By John Manzi
MONTICELLO — September 3, 2004 – The cream of the New York-bred 3-year-old colt and gelding pacers will tangle in two $41,000 divisions of New York Sire Stakes tomorrow afternoon at Monticello Raceway.
Among the pacing stalwarts heading to post tomorrow are Chart Carrier, Raining Again, Michael Scores and Morning Magic. Those horses are four of the highest money winners in the events.
Chart Carrier and Raining Again lock horns in the first division, going as race five on the nine-race card. The former, a winner of eight of 11 races with a seasonal mark of 1:54 and purses in excess of $87,000, will have Jeff Gregory at the controls from post three. The latter, a winner of 10 of 14 races with a 1:53.3 record who has bankrolled $105,000 this year, will start from post two with Howie O’Kusko Jr. aboard.
But the aforementioned drivers will have to keep a close eye on Uleavemebreathless, who returned to the wars in late July and comes in with two consecutive victories – a 1:53.3 effort on August 15 at the Syracuse mile and a 1:56.2 triumph on August 21 at Yonkers Raceway.
The other split features Morning Magic and driver Brian Cross from post three and Michael Scores, with Stephane Bouchard at the controls, from post seven. Morning Magic has over $95,000 in the bank this year on the strength of five wins and owns a seasonal mark of 1:54.4. Michael Scores has visited the winner’s circle eight times and amassed over $91,000 with a seasonal best clocking of 1:55.1.
But trouble could loom in the presence of $52,000 winner Vantastic Wizzard, a 1:53.2 victor on August 15 at Syracuse who’ll have Kyle DiBenedetto at the lines from post two.
Post time for tomorrow’s first race is 1:10 p.m. There will be no live racing on Sunday at the Mighty M.