By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
(Photo courtesy of Fotowon)
Batavia, NY — The New York Sire Stakes returns to Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 17) with $114,000 in prize money to be split up in two five horse, $57,000 divisions for 3-year-old pacing fillies and Gotthegreenlight comes in hot and looking for her share.
Gotthegreenlight (American Ideal-Bet On Luck) was the 2-year-old champion of her NYSS division last year and has come back just as good at three. With five wins in only eight starts in 2022, Gotthegreenlight is currently the second highest earning 3-year-old pacing filly in North America behind only Treacherous Dragon. She is the top NYSS earner ($136,660) and points-leader (208) in her category and is as versatile filly as you could find.
She has won on all size tracks both on the front and from behind, and ran off four straight wins in stakes action before getting beat by only 3-¼ lengths in a 1:49.3 mile after being parked to three-quarters in 1:21.3 in the Shady Daisy at the Meadowlands on Hambletonian Day. Besides already equalling her own career mark of 1:51 this year, Gotthegreenlight also broke the 9-year-old Yonkers track record for 3-year-old pacing fillies with her 1:51.3 effort on July 12. She may do the same on Wednesday to the 11-year-old Batavia standard of 1:52.4 set by New Album in 2011.
Gotthegreenlight has her regular pilot Jason Bartlett in the bike for trainer Nifty Norman and has drawn post five.
Charged with the task of beating the more than certain post time favorite is A Girl That Twirls (American Ideal-Heels On The Beach) who had been racing very well until last week. After reeling off three stakes wins in May and June, A Girl That Twirls was off almost a month but then finished second in NYSS action at Tioga Downs timed in 1:51.3. However last week she made an uncharacteristic break in the first turn at Saratoga and finished distanced as a result. Assuming that was an aberration, post two and Jim Morrill Jr. driving gives A Girl That Twirls the best shot for the upset here for trainer Deborah Daguet.
Lee Loo (Huntsville-Taiya Hanover) is winless in NYSS action this year but has shown ability and speed in winning miles of 1:50.2 in a qualifier and 1:51.2 in an overnight at the Meadowlands. However her best work has not been over a half mile track. Driver Tyler Buter will try to change that for trainer Tony Alagna from post four.
The other division is a very much wide open event with three fillies that can be considered very closely rated.
Kele Kele (So Surreal-Lightning D Dube) is the second highest money ($113,119) and points (161) earner behind Gotthegreenlight in NYSS action and has been on the board 11 of 11 starts this year. Her two NYSS wins both came over half mile tracks including her lifetime best outing of 1:53.1 at Monticello. Matt Kakaley is back in the bike for trainer John McDermott and will leave from post four.
Patsville (Huntsville-Major Master Piece) took a lifetime mark of 1:50.2 at Hoosier Park prior to starting in the NYSS this year and hasn’t missed a check in the series since. That has her listed third for earnings ($84,169) in her division despite only having one win. She was recently race timed in 1:51.1 at Tioga Downs in a third place finish and must be considered a player starting from the pylons. Trainer John Butenschoen has Tyler Buter up once again.
Two Proud (American Ideal-Double Creme) comes into this race with only six lifetime starts, three of which were this year. She has shown much improvement in her two NYSS outings with a 1:51.4 fourth place finish at Tioga followed by a 1:54 second place finish at Saratoga, both with :27 and change final quarters. Two Proud is moving in the right direction and with starting from the middle of this five horse field, she should be in play for the win. Pat Lachance will team for trainer Jeffrey Smith.
The NYSS races are carded as four and seven. There are also two $15,000 Excel “A” series events that will go as race five and eight. Post time for race one on Wednesday is 6 p.m.