by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Monticello Raceway’s New York Sires Stakes season will kick-off on Friday (June 6) when the 3-year-old pacing fillies come to town. The races will be the second stop for the sophomores en route to the $225,000 final at Yonkers Raceway in September.

On tap are four divisions of Sire Stakes fillies, each for approximately $30,000, and two $12,500 splits of Excelsior “A” events, along with two $6,000 splits of Excelsior “B” events.

Headlining the NYSS paces is the locally-trained Bettor Chill Out from the Bruce Borden barn who won a sire stakes event at Vernon Downs in 1:52 on May 30. Jeff Gregory will handle the driving chores for Borden and owner Joe Meany when Bettor Chill Out leaves from the four-hole in the third race.

Another locally-owned filly, Just Add Vodka, figures to be among the favorites in the her NYSS split when Jimmy Morrill Jr. jumps-up on the bike and starts from post two in race two. A 1:58.4 winner in March on Yonkers Raceway’s half-miler, and a third place finisher last Saturday in a 1:52.4 mile at Vernon Downs, the daughter of Art Major will start from post two. She’s owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Dr. Herbie Burns, Steve Demeter and Nahuel Agosti.

However, Just Add Vodka might encounter stiff competition from Medusa, a Bettor’s Delight filly owned by Bill Donovan, a winner of five of six starts this year. Chris Lems will handle the driving chores from the five-hole.

Sweetnsinful, a $219,000 winner with a 1:52.3 mark as a freshman, made an inauspicious debut last Saturday, finishing back in a 1:52 mile at Vernon Downs in NYSS action. However, she figures to be better this week, now that she‘s had a race under her belt. Owned by Homer and Connie Hochstetler and James Michaels, the American Ideal filly will be driven by Jimmy Whittemore and they’ll leave from the four-hole.

But don’t put a circle around Sweetnsinful’s name yet. She’ll have to contend with Scandalicious, a 1.54.3 winner at Harrah’s Philadelphia on March 8. Also a daughter of American Ideal, she’ll have Daniel Dube in the sulky when they start from post five.

Blush Hanover figures to be the best in a final NYSS split despite leaving from post seven. The Linda Toscano-trained Art Major filly has three wins and two seconds in five starts. Owned by Stake Your Claim Stable, Seth Coen and George Derocker, she’ll get the driving services of Jimmy Morrill Jr.

In that contest Lotza Matzah will probably get the attention of hunch bettors on just her name alone since the Mighty M is in the former Borscht Belt, but she brings along a 1:52.4 record taken at Pocono Downs on May 20. Trainer Eddie Hart assigned Jason Bartlett to drive and they’ll start from post four. Another American Ideal filly, she is owned by Blue Chip Bloodstock, Daniel Zucker, Steve Demeter and Christine Sallee.

The Excelsior Stakes will make a nice undercard on a day when all the races feature New York-bred sophomore pacing fillies.

First post will be at 12:50 p.m.