by Shawn Wiles, for Monticello Raceway
Monticello, NY — New York’s leading ladies will convene at Monticello Raceway on Tuesday (Sept. 12), when 3-year-old pacing fillies visit the Catskill Mountain oval. The overnight sheet shows two splits of sire stakes racing for a purse of $59,100, in addition to three Excelsior A events for $15,000 and two Excelsior B contests for $6,600.
Category point leader Clear Idea is looking to regain her winning ways as her seven-race win streak was recently broken. The American Ideal – Glass Maker filly has notched five NYSS wins thus far this year. She will start from the rail with Mark McDonald in the sulky. Blake Macintosh trains the impressive filly and co-owns with Hutt Racing Stable.
Clear Idea sports impressive credentials with $257,373 in yearly earnings and a record of 1:50.4. Her bridesmaids Planet Rock, (post three, Jason Bartlett) and Tequila Monday (post six, Brett Miller) will look to break the strangle hold she has held over her sorority.
Race eight is the second division of the NYSS with six starters.
World Apart, who is fresh off her win in the Lady Maud Pace at Yonkers Raceway in 1:54, will start from post position six. Bartlett will be at the helm for trainer Linda Toscano.
Richard Silverman will end his long hiatus at Monticello Raceway when he brings Ann Hill to the fray with Austin Siegelman behind the hand-holds. The daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven, a winner at Yonkers early in the season in sire stakes company in 1:55.4, will start from post four.
The consistent Queen Josephine has been knocking on the door all year with two second place finishes in this class. She will benefit from post two; Greg Merton will drive.
Under The Bus has been installed as the 5-2 favorite in her Excelsior A class, which is race two on the card. The daughter of Art Major is under the tutelage of Toscano for owners Ken Jacobs and Hussman LLC. She will start from post two with Bartlett is in the bike.
Oceania, a winner as a 2-year-old at Monticello in 1:56, will start from post position four with the track’s top driver Jim Taggart Jr.
Pirinea’s Princess (post one, Bruce Aldrich Jr.) is looking to extend her win skein to four in the tenth race, which is another Excelsior A event. She was a winner last week in this class at Tioga in 1:53.2. The Roll With Joe lass is trained by Dennis Laterza for owners Latz A Luck Stable.
Robin J, who has yet to regain her 2-year-old form, will start from post position five with Bartlett holding the lines.
In the third heat of the Excelsior A’s, Amber Buter’s filly Shesarocker is the morning-line favorite from post four. Jim Morrill Jr. will drive the daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven.
Oneida Blue Chip is trained and driven by former Billy Haughton groom Mike Simons and will start from the two-hole.
Post time is 12:50 p.m.