Monticello, NY — All of the hype throughout the winter and spring will become a reality Monday (June 26) at Monticello Raceway, when this year’s freshman crop of pacing colts makes their NYSS pari-mutuel debut. They will compete for over $140,000 in purses, with many of the sidewinders making their first start on a half-mile oval.

Going to post are two heats of New York Sire Stakes events, worth $53,500 and $54,500, and two divisions of the Excelsior, competing for $20,000 per dash.

The first Sire Stakes race is carded as race two. Howlenthehills (post seven) scored in a qualifier at Pocono in 1:55.4. The son of American Ideal is trained by Travis Alexander and will be driven by Matt Kakaley. Scootermagrooter (post three, Brandon Parker) has won in back-to-back qualifiers at Vernon Downs for trainer Benny Eggers. Jones Hanover (post two, Jordon Stratton) sports two place finishes in recent qualifiers. The most expensive yearling of the group, he was a $100,000 Harrisburg purchase and is trained by Jen Bongiorno.

The second division sports a handful of speedy youngsters. Travis Alexander has two separate entries, both straddled with outside posts. Avenger Force (post eight) was a winner in his last qualifying start at Pocono in 1:55.3. The son of Huntsville will be driven by Matt Kakaley. Bruce Aldrich Jr. will drive Ideal Par (post seven) after taking a mark of 1:59.4 in his first 2-year-old race. George Ducharme, who has always enjoyed much success at Monticello, is represented by Ameritic. The son of American Ideal is owned by Purple Haze Stables and was a wire-to-wire winner in a qualifier at Vernon Downs in 1:56.3. He will be driven by Tyler Buter.

The first Excelsior stake has some local connections. Spectacular Plus, the Gary Messenger-trained son of Huntsville, will score from post seven with Jim Taggart Jr. He was second in his lone qualifier at Philadelphiar. Darius (post five), a son of Huntsville out of Miss Sowo, a mare who competed for years at Monticello, is trained by Ray Schnittker and is owned by Monticello horseman Dennis Ackerman and his wife Patricia. Darius finished second in his last qualifying start at Pocono, pacing his mile in 1:56 with a last quarter of :28.2; Mark MacDonald will drive the gelding. Fund My Request (Tyler Miller) sports an impressive resume and will score from post three. Dave Dziengiel is the trainer of Boston Delight (Adam Moeykens). The son of Boston Red Rocks has a pair of Monticello qualifiers under his belt and will start from post six.

The other split of the Excelsior is a seven-horse race. The oddsmaker has made Spring Blake (post two), a son of Courtly Choice, a horse that trainer Blake MacIntosh won the Little Brown Jug with in 2018, the morning line favorite. The $30,000 yearling has a show performance under his belt in a Mohawk qualifier. Mark MacDonald will drive. Rendezvous Bay (post five) shows half-mile experience with a trio of races at Saratoga for trainer Brian Cross and will have Jordon Stratton in the bike.