Toscano trainees favored in NYSS at Batavia Wednesday

The New York Sire Stakes will make its final visit to Batavia Downs for 2021 on Wednesday (Aug. 4) and will feature 2-year-old trotting colts competing for a total of $101,700 in purses. There will be a total of 13 going postward in two divisions and trotters from the stable of Hall of Fame trainer Linda Toscano are favored in each.

In the $51,300 first division, Grand Spa has been tabbed the 2-1 favorite by the track handicapper and starts from post two. Grand Spa (E L Titan-Day At The Spa) has raced exclusively in the NYSS this year and has a win and two seconds to show for his efforts. The win was a lifetime mark of 1:57 taken at Vernon Downs where he won by 1-1/2 lengths.

Last week at Tioga over a wet track he made a break off the gate and although he salvaged a second-place finish from the rough start, he chased a runaway winner in Cool Papa Bell who was off by 7-1/4 lengths. He’s spotted well in here with the inside draw and looks like the one to beat. Scott Zeron will be aboard Grand Spa once again this week.

The second division is worth $50,400 and the Toscano/Zeron tandem has Molotov Cocktail, who will start from post five and is listed as the favorite at 2-1 on the morning line. Molotov Cocktail (Chapter Seven-Moonlight Cocktail) copied his stablemate Grand Spa by taking an identical 1:57 lifetime mark at Vernon Downs on the same night but found himself up against a buzz-saw named Justice at Tioga last week who won in 1:55.4 there, which was the fastest of three splits.