New York Stars at Yonkers Raceway's "Night of Champions"

On Saturday, September 12th, the best trotters and pacers bred in New York State will descend on the historic Yonkers Raceway at Empire City Casino for the first of the two-part annual New York Night of Champions. The competition was inaugurated in 1990 by the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) and celebrates its 26th anniversary this year.

For the first time, the competition will be held on two nights. On Saturday, September 12th, the Empire State’s best three-year-olds will compete in four Sire Stakes finals, each racing for a purse of $225,000.

Part two of the competition will take place on Saturday, September 26th, with New York’s premier two-year-old trotters and pacers taking center stage in four races, going after their share of $900,000. Total purses for the two nights are $1.8 million, with all eight races again sponsored by prominent Empire breeding farms.

“It’s always an honor for Yonkers Raceway to host the New York Night of Champions,” Raceway COO Bob Galterio said. “With Yonkers generating far and away the highest revenue among all New York harness tracks, it’s only fitting the divisional champions are crowned here.”

First post time of the night at is 7:10 pm at Yonkers Raceway with the NYSS Night of Champions taking races five through eight on the dozen-race card. Highlights are below:

Fifth Race (Majestic View Farms Filly Trot) – Barn Doll (driven by Jeff Gregory, post 6) looks to repeat as divisional champ. This season’s points leader has been ultra-consistent, as in 10-for-12 this season ($352,863) and 17-for-21 lifetime. The daughter of Conway Hall, co-owned and trained by Steve Pratt, enters off a blowout win at Yonkers Raceway earlier this month. Jewels in Hock (driven by Jim Morrill Jr., post 4), one a select few who knocked off Barn Doll, enters winning half of her 16 tries in 2015 ($241,496). Lady Winona (driven by Jason Bartlett, post 7) is the stronger lass in the Julie Miller-trained entry.

Sixth Race (Cameo Hill Farm Filly Pace) – Bettorhaveanother (driven by Tyler Buter, post 3), Band of Angels (driven by Jason Bartlett, post 8) and defending champ Mosquito Blue Chip (driven by Jim Morrill Jr., post 7) have all enjoyed successful summers, though “Mosquito” did make an uncharacteristic break in her latest try at Yonkers Raceway. Bedroomconfessions (driven by Dan Dube, post 6) enters as hot as any of these, with three wins in her last four tries.

Seventh Race (Morrisville College Equine Institute Colt/Gelding Trot) – Is there anything Yonkers Trot winner Habitat (driven by Jim Morrill Jr, post 3) can do for an encore? A career millionaire off his open-length win this past Saturday, the son of Conway Hall gets another look at Trot finalists Buen Camino (driven by Trond Smedshammer, post 1) and Workout Wonder (driven by Dan Dube, post 6). Royal Deceptor (driven by Mickey McGivern, post 5) and Wings of Royalty (driven by Jason Bartlett, post 7) have both had productive seasons.

Eighth Race (Blue Chips Farms Colt/Gelding Pace) – Artistic Major (driven by Jim Morrill Jr., post 3), the leader in the clubhouse, has some talented foes in Betting Exchange (driven by Jason Bartlett, post 5) and National Seelster (driven by Andy miller, post 7), among others.

The lineup for Part II of the New York Night of Champions on Saturday, September 26th will be drawn Tuesday, September 22nd.