Batavia, NY – The New York Sire Stakes will make its final stop of 2026 at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 2) with a short but select group of 3-year-old male trotters going postward for $115,500 in purse money.
This is a very betable field as the program will indicate, but the one horse who has faced the best 3-year-old trotters on the Grand Circuit this year is AI.
AI (Chapter Seven-Image Of Bee) was the 2-year-old male trotting champion of the NYSS last year and won that title at Batavia Downs with his 1:57.2 effort in the $300,000 final. This year, he only has two starts in the NYSS, which includes a win in 1:54.3 at Yonkers Raceway (which stands as his lifetime mark) and a second at Tioga Downs.
But the small number of starts was because he has had a very busy stakes schedule outside of the program. He finished fourth in the $500,000 Oak Grove Derby, fourth in the $250,000 Yonkers Trot and seventh in the $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands that was won by Apex in 1:49.2. That time was a new stakes and track record and only one-fifth of a second off the world record for a 3-year-old trotter. AI was race timed in 1:51.2 in that race.
The Hambletonian was on Aug. 8, and AI has only had one start since. That was on Aug. 22 in the $300,000 Beal Memorial at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, where he finished sixth and was race-timed in 1:52.1. Now back in 10 days for this race, AI should be tight and ready to roll as he heads toward the NYSS final.
AI has drawn post 2 for Hall of Fame trainer Ron Burke, who has assigned Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to drive once again.
Looking to stand in AI’s way on Wednesday is the formidable trotting team of Chapter Geo J and Twin B Seven Sins from the Noel Daley Stable.
Chapter Geo J (Chapter Seven-Miss Vet Hanover) is the second highest earner ($100,275) and points-getter (142) of this division. He is a five-time winner this year, four of which came in his last five starts. Two of those wins were in NYSS races at Yonkers, where he went a career best 1:54.3 mile, and Monticello, where he jogged by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55.1 with a :27.4 kicker. This colt loves the front end, and this short field is perfect for him to apply that strategy.
Chapter Geo J will start from post 4 with Jason Barltett aboard for the ride.
Chapter Geo J’s stablemate, Twin B Seven Sins (Chapter Seven-Affair Hall), is winless this year. But it’s not for lack of solid performances. He’s been second three times by a combined total of only 1-3/4 lengths, including his start in the Empire Breeders Classic in June to Spencer Hanover and last week’s effort that saw him fall short to this division’s overall leader, Read The Room. And both of those races featured fast :27.2 closing panels. That late burst can pay big dividends for him with his favorable draw in this abbreviated group.
Twin B Seven Sins has drawn the pylon position to start and will have Drew Monti between the wheels for the race.
There is also one $20,000 NYSS Excelsior Series event on the card, programmed as race 7.
Post time for the first race at Batavia Downs on Wednesday is 4 p.m. (EDT).