Batavia, NY – A single field of eight 2-year-old trotting colts and geldings will go postward for a purse of $110,200 when the New York Sire Stakes reconvenes at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Aug. 5.) The race will feature a recent track record holder who will be on hand to try and set another in a field that will offer a lot of competition.
Bailey J (Chapter Seven-Fade Into You) made his first lifetime start at Monticello on July 20 and broke the track record for male freshman trotters by over a full second. He sat third behind Archon (who is in this race) the entire mile until the stretch, where he tipped and trotted away by a length in an impressive 1:56.2 clocking. Last week, he cut the mile at Saratoga before being caught by Gio’s Hope, who is the second leading point and purse earner in this division and is not entered here this week.
Trainer Noel Daley has Jason Bartlett up again behind Bailey J and they have drawn the pylon position for this start.
Uncle Rob (Met’s Hall-Jesse’s Con) is the most accomplished freshman trotter among this group so far with three wins and $116,250 in earnings this year as he heads into Wednesday night’s action. In his most recent start at Saratoga, Uncle Rob went gate to wire in 1:57.3 with a slick :28.4 last quarter, establishing a new lifetime mark. His only major flaw to date was a break at the gate two weeks ago at Monticello that he could not recover from.
Uncle Rob is trained by Julie Miller and will have Andy Miller aboard, starting from post five.
Archon (Chapter Seven-Queen Paige) has yet to win a race this year, but it’s not due to lack of effort. After winning a qualifier in 1:57.4 by 17-1/2 lengths at Vernon Downs, Archon finished third in NYSS action at Vernon, and then second by a length in the aforementioned outing with Bailey J at Monticello, where he was race timed in 1:56.3. Last week he made an unfortunate break at Saratoga while making a move at three-quarters. But if you give him a pass for that miscue, he is as formidable as any trotter in this race.
Jordan Stratton will team Archon for trainer Dan Daley and will start from post four on Wednesday.
The NYSS main event is programmed as race six on the 13-race card. There are also two $20,000 NYSS Excelsior Series trots carded as race seven and eight. Post time for the first race at Batavia Downs on Wednesday is 5 p.m.