YONKERS, N.Y. – New York's richest night of racing returns to Yonkers Raceway this Saturday with the $1.8 million New York Sire Stakes "Night of Champions." Eight finals races featuring the best state-bred 2- and 3-year-olds will be contested for $225,000 purses each. Post time is 6:50 p.m., with the first NYSS Final scheduled as the second race of the card. A full list of entries can be found here.
The star-studded evening features a number of familiar names and impressive resumes, including Plunge Blue Chip. The 3-year-old trotting filly holds the all-age track record at Yonkers with a 1:53.1 posted this season. She will be competing against last year's NYSS champion Lucky Ava in the sixth race.
The other returning champion, Alexis Faith, will take on the 3-year-old filly pacers in race seven. This year's Yonkers Trot runner-up Helpisontheway is featured in the 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings division (Race 8) and Gimpanzee will look to extend his season long undefeated streak in the final for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters (Race 3).
"New York-breds provided an exciting racing season this year, with track record performances across the state and Grand Circuit victories on the road, so we are guaranteed an exciting night of racing," said M. Kelly Young, executive director, Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. "We'd like to congratulate all the owners, trainers and drivers on another successful season, and thank our fans for their continued support."
"The New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions highlights the best young horses bred in New York State and shows off our tremendous Standardbred breeding and racing program," said Richard A. Ball, Commissioner, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund Trustee. "These races have great energy and truly should not be missed."
Race sponsors for the event include New York-based breeders and institutions: Allerage Farms, Blue Chip Farms, Cameo Hills Farm, Crawford Farms, Morrisville College Equine Institute, and Winbak Farm.
The New York Sire Stakes program promotes the breeding, buying, and racing of Standardbred horses in New York State, and is administered by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. It was the first program of is kind, featuring 2- and 3-year-old colts and fillies, and has become the model for state-bred racing programs in North America.
The NYSS Consolation Finals will be held at Batavia Downs on Sept. 21. The finals for the NYSS Excelsior Series are scheduled for Sept. 23 at Saratoga Casino Hotel. Earlier this month, the Fund announced that Batavia Downs will serve as host of the 2019 "Night of Champions."
From the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund