(Photo of Zero Tolerance and Hall of Fame driver David Miller, courtesy of Fotowon.)
By Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs
Zero Tolerance is the second-richest sophomore filly in all of North America this year and she will be competing in the final division of the $111,900 New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 3-year-old pacing fillies at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 28). Plus her regular reinsman, Hall of Fame driver David Miller, will also be on hand for a rare Western New York appearance.
Zero Tolerance (Heston Blue Chip-Feelinglikeastar) has been perfect in NYSS action this year and comes into Wednesday’s race off a victory in the $232,700 Empire Breeders Classic at Tioga Downs where she paced a lifetime best 1:50.2 mile. Prior to that back in June, she finished second in the $300,000 James M. Lynch Memorial at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono where she just got beat less than a length and paced in 1:49.4.
She is currently the top filly in points (200) and earnings ($149,250) in her NYSS bracket and is also the second-richest distaff pacer and sixth-richest overall among all 3-year-old pacers in North America with $354,173 on her card this year.
Zero Tolerance drew post four in the five-horse field that will go for $56,500 and has been made the prohibitive morning line favorite at 2-5.
In the other $55,400 split, the number two gal in the state is nearly as favored going in to that event as well.
So Awesome (So Surreal-Teddy Ballgirl) sits directly behind Zero Tolerance in NYSS action in points (199) and earnings ($143,499) and like the leader, will be making a return trip to Batavia Downs for the $1.8 million NYSS Night of Champions finals in just over two weeks on Saturday (Sept. 14).
After reeling off two straight wins prior to her last start, So Awesome got parked out and interfered with in that subsequent overnight outing at Pocono forcing her to finish off the board. However road trouble shouldn’t be an issue in this four-horse field and as a result, she has been made 4-5 by the track handicapper in there. Trainer Scott Di Domenico has leading NYSS driver Tyler Buter in the bike once again for this outing.
Despite the short morning line, this is a tough field. Fool Me Again (Roll With Joe-Fool That I Am) just finished second to Zero Tolerance in the Empire Breeders Classic and Carbon Capture (Art Major-Jated Love) who changed barns on a claim three starts ago has since won two consecutive races at Scioto Downs, taking two consecutive lifetime marks.
Trainer Blake Macintosh has Matt Kakaley up on Fool Me Again from post three and and trainer Logan Powell has assigned Jim Morrill Jr. to steer Carbon Capture from post one.
Due to the short fields, there will be no place or show wagering in either NYSS race.
There is also one Excelsior “A” event on the card that goes as race one. Post time for that race is 5 p.m.
(Above inset photo of David Miller courtesy of Mark Hall.)
