Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund Executive Director Peter Goold today announced the New York Sire Stakes purses for the 2010 season

. The total purses for 2010 are expected to be $19 million; this is $3 million higher than previously expected due to increased revenues from the video gaming machines at New York State harness tracks.

The first race of the season is on June 6 with three-year-old filly pace races at Buffalo Raceway.

The races are held at the seven pari-mutuel harness tracks throughout the state, the Goshen Historic Track and at 22 participating county fairs. The NYSS racing season extends from June through the beginning of October.

The NYSS kicks off in June with races at Buffalo Raceway June 6, Yonkers Raceway June 7, and Monticello Raceway June 9. The NYSS races begin at Batavia Downs July 26, Saratoga Raceway July 8, Tioga Downs June 13, and Vernon Downs June 25.

The full schedule is listed on nysirestakes.com.

The NYSS offers a three-tiered racing program: The Sire Stakes and State Fair series; Late Closers series; and County Fair series. The unique program offers money-earning opportunities for horses of all ability levels.

The estimated total purses for New York Sire Stakes legs at each track are as follows:

Estimated Track NYSS Purses

Track - Two-Year-Olds - Three-Year-Olds

Batavia Downs - $130,000 (est.) - $150,000 (est.)
Buffalo Raceway - $140,000 (est.) - $160,000 (est.)
Monticello Raceway - $163,000 (est.) - $189,000 (est.)
Saratoga Raceway - $215,000 (est.) - $250,000 (est.)
Tioga Downs - $133,000 (est.) - $155,000 (est.)
Vernon Downs - $132,000 (est.) - $153,000 (est.)
Yonkers Raceway - $239,000 (est.) - $280,000 (est.)

These estimates include approximate starting fees. Actual purses depend upon the number of horses entered and the number of divisions raced.

The NYSS season culminates with the lucrative $1.6 million 'Night of Champions' at Yonkers Raceway on September 25, 2010. Each division of the NYSS finals is worth $200,000; there is no starting fee.

The State Fair races this year will be held in the middle of August at Tioga Downs for three-year-olds and at Vernon Downs for two-year-olds. These events will carry estimated purses of $115,000 divided. The State Fair races held at Goshen Historic Track for three-year-olds are scheduled for July 3 and 4. The purse for the Goshen State Fair races is a guaranteed $15,000.

Legs of the New York-Bred Late Closer series race for a guaranteed purse of $12,500 plus starting fees in each division. Late Closer finals are $30,000 in each division. Sire Stakes eligible horses can enter the Late Closer series. Three-year-olds must be a non-winner of $28,000 lifetime and two-year-olds must be a non-winner of $14,000. The lifetime limit goes to and including the date of the second 2010 scheduled sire stakes series race for each class of horse.

Total purses at the 22 New York County Fairs with harness racing are an estimated $5,000 for two-year-olds and $6,000 for three-year-olds, with an average $2,600 purse for each race. County Fair finals will be raced at Batavia Downs on September 3, 2010. The finals purse is $8,000 per division.

(With files from the NYSS)