Monticello: Favorites fall in NYSS sophomore trots

Monticello Raceway hosted three divisions of New York Sire Stakes for 3-year-old colt & gelding trotters on Monday (7/16) afternoon with longshots ruling the day.

The action began in the $38,500 opener on the 9-race card with Purpose Blue Chip pulling off the mild upset in a days-fastest 1:57 winning performance.

Purpose Blue Chip left well in the 28 4/5 opening quarter but had to take back into the three hole as the favored Don and driver Andy Miller were insistent on having the lead. Approaching the 58 2/5 half, trainer/driver Dan Daley had Purpose Blue Chip back on the move. The pair would apply heavy pressure to Don on the final turn and pulled clear to win by 1-3/4 lengths over that foe with a 29 2/5 final quarter.

On The Ropes finished third.

Purpose Blue Chip, a son of Chapter Seven-Munis Blue Chip, has now won three times in seven seasonal starts for owners Ann-Mari Daley, James Crawford IV, Richard Lombardo and Donald Brenner.

It was bombs-away in the $39,200 second division as driver Mike Simons worked out a perfect cover trip for Winning Shadow to get a 1:57 4/5 victory.

Lindsey’s Pride would set a rated pace of 29 and 59 before 1-9 favorite The Veteran came to call. The pace would accelerate with a 29-second third quarter as Lindsey’s Pride and The Veteran battled on the front and Winning Shadow moved into perfect position second over and Cruising In Style awaited the passing lane from the pocket.

When the field straightened into the stretch, The Veteran gained a short lead but was soon gobbled up by Winning Shadow nearing the wire. Cruising In Style finished third.

The winner paid $27.80 and earned her third win on the year for trainer Jake Huff and owners Our Horse Cents Stables and J&T Silva Stables LLC.

Saving the biggest price for last, driver/trainer Trond Smedshammer found the winner’s circle at 15-1 to capture the final $39,200 Sire Stakes.

With Clive Bigsby putting up a solid clip of 28 3/5 and 58, Perlucky came to call with Smedshammer at the five-eighths pole and took aim on the leader past three quarters in 1:27 2/5. The pair would battle into the stretch, but Perlucky was too strong, crossing the wire just in front of Clive Bigsby and the pocket-sitting Chasin Dreams.

Paying a robust $32.80 to win, Perlucky won for the first time in 2018 for owner Purple Haze Stable LLC.

Monticello also offered three $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior A New York Sire Stakes and two $6,600 Excelsior B. The winners were:

A Division: Lunar Credit (1:59 1/5); Seven Iron (1:57 4/5); Troller (1:58)

B Division: Babylons Bridge (2:01); Pappagiorgio (1:59 1/5)