Labour Day is known as the unofficial end of summer and Batavia Downs is going to celebrate the holiday in a huge way with some exciting New York Sire Stakes and Excelsior Series action along with great promotions Monday afternoon.

The highlight of the 13-race card that begins at 1:15 p.m. are two $50,000 divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for two-year-old colt trotters. Besides attracting some up and coming freshmen trotting stars, it also brings in some top-notch drivers including Jim Morrill Jr., Cat Manzi and former Western New York regulars Jeff Gregory and John Stark Jr. There will also be four $12,600 legs of the Excelsior Series for the two-year-old trotting colts and the weekly $8,500 Open Trot.

The first race $50,000 Sire Stakes will be the opener on the program with JS Trotting Bob (CR Excalibur-CR Mimosa) heading the select field of five. JS Trotting Bob is fresh off a victory in a $141,787 division of the Sire Stakes in 1:59 at Yonkers Raceway on August 20. It was his first start in the Sire Stakes after competing in the Excelsior and handled the tougher challenge. JS Trotting Bob also has posted a 1:56.3 mark at Vernon Downs on August 8 in the Excelsior Series and comes to town on a two-race win streak. JS Trotting Bob has been installed as the 6-5 favourite with Morrill Jr. scheduled to be in the sulky. He has won five-of-six career races and $82,059 in earnings and will score from the four spot.

His main competition should come from Daley Lovin. He has a victory in a $53,562 leg in a Sire Stakes race at Vernon Downs on August 8 in 1:56.3 and placed third behind JS Trotting Bob, when forced to race first-over, at Yonkers on August 20. Dan Daley trains and drives the Conway Hall-Dreamsrmadeofthis colt who has bankrolled $58,443 thus far in 2013.

The seventh race will also have a field of five going for the $50,000 Sire Stakes purse. Flyhawk El Durado is the 2-1 morning line choice out of the two-hole with Morrill in the bike. Flyhawk El Durado (Conway Hall-El Paso Gal) took the victory in a $141,787 Sire Stakes event at Yonkers on August 20 in 1:59.4 and has won three races in six career appearances. He has $120,669 in the bank and is conditioned by Mark Ford.

Lukas Hall (Conway Hall-Goddess Of War) has two Sire Stakes victories this season and will start from the three spot for Hall of Fame driver Cat Manzi. Lukas Hall, 3-1 on the morning line, scored a 1:55 win at Vernon Downs on August 8 and also scored at Tioga Downs in 1:56.3 on July 26. He has been in the money in five of six starts and has $79,895 in winnings.

There will also be great food specials all day long with a 'Buy 1, Get 1 Free' chicken BBQ buffet for $9.95 (with coupon) in the clubhouse from noon to 3 p.m. There will also be $1 Sahlen hot dogs, sodas and draft beer offered in the Paddock Room beginning at noon.

(Batavia Downs)