Tioga: NY Sire Stakes featured on Sunday afternoon's card

Splash Blue Chip and Moni For Lindy scored decisive victories in the two New York Sire Stakes divisions that went behind the gate on Sunday afternoon at Tioga Downs.

In the opening $56,000 split, Trip Sevens (David Miller) went to the lead from post five and chopped out the opening panel in 27 1/5, but Soukup Blue Chip (Andy Miller) pulled out of the pocket to take command heading to the 56 2/5 half. When she cleared, that left Contested Hanover (Scott Zeron) to take up the chase first-over, with Dream Chapter (Wally Hennessey) latching on to the cover second-over.

Contested Hanover moved up into second on the outside on the way to the 1:24 3/5 three-quarters and then got on even-terms with Soukup Blue Chip midway through the final turn. Meanwhile, Dream Chapter began to angle out three-wide from second-over, and Splash Blue Chip (Ake Svanstedt), who joined the two-wide group third-over passing three-quarters after getting shuffled back from third to fifth, fanned out widest.

Turning into the lane Contested Hanover was able to forge her way by Soukup Blue Chip for good and looked to try and polish it off, but Splash Blue Chip was flying while widest, and she went by all the other contenders with ease on her way to a 2 3/4 length win in 1:55 1/5. Dream Chapter just got up for second over Contested Hanover.

Svanstedt also trains and co-owns Splash Blue Chip, a daughter of E L Titan-Dunk The Donato (Donato HanoveR), with partner Mellby Gard Inc. Splash Blue Chip, bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock Inc., is a half-sister to Svanstedt's world champion Plunge Blue Chip (1:49 4/5, $1,576,176) and sold for $265,000 at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale. Splash Blue Chip has put together a record of 2-5-3 from 15 career tries, and she has now put away $220,068. Sent off as the favorite, she returned $3.50 to win.

The other $55,000 flight saw heavily-backed Iteration (Brian Sears) have to work hard to clear Illuminata (Svanstedt) in a 26 4/5 first quarter over a track rated "good." Iteration then backed down the tempo to just 57 seconds at the half, but Moni For Lindy (Hennessey), who had gotten away fifth and last, was out and on the attack first-over before that station went on the board.

From there, Moni For Lindy marched up into second at the 1:25 2/5 three-quarters, battled around the last turn with Iteration, and then dispatched the chalk coming into the stretch drive. It was All Moni For Lindy after that, as she drew off powerfully to prevail by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:55. Illuminata was able to angle out from the pocket and split foes to come in second, with Sweeping Rainbow (D. Miller) rounding out the top three. Iteration faded to fourth.

Moni For Lindy, a Credit Winner-Live Moni (Conway Hall) filly bred by Moni Maker Stable, is trained by Domenico Cecere for owner Greathorse. Moni For Lindy, whose second dam is the great Moni Maker, won for the fifth time in 14 lifetime starts, and she has now earned $146,996. She was sent off at odds of 7-1 and returned $17.00 to win.