Monticello: Svanstedt scores a double in Monday Sire Stakes

Three-year-old filly trotters were on display in four divisions of New York Sire Stakes on Monday afternoon at Monticello Raceway with Lucky Ava putting on the best show as part of a stakes double for trainer/driver Ake Svanstedt.

Lucky Ava was fast off the wings of the gate and her ascent to the front was only made easier as the most of her foes on the inside had trouble maintaining a trot. Once in command, she set reasonable fractions of 30 3/5, 1:00 4/5 and 1:30 1/5 as she opened up on pocket-sitter Goddess Of Goodness and cruised under the wire a 1:58 4/5 much the best winner under just a few light taps of the whip in the stretch.

Jackie Newlands angled from third late to get second as Firm To Stay overcame an early break to rally up the pylons for third.

Lucky Ava ($3.10 to win) picked up her eighth win in 14 career starts for owners Ake Svanstedt, Little E LLC and Van Camp Trotting Corp. Picking up the winner’s share of the $30,450 purse pushed the daughter of Lucky Chucky over $254,000 in career earnings.

The opening $29,850 Sire Stakes leg saw half of the field of six break as Tribute To Seven posted an easy 6-3/4 length victory in 2:01.

Heavy favorite Fury Road and Pleaspleaspleas were both fast off the gate but the former quickly went into a speed break before the first turn and the latter followed suit down the backstretch the first time. That left Red Reign alone on the lead through fractions of 31 and 101 before Tribute To Seven came to call approaching the 131 three-quarter clocking.

Once in the stretch, Tribute To Seven opened up with ease for driver Scott Zeron. Red Reign was a clear second ahead of a distant Corrupt.

Linda Toscano trains Tribute To Seven ($5.50) for Richard Gutnick. The daughter of Chapter Seven now has two wins in 10 career starts.

The $30,450 third division saw the Trond Smedshammer driven and trained Dew To Win rally from second over to win going away in 1:59.

Supergirl Riley set the paced with fractions of 29 1/5 and 1:00 2/5 when Perfect Summer K came to call. The pair of sophomore fillies dueled down the backstretch the second time through a 29-second third quarter as Dew To Win moved off the cones into position and easily gobbled up her competition.

Natalie Hanover rode a pocket trip for second and Perfect Summer K held very well for third.

Purple Haze Stables LLC owns the Deweycheatumnhowe-sired Dew To Win ($15.20), who won for the second time in nine career starts.

Svanstedt wrapped up the Sire Stakes action by steering Ciao Dolce out of the pocket in the stretch to capture the final $29,850 division on the afternoon.

Somedew Somedont put up the fractions of 30 4/5, 1:01 2/5 and 1:31 1/5 with stern backstretch pressure the second time coming from 3-5 favorite Mooshka Stride. Somedew Somedont would put her challenger away on the final turn but couldn’t withstand the stretch kick of Ciao Dolce, who scored the narrow win in 1:59 4/5.

Girl Talk finished third.

Ciao Dolce ($7.30), who is a Credit Winner daughter owned by Kjell Magne Andersen, scored her first career win in nine starts.