by Shawn Wiles, for Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — On Wednesday (July 4), Monticello Raceway will host New York Sires Stakes races for 2-year-old pacing colts vying for purses in excess of $140,000.

The current crop of New York sired 2-year-old pacing colts caused quite a stir after their first start at Yonkers Raceway last week, pacing miles that would seem normal at the end of their 2-year-old campaigns, but unheard of for their Sire Stakes debuts.

Sire Art Major enjoyed a stellar night as two of his sons, Melodies Major and Major Blake, both put in outstanding performances. As luck would have it, both colts drew in the same division.

Art Major has four sons in the first division of Sire Stakes in race four, racing for a purse of $55,500. Jack Nation (Mark MacDonald), starting from post position five, has been installed as the 5-2 morning line favorite. The son of Art Major was second behind Major Blake at Yonkers in his last start for trainer Blake MacIntosh and is seeking his first lifetime win.

Shanghai Bobby is the co-favorite and will score from post six with Jason Bartlett driving for trainer Gareth Dowse. The son of Art Major won his first qualifying race at Pocono in 1:56.1 and finished fourth in his first Sire Stakes start and was timed in 1:57.

The hometown horse in the field is KJ Leo (post seven), trained by longtime Monticello Raceway horseman Gary Messenger. He was a game second last week at Yonkers. Jim Taggart Jr. will drive the altered son of Art Major.

If the erratic Bean (post two) pays attention to business he should get a nice trip.

The second heat of Sire Stakes will have gamblers scratching their head trying to separate this well-matched field of sidewinders. Major Blake’s (post four) charted lines show ones across the page. A winner of his two qualifying races in Ohio, the son of Art Major turned a lot heads last week at Yonkers, winning his division in 1:56.1, pacing his last quarter in :28.1 for trainer Sam Schillaci. Leading Yonkers driver Jason Bartlett gets the driving assignment.

Mark Ford brings his favorite son of Art Major, Melodies Major (post seven) to the fray for longtime patron Martin Scharf of Gallo Blue Chip fame. It could be the first time of many that Melodies Major and Major Blake will face off. Melodies Major won his heat of the Sire Stakes by a city block last time out at Yonkers in 1:55.3. Regular driver Tyler Buter will drive.

As trainers continue to gauge their colts, the program also features three Excelsior A races (three, five and seven) with each division racing for $15,000 and two heats of the Excelsior B class offering a purse of $6,500 each, in races one and two.

The track record for freshman pacing colts is 1:55.2, set by Freedomformysoul in 2014.

The weatherman is calling for threatening skies and temperatures in the mid-80s. Post time is 12:50 p.m. for the eight-race card.