powerhouse. Like stablemate Eagle Way she’s looking to find the winner’s circle for the first time in 2009 after placing in all four starts, including the $203,425 Empire Breeders Classic final on May 24 at Tioga Downs.

The always scrappy Six Of Hearts and JK Cameo return to Sire Stakes competition in the fourth division. JK Cameo beat Salty Dog Bluechip in 1:59.3 last August at Yonkers. And while Six Of Hearts lacks a Sire Stakes victory, she finished second in three 2008 Sire Stakes to winners Stolly Up Bluechip, Eagle Way, and Indulge Me.

The final division includes Perfect Launch and Witch Is Bettor, another Witch’s Delight offspring who placed in a 2008 Sire Stakes race at Monticello (won by B Intensified in 1:56.4) and was second again to Stolly Up Bluechip in her next start before capturing a Sire Stakes victory at Yonkers in August. Perfect Launch fired off a big 1:55.2 win recently in a $12,500 Empire Breeders Classic elimination pace on May 17 at Tioga Downs, but made a break after throwing a shoe at the start a week later in the final. A fast starter on the Sire Stakes circuit last year, this daughter of Riverboat King looks to chalk up another win here in a contest that includes Life Of Delight, also a daughter of Bettor’s Delight and maybe the most interesting fresh face of the class. Trained by John Staskowski and unraced at 2, Life Of Delight has two wins and two seconds in four starts this year, all at Saratoga, reflecting she’s a versatile fast learner with considerable heart. Her lifetime mark of 1:58.2 came two starts back on May 15. Racing from the eight hole, she was first-over for the last half-mile to win by 1-1/2 lengths. Nine days later, with another game effort from an outside post, she finished second in 1:56.4 while pacing a :29.1 final quarter.

In all, 40 sophomore fillies go to the post in these five divisions. Of those, 15 were sired by Art Major, 13 by Bettor’s Delight (both of which stand at Blue Chip Farm in Wallkill, N.Y.) and three each by Pro Bono Best and Dream Away.

Each race offers hope for Sire Stakes excellence and a $31,695 purse, along with valuable divisional points leading up to the 2009 Night of Champions finals at Vernon Downs on September 26.