The last leg of New York Sire Stakes will take place on Monday (August 19) as two-year-old trotting colts close out the season. Two $51,000 divisions of Sire Stakes are featured on the eight-race card. While this may be the last Sire Stakes of the season it may be one of the better fields, as it features former and current Batavia Downs track record holders Bourbon Express and Barn Holden.

Sire Stakes action kicks off the card in the first race, with Bourbon Express installed as the 4/5 favourite. He won his recent Sire Stakes at Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs, set the track record at Batavia in 1:57.3. But before the ink was dry, Barn Holden lowered it by two-fifths of a second.

Bourbon Express will start from post three in the short field of five with regular driver Jason Bartlett for trainer Jessica Okusko. The son of RC Royalty - Kasha has earned over $78,000 and been on the board in every start for owners Salavtore Vulio, James De Armond and Jessica Okusko. Beerthirty K will start from the rail. The Bruce Borden-trained son of Credit Winner took his lifetime mark of 1:58 at Yonkers in a NYSS win, defeating Bourbon Express in the process.

Leading point earner Barn Holden will start from post position five for trainer Steve “Barn” Pratt. The son of Conway Hall – Barn Babe has won three Sire Stakes event thus far in his freshman campaign, the wins coming at Yonkers, Vernon Downs and 1:57.1 romp to set the Batavia track record. Andy Miller will drive the $45,000 Morrisville yearling for owners Steve & Nancy Pratt, Purple Haze and Out In The Country Stable.

DR Ackerman and Tompkins Stakes winner Saylor will start from the outside post six. Berkery J (PP4) was a $205,000 yearling purchase of Ken Jacobs, and he won a division of Sire Stakes early in the season at Yonkers for trainer George Ducharme.

The current Monticello Raceway track record is 1:58, set by 2017 Dan Patch Award winner Fourth Dimension. If Mother Nature cooperates that record may be in jeopardy on Monday.

The Excelsior series each has two divisions; the A class will be racing for a purse of $15,000 per heat and the B heats will vie for $6,600 in each heat.

First race post time is 12:50 p.m.

(Monticello)