Monticello: New York Sire Stakes season kicks off for rookie pacing fillies

Two-year-old pacing fillies began their New York Sire Stakes careers on Monday afternoon at Monticello Raceway as four divisions for the group took place.

The fastest mark went to Cash Roll (Scott Zeron), who took the last $26,500 split in 1:56 3/5. Starting from post six, she led through panels of 29 2/5, 59 2/5, and 1:28 4/5, then closed in a sharp 27 4/5 to defeat Racine Bell (Jason Bartlett) by a length and a half. Dragon Blue Tina (Matt Kakaley) was a first-over third.

Cash Roll, who had a 1:56 4/5 winning performance under her belt at Harrington on June 18, is a Roll With Joe-Rockonomics (Rocknroll Hanover) filly trained by Rich Ringler for owner Louis Palumbo. She was bred by Fred Hertrich, and was a $9,000 acqusition at the Standardbred Horse Sale. Her dam, who earned $53,950 and took a mark of 1:54, is a three-quarter sister to Twist N Clout (Western Ideal, $554,362, 1:53 2/5), who was second in the 2008 Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Pace. Cash Roll was the even-money favorite and paid $4.30 to win.

The father-son team of driver Marcus Miller and trainer Erv Miller teamed up to win two of the three other sections. They struck first in the $27,000 opener as Hidden Cove sat in the pocket through opening-half stations of 29 2/5 and 59 2/5, took the lead passing the 1:28 3/5 three-quarters, then held on in the lane, winning by a neck in 1:57 2/5. Precious Alexis (Jordan Stratton) was a rallying second from first-over, and early leader Galleria Gal (Tyler Buter) re-rallied after being passed and was third.

An American Ideal-Sun N Sand filly, Hidden Cove is owned by Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Lou Willinger, George Golemes, and D.R. Van Witzenburg. Hidden Cove, who was bred by Winbak Farm and brought $32,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, baby raced twice in Pennsylvania, with a second at Pocono and a win at Harrah's Philadelphia. Hidden Cove's dam Sun N Sand (Astreos) was a stakes winner in Ontario during her career, earned $106,096 with a mark in 1:52 3/5, and is a half-sister to the late, great Somebeachsomewhere. Hidden Cove was dispatched as the 1-5 choice and returned $2.70 to win.

The Millers connected again in the third $26,500 test with Bolt Of Beauty. She went right to the top from post three, strolled through easy fractions of 31 1/5, 1:01 4/5, and 1:31 4/5, and slammed the door with a 28 2/5 final kicker, scoring by 3 1/4 length sin 2:00 1/5. Roll With Angel (Zeron) was the runner-up, followed by Movie Town (Stratton).

A daughter of first-crop stallion Bolt The Duer, Bolt Of Beauty is owned by Ervin Miller Stable Inc., Tanah Merah Farms, and Sara Miller. Bolt Of Beauty, who won both of her qualifiers at Pocono and Harrah's Philadelphia, was also bred by Winbak Farm, and she was taken out of the Standardbred Horse Sale for $27,000. Her dam is the Camluck mare Natural Luck ($92,486, 1:55 1/5), making Bolt Of Beauty a half-sister to the likes of Natural Habitat (Rustler Hanover, $244,250, 1:51). Bolt Of Beauty was the 1-5 favorite and paid $2.70 to win.

Rounding out the sire stakes winners for the day was So Rude (Kakaley), who scored in 1:57 3/5. American Chance (Miller) gunned to the front and hit the opening quarter in 30 1/5, but 1-5 favorite Turnthefrownaround (Dexter Dunn), who had made a break on the first turn, recovered and took the lead past the 1:00 2/5 half. Turnthefrownaround would go on to reach three-quarters in 1:28 4/5 and kept command around the final turn as well, but So Rude, who had gone first-over from fourth near three-quarters, wore her down in the lane and was up to prevail by three-parts of a length. American Chance wound up third.

The victorious So Surreal-I Am A Snob (Allamerican Native) filly is trained by Scott Di Domenico for owners Triple D Stables Inc. and Michael Ferriero. So Rude, who was bred by Steve Jones and fetched $16,000 at the Goshen Yearling Sale, won both her qualifiers in preparation for her debut, prevailing at Gaitway Farms and Harrah's Philadelphia. So Rude's dam I Am A Snob was unraced, but is a full sister to Pedigree Snob (1:51 4/5, $439,369), the 2008 Sweetheart champion. So Rude was a 5-1 shot and returned $12.40 to win.