New York Trotters Featured Sunday At Goshen Historic Track

ALBANY, NY (07/03/2008)(readMedia)-- Boy-girl, boy-girl, boy-girl. It sounds like the seating arrangement for a high school dinner party, but it's actually the line up for ten New York Sires Stakes (NYSS) races on Sunday at Historic Track in Goshen.

Some of the best colts and fillies in the Empire State will showcase their talents on Sunday in races worth a total of $150,000. Post time is 1 p.m. on Sunday at Historic Track in Goshen.

Race fans of all ages and those attending the "Great American Weekend" festivities in Goshen are encouraged to visit the Historic Track for these exciting races.

The male and female trotters alternate races throughout the 11-race program. The only event that is not a New York Sires Stakes is the eighth race which is limited to drivers enshrined in the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen.

The colts start the day and continue with races three, five, seven, and 10.

The first race of the day shapes up as wide open with Fasterthanabullet hoping to live up to his name. He's made only two starts this season with one win, and he may get a challenge from Darlabar Man and John Paul's Legacy. Fasterthanabullet recently won at Vernon Downs in 1:59.2 and Howard Okusko has high hopes for the son of Conway Hall.

General Royal looks to be favored in the third race as the son of CR Excalibur recently won a New York Sires Stakes event at Monticello in 1:58. He's only made three starts this season and has post two for driver Stephane Bouchard on Sunday.

Crownprince Volo and driver Brian Cross are coming off an impressive five-length win at Buffalo Raceway in New York Sires Stakes action. In that race, he led all the way from post position two. On Sunday he once again has post two and hopes to repeat his victory. Crownprince Volo is a son of Conway Hall.

Arsonman had earned $31,308 this year but has yet to find the winner's circle in a dozen tries. Driver Ray Schnittker is hoping that Sunday is his lucky day. In his last New York Sires Stakes event at Buffalo he led most of the mile and was beaten only a head. Schnittker hopes that the son of Conway Hall can score his first career victory in his 21st start.

The final division of NYSS for 3-year-old trotting colts goes as the day's tenth race and Four Starz Speed is hoping to make it five wins in seven starts this year for driver Jim Morrill. The Conway Hall colt started the year with four straight wins, but has been beaten in his last two starts, which were NYSS events at Monticello Raceway and Buffalo Raceway.

Trotting fillies have their own five divisions and the first bunch goes as the second race of the day. It should be easy work for Winbak Dream, who has two wins and two thirds in four starts this season. She was very impressive in her early starts at Saratoga and then recently won a NYSS event at Buffalo after leading most of the way. Jeff Gregory will drive the daughter of Malabar Man.

The fourth race should belong to Seaway Sami Sue, who was second to Winbak Dream in her last two starts, but defeated Winbak Dream at Saratoga on June 8. The daughter of Delbert Hanover has earned $66,694 in his two seasons at the races.

Sweet Night is hoping to make Sunday a sweet afternoon with a NYSS victory. She won twice in four starts this year and her most recent race resulted in a victory at Buffalo in NYSS action. She's a Malabar Man filly and Stephane Bouchard will handle the reins.

Pose For Me hopes to pose for a winner's circle photo after the ninth race on Sunday. The Conway Hall filly hasn't won a race since May 1, so she's overdue and may be able to overcome post position six in the seven-filly field. Chuck Connor will be in the sulky behind the Conway Hall lass.

The 11th and final race on Sunday should see Southwind Martini sent off as the betting favorite. She's won four of her last five races at tracks in New York and New Jersey. She's yet another daughter of Conway Hall and Jeff Gregory will be in the sulky behind Southwind Martini.

The Hall of Fame drivers race goes off as the eighth race and there are fittingly eight horses in the field steered by some of harness racing's greatest drivers, such as John Cambell, Mike Lachance, Berndt Lindstedt, and others.

The New York Sire Stakes racing program is administered by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund (the Fund). The Fund is the public benefit corporation established in 1965 by the Laverne Law (Laws of New York, Chapter 567 of the Laws of 1965) to promote agriculture through the breeding of standardbred horses and the conduct of equine research within the State. To carry out its legislative mission, the Fund administers the New York Sire Stakes races, State Fair Series events, Late Closers Series races, and County Fair Series races. Additionally, the Fund provides assistance to county agriculture societies and contributes to the statewide 4-H program and to the Harry M. Zweig Fund for Equine Research.

For information about the New York Sire Stakes racing program visit www.nysirestakes.com.

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