Sundays Brunch & Sonmar Pond Take NYSS

July 15, 2025

Photo Credits: Shawn Wiles

On Monday July 14, Monticello Raceway hosted the $120,000 New York Sire and Excelsior Stakes for 3-Year-Old Trotting Fillies that saw Sundays Brunch & Sonmar Pond taking their respective divisions in short fields. Brett Beckwith had a Sire Stakes win aboard Sonmar Pond and picked up 3 late catch drives and ended the day driving 4 winners.

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The first heat of $58,000 Sire Stakes action was a short field of 5, with Chapvious the 9/5 favorite with Jason Barlett in the bike floated off the gate and made the front past the opening panel and set the tempo with splits of 29.1, 59 and 1:29. Entering the paddock she made a break. Turning for home it was anyone’s race for the taking, the 22-1 Sunday Brunch and Jordan Stratton had a full head of steam coming off the turn with 28.1 last quarter powered her way on the outside to score a 2 length win 1:57.1 – $46.22. Inn Of The Stars (T. Buter) was second followed by Royal Mission (B. Beckwith). With the win Sunday Brunch (Devious Man – Pearls Last Chance) took a new lifetime best for 1:57.4 for trainer Phil Fluet and owner Woodward Stable LLC.

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The second heat, a 4-horse field saw Sonmar Pond (Chapter Seven – Plunge Blue Chip) wire the field in 1:58.3 – $15.20, Brett Beckwith drove the winner for owner Lindy Farms of Conn. and is trained by Domenico Cecere. While mounting a challenge the 1/9 favorite My Debt Collector made a break in the paddock turn. Calculus Risk (J. Stratton) was second with My Debt Collector getting up for third place.

Flashchap (Chapter Seven –Wing Flash) survived a few anxious steps at the gate was leaving, but Tyler Buter kept her together for a 1:58 win, it was her 4th Excelsior win on the year. She is trained by George Ducharme for owner Purple Haze Stables LLC of Fairpoint, NY. Quite Like Me (J. Bartlett) finished second followed by Made Of Dreams (G. Merton)

The final Excelsior heat saw KJ Title (EL Titan – Aren’t I Hanover) (G. Merton) scored a 2-length win in 1:57.1 – $10.80 for the local connections of trainer Gary Messenger and Driver Greg Merton, the favorite Michelon’s Titan was second.

Kyle Dibenedetto, who is closing in on win #7,000 had a driving double as did Jordan Stratton, trainer Monica Eriksen also got on the board with a double.