Monticello, NY — The New York Sire Stakes County Fair Finals will be hosted at Monticello Raceway on Thursday (Sept. 5). Post time is 12:50 p.m. Due to the Labor Day holiday, the draw for the finals will be held at Monticello on Tuesday (Sept. 3). The box closes at 9 a.m.

Each of the eight finals carries a purse of $10,000 and the top eight point earners with at least five starts on the season qualify. Horsemen are encouraged to enter horses even if they are not in the top eight point earners as the race secretary will go down the points list until the field is full.

Horses that have been racing in the fairs and hope to enter the finals are strongly encouraged to get a charted line now, instead of waiting until the final points are tallied.

In addition to having at least five starts in the County Fair Series, horsemen must also possess an official satisfactory charted performance line within 45 days of declaration.

A special non-wagering Racing Under Saddle championship is also scheduled for race day featuring the top point earners of 2019. RUS NY was formed in 2014 to increase interest in Standardbred racing and showcase the versatility of the Standardbred breed. The series received a $7,500 grant for initial purse money provided by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund.

“The New York Sire Stakes County Fair Series continues to be a vital part of our state-bred program, providing young horses with an opportunity to race while introducing harness racing to new audiences,” said M. Kelly Young, executive director of the Fund. “These finals are a showcase of the people and horses who excelled this summer on the county fair racing circuit and we congratulate all on a successful season.”

New York Harness Horse Breeders will be sponsoring the traditional horseman’s barbecue in the paddock on the day of the finals.