The new format for the New York Sire Stakes program will make its Monticello Raceway debut on Wednesday, June 6. Three NYSS divisions will race for $150,813 in total purses, while six splits of the new Excelsior Series (formerly the late closers) will head postward for combined total purses of $76,400.
Overall on the program, the three-year-old New York-bred pacing colts will be chasing over $227,000 in purses.
The NYSS divisions will showcase the cream of the crop of New York-bred pacers and will feature the likes of Breakin The Law, Lawgiver Hanover, Coral Snake and Heston Blue Chip. Fortunately for the owners of the aforementioned, they all aren’t in the same division.
According to a release by Monticello Raceway, a New York State rule which won’t allow nine-horse fields has hurt the betting card for Wednesday at the track. Only 17 colts had entered, which had to be split in three divisions --- two six-horse fields and one five-horse field --- thus making it good for the owners, but bad for betting purposes. As sometimes happens, one colt was scratched for the NYSS, thus leaving two five-horse fields and one six-horse field.
In the $54,271 first split (Race 1), Breakin The Law has a six-race win streak intact. Owned by the Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Buscemi LLC, JJK Stables and Panhellenic Stables, the colt will be driven from Post 2 by David Miller.
The main challenges for the altered son of Artiscape figure to come from Lawgiver Hanover (to be driven by Jim Morrill Jr.) and from Union Man Hanover (Tim Tetrick).
The second NYSS split (Race 5) has the lightly-raced and undefeated Coral Snake looking for his fourth consecutive victory. The son of Bettors Delight will be heading in off a NYSS victory at Yonkers Raceway in 1:53.2 on May 21. Owned by West Winds Stable of Cambridge, Ont., the colt will be driven by George Brennan and leave from the three hole.
The final NYSS division (Race 8) will feature Kenny Jacobs' son of American Ideal, Heston Blue Chip.
Trained by Linda Toscano and driven by Tim Tetrick, Heston Blue Chip was an easy 1:52 NYSS winner in his first start at Yonkers Raceway on May 21. Including his freshman starts, Heston Blue Chip now has 12 wins and two seconds in 14 career starts.
Six $12,700 divisions of the Excelsior Series will help bolster the 15-race card.
First post will be at 12:50 p.m.