Sundays Brunch and Sonmar Pond take rich NYSS divisions

Monticello, NY (July 15, 2025) – On Monday July 14, Monticello Raceway hosted the $120,000 New York Sire and Excelsior Stakes for Three-Year-Old Trotting Fillies that saw Sundays Brunch and Sonmar Pond taking their respective divisions in short fields.

Brett Beckwith had a Sire Stakes win aboard Sonmar Pond and picked up three late catch drives and ended the day driving four winners.

The first heat of $58,000 Sire Stakes action was a short field of five, 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 two-length win 1:57.1 – $46.22.

SUNDAY BRUNCH REPLAY

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.

The second heat, a four-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 Connecticut 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.

SONMAR POND REPLAY

Flashchap (Chapter Seven – Wing Flash) survived a few anxious steps at leaving the gate, but Tyler Buter kept her together for a 1:58 win, it was her fourth Excelsior win of the year. She is trained by George Ducharme for owner Purple Haze Stables LLC of Fairpoint, New York. 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) score a two-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 number 7,000 had a driving double as did Jordan Stratton. Trainer Monica Eriksen also got on the board with a double.

For complete race results, click here: US Trotting results.

From Monticello Raceway