The New York Sire Stakes will return downstate Thursday night (June 21), as Yonkers Raceway will host the Art Watson Pace for three-year-old fillies.
There will be three consecutive divisions — worth $56,833, $57,833 and $57,833, respectively — that have been carded as Races 9 through 11.
First post for the dozen-race card is 6:50 p.m.
The first NYSS ensemble will find Tell Me A Joke (Jim Morrill Jr., Post 2) eying a second state-bred win. The daughter of Art Major went down the road at Tioga (1:53.2) and enters having won half of her six seasonal starts.
Hopefully Tell Me A Joke has a short memory, since the last time she was at Yonkers, she stopped to a walk on the lead as the odds-on favourite in her division of the Reynolds Memorial. The lass is co-owned by Howard and Judith Taylor and Blue Chip Bloodstock and is trained by Gareth Dowse.
Betterthangraduate (Matt Kakaley, Post 1) is trying to regain her six-figure frosh form. The Betterthancheddar miss is winless in a half-dozen tries this season.
The second NYSS division will see Pueblo Blue Chip (George Brennan, Post 6) going after another state-bred win. After having wired her foes at Saratoga (1:53.3), she tried Open company in the Fan Hanover, but was outpaced.
The American Ideal miss is trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Blue Chip Bloodstock, Michael Guerrero and Menary Racing.
Azreal As it Gets (Brian Sears, Post 7) was the bridesmaid in last season’s $225,000 final of the NYSS at Yonkers.
Speaking of last season’s state-bred finale, the victress has returned.
Alexis Faith (Morrill Jr., Post 7) is back stateside after two weeks in the Fan Hanover (she tired to fourth in last weekend’s final).
The daughter of American Ideal is trained by Casie Coleman for co-owners West Wins Stable, Kevin McKinlay, Jim Fielding and J. Robert Darrow.
Wisdom Tree (Scott Zeron, Post 5) was a blowout sire stakes winner at Buffalo (1:54) in her latest outing.
The next New York Sire Stakes visit is Tuesday’s (June 26) Jim Meagher Pace (two-year-old colts/geldings, purse TBA).
(Yonkers Raceway)