By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
Batavia Downs will celebrate their opening night of the 2019 live racing season on Wednesday (July 24) by welcoming the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) as they make their first of nine stops at the Genesee County oval this year. The initial visit will bring two divisions of 2-year-old trotting fillies along who will compete for identical $53,000 purses.
The first split that's carded as race five features the undefeated Love A Good Story (Chapter Seven-Celebrity Lovin) who is listed as the 6-5 morning choice from post six for Team Orange Crush: Andy and Julie Miller.
This filly has already taken a lifetime mark of 1:55.1 at Tioga Downs in her second career start and has won all three of all her races by open lengths. She is the top pointgetter in her bracket and has $52,600 made this year. Love A Good Story will look to add the winners share of this race to her total as well.
Per Engblom’s Munster (Chapter Seven-Richesse Oblige) is coming off a sparkling effort of her own at Yonkers where she went gate to wire in a career best 1:57.4. That was her first time on a half mile track and the result bodes well for her prospects at the Downs. Jordan Stratton will be at the controls from post two at 2-1.
The second division in race six has a pair or performers from from the Ake Svandstedt Stable that were made morning line choice at 2-1 by the track handicapper, as a stable entry.
Seventimesalady (Chapter Seven-Ava Marion) and Destiny Blue Chip (Chapter Seven-Chasin Clouds Away) will leave from post one and post seven respectively.
Seventimesalady is winless in two starts but not for lack of performance. She chased Love A Good Story in a fast 1:55.1 at Tioga to finish second in her first lifetime start and then got parked out for a majority of the mile from post seven at Yonkers last week before finishing third. She will be looking to get a good trip from the pylons with her trainer Svandstedt in the bike.
Destiny Blue Chip is also winless in two starts but has put in two solid races trotting close to the leaders, garnering a couple of thirds for her work. Unfortunately she moves out in post from those starts but does pick up driver Jim Morrill Jr. this week who will be an asset to her as he knows the track at Batavia well.
Another ready candidate is Really Blue Chip (Credit Winner-Muscles Secret) who has shown she likes a half -mile track. She sat a pocket trip behind Hypnotic AM at Yonkers last week and finished second in a 1:56.1 time, trotting her mile in 1:57.2. And she does have a win in the NYSS already this in her first lifetime start at Buffalo. She is in a perfect spot here to take that next step for trainer Scott Di Domenico. Really Blue Chip leaves from post five for driver Jordan Stratton.
There are also three $15,000 divisions of the Excelsior “A” series in races three, four and seven and two $6,700 Excelsior “B” series events in races eight and nine.
Post time for the first race is 6 p.m.
