Monticello: Two-year-old male trotters in town for NYSS events

Monticello Raceway had two New York Sire Stakes divisions for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters on their marquee on Monday afternoon, and it would be Kierkegaard K and Wild Bill Kelso who went home with top honors.

Trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt had Kierkegaard K on the lead through panels of 29 2/5, 59 3/5, and 1:29 2/5 in the first $53,500 split, and Kierkegaard K trotted home in 29 1/5 to defeat pocket-sitter Jax Spratt (Wally Hennessey) by 4 1/4 lengths in 1:58 3/5. Unique Style (Mark MacDonald) finished third after making a break past three-quarters.

A Chapter Seven-Gone Baby Gone S colt, Kierkegaard K is a homebred for Knutsson Trotting Inc. Kierkegaard K won for the first time in his third start, has now earned $31,142, and paid $9.70 to win as the 7-2 third choice.

Barney Goldstein (Brett Crawford) led early in the other $54,500 flight, but Hennessey tipped Wild Bill Kelso out from third going to the 30 1/5 opening quarter and cleared to the front past that station. Wild Bill Kelso maintained command through a 59 4/5 half and a 1:29 4/5 three-quarters, giving the cold shoulder to a first-over Cecil Hanover (Svanstedt) heading to the latter marker, then held off a two-wide bid by Barney Goldstein to prevail by a neck in 1:59 1/5. Kilgore S (Brian Sears) checked in third.

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Jim Campbell trains Wild Bill Kelso, a gelded son of Crazy Wow-Broadway Jo Ell, for owner/breeder Runthetable Stables. Wild Bill Kelso has compiled a record of 2-1-0 from five appearances, increased his bankroll to $66,827, and returned $7.10 to win as the 5-2 second choice.