Vernon: Atlanta puts her perfect record on the line in NYSS

Vernon Downs will host two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Thursday (July 19). Included in the lineup is the return of track record holder Atlanta to the Miracle Mile.

Atlanta (Scott Zeron) will compete in the second division of the NYSS ($61,300) and was installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite. The last time the 3-year-old filly by Chapter Seven took to the track at Vernon she won the $238,613 Empire Breeders Classic (EBC) final. She trotted the fastest mile ever at Vernon Downs with a time of 1:50 3/5, easily beating Plunge Blue Chip (Muscle Mass) by four and a half lengths. That is significant because Plunge Blue Chip just posted a world record time of 1:49 4/5 for 3-year-old trotters of either sex at the Meadowlands on Saturday (July 1$) in the second of two Del Miller Memorial races ($128,500).

Atlanta, who is trained by Rick Zeron for owners Holland Racing Stable, Howard Taylor, and Brad Grant, is four-for-four as a sophomore. Her last time out she won a leg of the NYYS ($40,600) at Tioga Downs where she once again easily beat Plunge Blue Chip, setting the track record for 3-year-old fillies in 1:52 2/5.

Her toughest competitor will be Lucky Ava (Ake Svanstedt, 3-1). She is part of the Svanstedt trained entry along with Fury Road (Dan Dube).

Lucky Ava (Lucky Chucky) is owned by Svanstedt, Little E LLC., and Van Camp Trotting Corp. She has four wins in seven starts so far this season and has won NYSS races at Yonkers ($42,975), Monticello ($30,450) and Buffalo ($29,250).

In the first division of the NYSS ($60,200), the morning line favorite is Lima Novelty (Scott Zeron) at 2-1. A 3-year-old filly by Chapter Seven is owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by Linda Toscano. She has three wins in 2018 and won the Mary Reynolds Stakes ($66,200) at the Meadowlands plus a NYSS race at Buffalo ($30,450).

The second choice is Ciao Dolce (Ake Svanstedt) at 3-1. She is a 3-year-old filly by Credit Winner owned by Kjell Anderson and trained by Svanstedt. She won NYSS races at Monticello ($29,850) and Buffalo ($29,850).

The nine-race card starts at Venon Downs starts on Thursday (July 19) at 6:10 p.m.