Vernon, NY — Vernon Downs welcomes two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings on Thursday (July 25). Both divisions race for a purse of $54,000.

Berkery J (Jason Bartlett) is the 2-1 morning line favorite in the first division. The 2-year-old son of Chapter Seven and Southwind Catlin is owned by Ken Jacobs and trained by George Ducharme. His one win in three starts came in a New York Sire Stakes at Yonkers.

The second choice at 3-1 is the entry of Barn Holden (Kevin Cummings) and Bluffinner (Trond Smedshammer). Barn Holden is a son of Conway Hall and Barn Babe owned the Purple Haze Stables, Out In the Country Stable and Nancy Pratt along with trainer Steven Pratt. He got his only career victory in a leg of the NYSS at Yonkers. Bluffinner, a son of Credit Winner and Bluff, will make his first career start for the Purple Haze Stables and trainer Smedshammer.

The Ake Svanstedt-trained entry of Third Shift (Jim Morrill Jr.) and R Herbie Blue Chip (Svanstedt) is the 2-1 morning line choice in the second division. Third Shift, a son of Chapter Seven and Overnight Command owned by Mellby Gard Inc., has a Sire Stakes win at Tioga Downs. R Herbie Blue Chip, by Here Comes Herbie and out of New Hampshire Girl, comes in off a third-place finish for Svanstedt, Blue Chip Bloodstock and Herbert Burns III.

Bourbon Express (Jason Bartlett) is the second choice at 3-1. He is owned by trainer Jessica Okusko, Slavatore Vullo and James De Armond. The RC Royalty-Kasha colt has two wins in three career starts, including a Sire Stakes win at Buffalo.

The 10-race card at Vernon Downs starts at 6:10 p.m.