Batavia: Filly NYSS pacers come to town on Thursday

Batavia Downs welcomes back the New York Sire Stakes on Thursday (Aug. 14) evening when 15 2-year-old pacing fillies will go postward in two divisions for a total of $110,000 in purse money.

The first division is a field of seven vying for $54,500 and headed by Surreal Spirit (So Surreal-Caviart Elana).

After finishing second in her first three lifetime starts, Surreal Spirit captured her first victory in a NYSS event at Saratoga in her last outing, which was a stellar performance clocked in 1:54 3/5. To this point, she seems to like a trip and should get one here with a couple leavers in the race.

Trainer Jessica Okusko has Leon Bailey up to drive from post two.

A main rival will be Liberty Style (American Ideal-Fly In Style), who is a two-time NYSS winner this year and that places her second for points (113) and earnings ($98,809) among this group. She just took a lifetime mark of 1:52 1/5 at Tioga Downs on July 20, which is the fastest career outing of anyone in either of the night's two divisions.

Local favorite Kevin Cummings will drive for Andrew Stafford and has drawn post three on the gate.

A sleeper to watch is American Cheese (American Ideal-Queso Relleno), who after getting her year off to a bit of a slow start, was scratched sick and has since looked like a different horse. She raced well at Tioga, showing a strong finish of 28 3/5 and then came back with a front-end effort that saw her just getting beat in 1:54 3/5 by Surreal Spirit.

Tyler Buter will be in the seat for the first time for trainer Jared Bako and has drawn post seven for the start.

In the second eight-horse $55,500 split, Odds On Monetary (Huntsville-All On Top Hanover) looks like the one to beat.

Odds On Monetary has two wins and two seconds in four NYSS starts and leads this division with 150 points and $99,750 banked. She comes into this race off a gate-to-wire victory at Saratoga and will probably employ that same strategy again.

Matt Kakaley will drive from post five for Travis Alexander.

Savage Cindy (Huntsville-Naughty Cindy) is four-for-four in the money in NYSS action this year including her 1:54 win at Tioga in her second last start. She has shown the ability to race either in front or from behind and is a main contender for a win.

Tyler Buter will be at the lines with a post four start for Ed Hart.

Another filly that must be used is Miss Genie Mae (Courtly Choice-Jungle Genie N), who in her last start was traveling well second-over behind Long Shore when that one broke, and Boyd had to gather up Miss Genie Mae and get her reset. She then paced well to three-quarters but made a break when Boyd asked her for more. Clearly the filly was rattled from the previous incident and it threw her off her game. She started her year with two stellar outings and is in a prime spot for the upset here.

Mark Macdonald will drive from post two for trainer Rollie Mallar.

The New York Sire Stake events will go in race three and five. There are also three $20,000 Excelsior races carded as races one, six and eight. Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.

-edited release (by Tim Bojarski for Batavia Downs)