Yonkers, NY — The New York Sire Stakes season commenced on Monday night (May 20) at MGM Yonkers Raceway with two $84,000 divisions for 3-year-old filly trotters.

Sadbirdstillsing, who was second in the sire stakes final a year ago, won the first split in 1:58.4 for driver Todd McCarthy and trainer Tony Alagna.

Sadbirdstillsing won the first split in 1:58.4. Mike Lizzi photo.

Starting from the outside post six, McCarthy left with Sadbirdstillsing and pressed on two-wide to take the lead away from Billie E (Yannick Gingras) after the :29.3 opening quarter. McCarthy was able to steal soft middle-half fractions of 1:00.1 and 1:30 after taking control, and a :28.4 final panel polished off a 1-1/2 length victory. Honorable Way (Ake Svanstedt), racing as part of an entry that was sent off at 3-5, had to settle for second after a first-over attempt, and Seven Year Itch (Jordan Stratton) collected third.

A daughter of Chapter Seven, Sadbirdstillsing was bred by Crawford Farms, who co-own her with Pryde Stables Inc. Sadbirdstillsing has a summary of 3-4-0 from 10 starts, has earned $177,725 and paid $8.10 to win as the 3-1 third choice. She was atop a $16.40 exacta and a $39.00 trifecta.

R Melina (Tyler Buter), who had success both in the sire stakes and on the Grand Circuit as a freshman, bagged the other flight in 1:55.3 for trainer John Butenschoen.

R Melina bagged the other flight in 1:55.3. Mike Lizzi photo.

Sister Mary Maude (Gingras) was in command through stations of :28.4, :58.3 and 1:26.4 with R Melina in third until Buter guided her first-over passing three-quarters. Sister Mary Maude continued to show the way around the final bend and into the lane, but R Melina came with a sustained bid to her outside and was able to get by in the shadow of the wire to tally by a head. Date Night Hanover (Dexter Dunn) fanned out of fifth coming off the last turn and closed well to grab third.

Another Chapter Seven filly, R Melina was bred by Marsh Valley Standardbreds and is owned by M And L Of Delaware and Alabama Harness Associates. R Melina has eight wins, a second and two thirds in 13 appearances, has pocketed $416,405 and returned $5.80 to win as the 9-5 second choice. She keyed an $18.20 exacta and a $70.50 trifecta.

Three $20,000 New York Excelsior “A” Series sections were featured on the undercard, with victories going to Communion Money (by Crazy Wow and bred by Salt Hill Farm) in 1:58.3 for driver Scott Zeron, co-owner/trainer Jared Bako and co-owner Ann Yurenka; Shiv (by Conway Hall and bred by Salt Hill Farm) in 1:59.3 for driver Todd McCarthy, co-owner/trainer Mike Simons and co-owners William Masterson and Albert Abdala III; and Shinn (by Chapter Seven and bred by S R F Stable) in 1:59.2 for driver Jordan Stratton, trainer Jessica Okusko and owner Ryan Smith.

MGM Yonkers Raceway is currently operating on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday live racing schedule with post time each night at 7 p.m. (EDT), but the oval will host a nine-race program on Wednesday this week (May 22).