from Batavia Downs Media Relations

Batavia, NY — The New York Sires Stakes Night of Champions is set for Sept. 22 at Yonkers, but a Wednesday night (Sept. 12) clash of 3-year-old colt trotting titans at Batavia Downs Casino will give harness racing fans a sneak preview of the championship.

The 3-year-old colt and gelding trotters, featuring Yonkers Trot winner Archangel, invade Batavia and so do some of the top dashwinning drivers in North America. Namely, two of the top five drivers — The Minister of Speed, George Brennan, and Dan Noble — and four of the top 16 with Jim Morrill, Jr. and The White Knight, Brian Sears.

While Noble has been a regular weekday driver during the current Batavia meet, Morrill, Sears and Brennan are coming for Sires Stakes drives in the final series event of the season. It’s also the final New York Sire Stakes card of the Batavia season. First race post time is 6:25 p.m.

The kings of the 3-year-old colt trotting division — Brookroad Knight, Archangel and Coraggioso — have solidified spots in the Sept. 22 championship showdown. They will still very likely put on a show of speed in the ninth race, which is the second of two NYSS events on the 12-race program.

Coraggioso (12 starts, 6-3-1, $284,186) drew the rail and Sears will again drive for trainer Gates Brunet and owners Joe Spadaro and Tom Durkin. Sitting right alongside as the gate swings postward will be Archangel, the Yonkers Trot champ who finished fourth in the Hambletonian on August 4 at the Meadowlands. Morrill drives Archangel (13 starts, 9-2-0, $681,499) for trainer Peter Arrigenna and the ownership group of Alan Hainsworth, Arrigenna and Clare Semer.

The NYSS points leader, Brookroad Knight, drew post six and will be driven by Jeff Gregory. Brookroad Knight (10 starts, 5-2-1, $220,491) has 208 series points for trainer Bruce Borden and owner John O’Connor. Archangel (4-for-4 in NYSS action), Coraggioso and Delano are tied for second at 200 series points.

All three are coming off NYSS victories at Yonkers on Sept. 4. Archangel (by Credit Winner) won on a track labeled good in 1:56.4, Brookroad Knight (by CR Excalibur) triumphed in 1:57.1 and Coraggioso (by Conway Hall) tripped the beam in 1:58.4.

But while those three already have reservations at Yonkers on Sept. 22, some trotters — like Trouble (George Brennan drives from post four in race nine) and Slugfest (Ray Schnittker, post five, race nine) — are trying to solidify their berth in the final.

And still others are looking to leapfrog their way into the Night of Champions, like No Frosting (Jeff Gregory, post three, race seven), New York Attitude (Fern Paquet, post four, race seven) and A Penny Earned (Sears, post six, race seven).

Which is why two track records could be in jeopardy. Whata Winner set the mark of 1:56.2 for 3-year-old colt trotters in 2010 for Jim Doherty. Earl still holds the all-age track record of 1:56, which was set in the 1993 Provenzano Trot. It’s the longest-standing record at the Western New York track.

The morning-line favorite in the seventh race is Mado Dream. George Brennan will be in the sulky for trainer Anette Lorentzon. Mado Dream (Taurus Dream) is fifth in the NYSS points standings at 162.

There are also two divisions of the Excelsior Series on the program.

The visit by 3-year-old colt NYSS trotters caps quite a five-day stretch. The Cane Pace winner, Dynamic Youth, competed on Saturday night in the NYSS series for 3-year-old colt pacers and now the Yonkers Trot winner, Archangel, comes to town.

And the visit by the NYSS series comes just three days after the 24th anniversary of what some consider to be the biggest event ever at Batavia Downs, the Breeders Crown for older trotting mares won by Armbro Flori. That field of 10 great trotters in 1988 had combined earnings of $522,202 and the fastest horse had a mark of 1:54.2. The ninth race on Wednesday has seven NYSS trotters and they have combined earnings of $1.6 million and a lifetime best of 1:53.1.

As for the drivers, Brennan ranks fourth in seasonal victories with 438, Noble is fifth at 403, Morrill is 12th with 335 and Sears is tied for 16th at 325.

Racing fans unable to attend the races can watch all the action from Batavia Downs via streaming video at www.bataviadownscasino.com. Simply click on the “Live Racing” section and then on the “Video” link.