by John Manzi, publicity director, Monticello Raceway

Monticello, NY — Local racing fans will be treated to the best race card of the season on Wednesday, July 29, when Monticello Raceway presents the $175,000 New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers.

Split into five $35,000 divisions the NYSS events will be presented in races one, two, four, five and eight on the 13-race card.

Of the 33 colts that will be in action Hypnotic Blue Chip and Hay Goodlooking are arguably at the head of the class, though there are a plethora of other youngsters who are also very impressive.

Hay Goodlooking has won five of eight starts this year for owners Ted Gerwertz, Sam Dotro and Debbie Brunet. The Art Major-Monique’s Legacy colt won a NYSS event in 1:55.3 over Yonkers Raceway’s double oval and owns a mark of 1:53.3 taken over the five-eighth-mile track at Tioga Downs. He finished second — beaten a half-length in 1:52.3 — in the $60,000 Tompkins-Geers Stakes at Tioga Downs in his last start on July 20. Gates Brunet will drive when Hay Goodlooking starts from post two in the first race.

Hypnotic Blue Chip, another Art Major colt, this one out of Atraceofmagic, has shown he can compete and beat the big boys, having already earned more than $237,000 this year. He is a winner of eight of 16 races, the fastest a 1:49.2 mile at the Meadowlands on July 11. Owned by Rachel Frost, Stable 45, Robert Murphy and Mark Harder, Hypnotic Blue Chip will have the services of Jimmy Morrill, Jr. when they leave from post position six in race five.

Morrill will also handle favored Spacehill in race two. Owned by Burke Racing Stable, Joshua Hill, Edna Collins and Weaver Bruscemi LLC, the Space Shuttle-Matt’s Life colt owns a 1:55.3 record taken earlier this year at Freehold Raceway. They start from post five in race two.

Look for Morrill to again drive the favorite in the fourth race when he jumps up behind OK Braveheart on the pole position. The Bettor’s Delight-Color Me Beachy colt already has bankrolled more than $102,000 for owners David Scharf, Rick Phillips and Chuck Pompey. OK Braveheart is a winner of five of 17 races this year, the fastest a 1:52 clocking at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs.

In the final split, race eight on the program, Jason Bartlett will drive the favorite Handsome Harry. The son of Dream Away-Princess Jocelyn, a winner of nine of 14 races, the fastest a 1:51.3 clocking at Tioga Downs on June 6, will leave from the four hole in the final NYSS split.

Post time for this solid race card will be at 1:10 p.m.