The New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) will make its final stop of 2026 at Batavia Downs on Wednesday, Sept. 2 with a short but select group of three-year-old male trotters going postward for $115,500 USD in purse money.

The field of five includes AI (Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee), who has faced the best three-year-old trotters on the Grand Circuit this year. AI was the two-year-old male trotting champion of the NYSS last year and won that title at Batavia Downs with his 1:57.2 effort in the $416,667 final. This year, he has only made two starts in the NYSS program, which includes a win on July 23 in 1:54.3 at Yonkers Raceway (which stands as his lifetime mark) and a second on June 5 at Tioga Downs. 

His small number of NYSS starts was because he has had a very busy stakes schedule outside of the regional program. He finished fourth in the Oak Grove Derby, fourth in the Yonkers Trot and seventh in the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands that was won by Apex in 1:49.2. That time was a new stakes and track record and only one-fifth of a second off the world record for a three-year-old trotter. AI was race timed in a 1:51.2 in that race.

The Hambletonian was on Aug. 8 and AI has only had one start since. That was on Aug. 22 in the Earl Beal Memorial at Pocono Downs, where he finished sixth and was race timed in 1:52.1. Now back in 10 days for this race, AI has drawn post two for U.S. Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke, who has assigned Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to drive once again.

Looking to stand in AI’s way on Wednesday is the formidable trotting team of Chapter Geo J and Twin B Seven Sins from the Noel Daley stable.

Chapter Geo J (Chapter Seven-Miss Vet Hanover) is the second highest earner ($100,275 USD) and points-getter (142) of this division. He is a five-time winner this year, with four of his wins in his last five starts. Two of those wins were in NYSS races at Yonkers, where he went a career-best 1:54.3 mile on July 23, and Monticello Raceway, where he jogged by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55.1 with a :27.4 kicker on Aug. 24. Chapter Geo J will start from post four with Jason Bartlett aboard for the ride.

Chapter Geo J’s stablemate, Twin B Seven Sins (Chapter Seven-Affair Hall), is winless this year, but it’s not for lack of solid performances. He’s been second three times by a combined total of only 1-3/4 lengths, including his start in the Empire Breeders Classic in June finishing behind Spencer Hanover and last week’s effort in which he came up short to this division's overall leader, Read The Room (not entered in this leg). Both of those races included fast :27.2 closing panels. Twin B Seven Sins has drawn the pylon position to start and will have Drew Monti between the wheels for the race.

Post time for the first race at Batavia Downs on Wednesday is 4 p.m., with the NYSS main event scheduled as race six. There is also one $20,000 USD Excelsior Series event on the card, programmed as race seven.

(With files from Batavia Downs; photo of AI winning the 2025 NYSS Championship at Batavia)