Batavia: Sharp Seven looks tough in Wednesday's NYSS
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Batavia Downs will host the New York Sire Stakes once again on Wednesday (Aug. 27) evening when a full field of nine 2-year-old trotting fillies will line up for the $112,100 purse in a race that has a heavy favorite going in.
Sharp Seven (Chapter Seven-Lookin Sharp) has been tabbed as the 8-5 morning line favorite and based on her resume, that distinction is hard to argue with. Her six lifetime starts, which have all been in NYSS action, have yielded two wins, two seconds and $142,200 in earnings. That places her first in the series for points (155) and earnings ($142,200), but also her sitting as the sixth-richest 2-year-old trotting filly in North America. Plus her 1:55 win at Vernon Downs is the fastest win time of this entire group. Her only negative to this point has been her propensity for making sporadic breaks, which occurred in her other two starts.
Sharp Seven has drawn post position one and regular driver Jeff Gregory will be aboard for trainer George Ducharme.
Looking to pounce on Sharp Seven is Jula Hot To Chill (Chapter Seven-Jula Champagne), who has never made a break in her career and has finished in the top-three four out of five of her starts, which have also all been in the NYSS. And in her lone win this year, Jula Hot To Chill defeated Sharp Seven after she made a break. This filly sits third in points (133) while tied for second for earnings ($107,430) in the NYSS and is definitely a player for the top prize.
Trainer Marcus Melander has Braxton Boyd aboard again behind Jula Hot To Chill and they will start from post four.
The remainder of the field is a wide open affair and includes five horses who have yet to win a race this year, and two making their first start in a NYSS event. The unpredictability of young trotters and a full field of nine going postward makes this an excellent betting opportunity, especially for exotic wagering.
This New York Sire Stake event is programmed as race five. There are also two Excelsior Series races carded as race six and seven. Post time for the first race on Wednesday is 6 p.m.
-edited release (Tim Bojarski for Batavia)