The New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) is set to host the Excelsior Series finals at Vernon Downs this Friday, Sept. 13.
The two and three-year-old New York-bred trotters and pacers will compete in their last racing event of the 2024 NYSS season with post time for the card at 6:05 p.m. All eight Excelsior finals will have $55,000 USD purses.
“We are thrilled to see yet another season of the Excelsior Series culminate with the top two and three-year-olds giving their all in a world-class event at Vernon Downs,” said Ralph Scunziano, Executive Director of the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. “The horsemen and Standardbreds that have made it to the finals have shown their unwavering commitment to the sport, and I wish them the best of luck in competition on Friday night.”
The Excelsior Series finals will mark the end of the 2024 NYSS campaign following the successful New York Sire Stakes Day of Champions and County Fair Series finals that took place earlier this month.
The Fund announced last week that all three series finals will award record-setting purse totals in 2025 as well as a significant increase to the Breeders Award program next season.
The NYSS serves as a model for in-state breeding and racing programs and is the United States' oldest harness racing program of its kind.
(With files from Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund)