from the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund.

Albany, NY — The first New York Sire Stakes County Fair races of the season will kick off this week on Tuesday (July 4) at the Goshen Historic Track, followed by races on Thursday (July 6) in Afton at the Chenango County Fair. The New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) promotes the breeding, buying, and racing of Standardbred horses in New York State and is administered by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund.

The County Fair races are a series of non-pari-mutuel harness races hosted at 20 different county fairs. The races are open to eligible 2- and 3-year-old New York Standardbreds and are separated into four divisions based on age and gait: 3-year-old pacers and trotters and 2-year-old pacers and trotters. A complete schedule of County Fair races is listed at www.nysirestakes.com.

“New York’s equine industry, including its unparalleled Standardbred racing sector, is a vital part of New York agriculture, and the Sire Stakes program is key to the success of the industry for years to come,” said Richard A. Ball, State Agriculture Commissioner and Board Trustee, Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. “I look forward to the start of the County Fair races, which provide young horses with the opportunity to earn as they learn, while bringing the community together for a fast-paced, exciting series of races.”

The County Fair finals for each age and gait will be held at the Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sept. 15 and the New York Sire Stakes finals will take place on Oct. 14 at Yonkers Raceway.

At the start of this year’s season, the New York Sire Stakes launched its new Facebook and Twitter accounts with the goal of sharing news and race results with fans and members of the harness racing community. Updates to the existing www.nysirestakes.com website are ongoing.