Monticello: Favorites toppled in Monday's NY Sire Stakes

American Ticket and Kele Kele collected victories in the pair of New York Sire Stakes divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies that were held on Monday afternoon at Monticello Raceway.

In the first $57,000 split, American Ticket (Mark MacDonald) blasted to the front from post four and posted fractions of 27 2/5, 57 3/5, and 1:26. 1-9 favorite Gotthegreenlight (Jason Bartlett), who had won in the opening leg of the sire stakes at Buffalo Raceway, went first-up from third going to three-quarters, but she stalled out in second before three-quarters, then faded as American Ticket acclerated on the final turn and into the lane en route to a 2 1/4 length win in 1:53 1/5. Fly Like An Angel (Scott Zeron) was second from the pocket and Hamptons Babe (Tyler Buter) got up for third over the tiring Gotthegreenlight.

Jessica Fallon trains American Ticket, a daughter of American Ideal bred by Winbak Farm, for owners Hutt Racing Stable, Blake And Ozzie Stables, James Giannuzzi, and Robert MacNeil. This was her fourth win from 14 career starts, and she has now put away $115,845. She was sent off as the 4-1 second choice and paid $10.00 to win.

The other $58,100 flight saw Kele Kele (Zeron), Patsville (Buter), and Joyride Hanover (Bartlett) charge out from posts one, four, and five, respectively. Joyride Hanover took the worst of it, racing three-wide and then two-wide before clearing Patsville after the 27 3/5 opening quarter. Joyride Hanover would go on to hit the half in a moderate 56 2/5, but Zeron sent Kele Kele on a first-over mission on the third turn.

After being shown racetrack, Kele Kele quickly advanced to challenge Joyride Hanover, went by her on the outside nearing the 1:25 three-quarters, and then was able to clear and move back to the cones beyond that marker. Kele Kele opened up a gap on the others on the final bend, and though Valar Dohaeris (MacDonald), who was left first-over when Kele Kele took charge, made late gains, it wasn't enough, as Kele Kele hit the wire half a length to the good in 1:53 1/5. Patsville wound up third.

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Kele Kele is a So Surreal filly trained by John McDermott for co-owner/breeder Peter Kleinhans and co-owners Jonathan Klee Racing, William Garofalo, and Hurrikane Racing LLC. She has compiled a record of 3-1-3 from 12 lifetime efforts, and she has now pocketed $77,304. The 6-1 third choice, Kele Kele returned $14.00 to win.