Three divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for sophomore trotting colts will take place at Vernon Downs on Saturday night.
The favourite for the first division is the Crazed colt Crazy About Pat, who has finished first and second in NYSS races in his last two starts. Noel Daley does the training on the charge for the Patricia Stable. Cat Manzi will perform the driving duties Saturday.
E L Rocket, the 5-2 morning-line favourite for the second division, is unbeaten in three starts since joining the Ron Burke stable. One of wins was an easy 1:55.1 romp in the NYSS at Yonkers Raceway. The blood runs blue in the son of Credit Winner, as he is out of Courtney Hall, who was the highest-priced yearling trotting filly ever sold at auction when she brought a bid of $500,000 in 2003. Lightly raced at two, E L Rocket has made steady progress this season and holds Hambletonian hopes for the Burke Stable, M1 Stable, Howard Taylor and Phil Collura. Vernon's top reinsman, Rick Plano, has drawn the driving assignment.
Tirade Hanover is the oddsmaker's choice in the third division. The altered son of Crazed has yet to recover the form he displayed when he won his Empire Breeders Classic elimination last month in 1:53.1. Tirade Hanover will have a change of drivers on Saturday, as Cat Manzi will be at his controls when the gate pulls away. Tyler Raymer trains the career winner of over $200,000 for his wife, Leigh, and her partners Stephen Moss and H and H Solomon.
The NYSS dashes will be well supported by an undercard that includes five full divisions of Excelsior Series events. First-race post time Saturday is 6:45 p.m.
(With files from Vernon)