from Harness Horse Breeders of New York State

Latham, NY — The Harness Horse Breeders of NYS have provided written recommendations to the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. At this time these are recommendations only and will require a vote from the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund Board of Trustees. The recommendations would change the Excelsior Series into an “A” and a “B” series. The increasing quality of NY-Bred horses competing in the NYSS has created a need for a place to race late developing and inexperienced horses while still earning money.

All Excelsior payments will remain the same.

The conditions for the “B” level are as followed:

The “A” level would be the same conditions and purses as last year and the “B” level would be a step down. The Excelsior “B” program is for all 2 and 3-year-olds who have paid into the Excelsior Series. The purses for the Excelsior “B” series will be $6,000 with declaration fees added. Generally the Excelsior (B) races will be raced on the same day as the Sire Stakes and Excelsior (A) races. An owner will still have the right to choose which class to race in if they are eligible under the following circumstances:

a) Any Excelsior Series eligible horses that previously raced in County Fairs may go up or down between Excelsior “B” and County Fairs if eligible.

b) If a horse races in Excelsior “B” series they may move up at any time. However, if a horse moves up from the Excelsior “B” to NYSS #53, NYSS #54 or the Excelsior “A” series, they may NOT go back down to the Excelsior “B” series thereafter for the race year 2014. There will be no points and no finals for Excelsior “B” events.