The 2009 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes season will open Friday night at Pocono Downs with seven divisions for three-year-old trotting colts and geldings.
Each sires stake division on the 16-race card will carry purses of at least $36,000.
Three of the trotters racing Friday night have been prominently mentioned as horses to watch in the $1.5 million 2009 Hambletonian. They are Citation Lindy, Explosive Matter and Keystone Activator.
The Ray Schnittker-trained and driven Citation Lindy, a winner of three of five starts this year and coming off two straight sire stakes victories at the Meadows and Chester Downs. In his last sires stakes race at Chester (May 27), Citation Lindy trotted victoriously in 1:54.4.
Noel Daley pupil Explosive Matter has been named the early favourite in his sire stakes split. This three-year-old Cantab Hall colt won five of six starts last year with one second. Explosive Matter, who is scheduled to be driven by Ron Pierce, was second in the Breeders Crown and will be starting for the initial time in 2009. The trotter recently had a qualifying win at the Meadowlands in 1:55.2.
Keystone Activator, another outstanding three-year-old trotter, heads up the second of the sire stakes divisions. Trained by Jim Raymer and scheduled to be driven by Jim Morrill, Jr., Keystone Activator has won five of eight starts this season and is coming into this race with a 1:55.2 victory in the sire stakes at Chester Downs.
First race post time is 6:30 p.m.
(With files from Pocono)