by M. Kelly Young, executive assistant, the Harness Horse Breeders of New York State

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.—The post positions for the $1.2 million New York Sire Stakes Night of Champions were draw Wednesday morning, Sept. 14, during a special press conference in the clubhouse at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway. All eight Sire Stakes finals will carry a purse of $150,000 and the champions will be decided this Saturday, Sept. 17.

All four of last year’s 2-year-old champions have returned to defend their titles—Twin B Senorita in the filly trot (post eight, race eight), Belle Reve in the filly pace (post two, race five), Maximum Return in the colt trot (post three, race six) and Dear Old Boy in the colt pace (post five, race 10).

Trainer Paul Doherty of the Ray Schnittker Stable will send out seven starters in the Night of Champions, the largest contingent from any single stable. Doherty will send out two of the favorites in the hotly contested 3-year-old filly trot: Creditability will leave from post four with Jim Morrill Jr. and Twin B Senorita will start from post eight with Schnittker.

The trio of trainers Gates Brunet and locals John Stark Jr. and David Spagnola will each send out three starters.

Also on the card, Saratoga Raceway will feature several classy overnight events, boosting total purses for the 14-race card to $1,250,500. This is the single richest night of racing in the history of the track.

Post time at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway will be at 7:10 p.m. There will be a special limited-edition Night of Champions hat giveaway to the first 2,000 guests.

The complete post position draw is as follows:

RACE 3—2-Year-Old Pacing Colts & Geldings

PP Horse Driver

1 Tuffofthetoughest Ray Schnittker

2 No Wrong Dan Cappello Jr.

3 Camarque Jeff Gregory

4 Winbak Dimensions John Cummings Jr.

5 Midazzler Stephane Bouchard

6 Collision Rod LaFramboise

7 Pandrogynous Jim Morrill Jr.

8 Proud American Brian Allen

AE1 Pansel And Gretel Jim Morrill Jr.

AE2 Dont Be Skeerd Jack Rice

RACE 4—2-Year-Old Trotting Colts & Geldings

HD PP Horse Driver

1 1 Algiers Hall John Stark Jr.

1A 8 Cold Winner Stephane Bouchard

2 2 The Winner Jeff Gregory

3 3 North Conway Brian Cross

4 4 RC Royalty Dan Daley

5 5 Matchstick Man Ray Schnittker

6 6 Kid Conway Wally Hennessey

7 7 Credit Alert Jack Rice

AE The Prosecutor Ray Schnittker

RACE 5—3-Year-Old Pacing Fillies

PP Horse Driver

1 New Bristol Josie Rod LaFramboise

2 Belle Reve Bill Bailey

3 Seamstresforthepan James Pantaleano

4 Chapeau Brian Cross

5 Pop Queen Wally Hennessey

6 Venus Blue Chip Joe Pavia Jr.

7 Perfectly Sealed Jeff Gregory

8 American Village Brian Allen

AE1 Here Comes Gia Claude Huckabone III

AE2 Philly Kadushin Brian Allen

RACE 6—3-Year-Old Trotting Colts & Geldings

PP Horse Driver

1 The Big Cat Howard Okusko Jr.

2 Carie’s Credit Bill Bailey

3 Maximum Return Ivan Davies

4 Getthemoney Brian Allen

5 Farmer Jones John Wagner

6 Cromwell Jeff Gregory

7 Victory Speech Brian Cross

8 Hewitt Blue Chip Ray Schnittker

AE1 Nowerland Alan Brian Cross

AE2 Kingpin T Bruce Mattison

RACE 7—2-Year-Old Trotting Fillies

HD PP Horse Driver

1 3 Sappho Blue Chip Ray Schnittker

1A 7 Gluteus Maximus Jim Morrill Jr.

2 1 Ackbro Ms Perfect Scott Mongeon

3 2 Stardust Jeff Gregory

4 4 Quick Credit Brian Mattison

5 5 Lina’s Lottery Rod LaFramboise

6 6 Nowerland Nanette Brian Cross

7 8 Claudia Jan Johnson

AE Reichers Brian Allen

RACE 8—3-Year-Old Trotting Fillies

PP Horse Driver

1 Whitesand Samantha Stephane Bouchard

2 Fancy’s Hit Rod LaFramboise

3 College Credit Jeff Gregory

4 Creditability Jim Morrill Jr.

5 I’m A Star John Stark Jr.

6 Off The Wall Kim Crawford

7 Black Chip Winner TBA

8 Twin B Senorita Ray Schnittker

AE Winners Only Brian Allen

RACE 9—2-Year-Old Pacing Fillies

PP Horse Driver

1 Darlin’s Delight Yannick Gingras

2 Love Card TBA

3 The Red Robin Wally Hennessey

4 My True Delight Brian Allen

5 Liantramar Jeff Gregory

6 Parapanalia Jim Morrill Jr.

7 Four Starz Aimster Jim Morrill Jr.

8 Rita J Stephane Bouchard

AE Princess Austral Dan Cappello Jr.

RACE 10—3-Year-Old Pacing Colts & Geldings

PP Horse Driver

1 Rustling Jeff Ruel Goodblood Jr.

2 Dream Package Brian Cross

3 Whelan Mike Howard Okusko Jr.

4 Eyes On Kassa Stephane Bouchard

5 Dear Old Boy Wally Hennessey

6 Four One One Jeff Gregory

7 Waterfront Success Kim Crawford

8 Four Starz Dlivery Greg Merton

AE1 Pat’s All Star Jeff Gregory

AE2 Braeden’s Drive Fern Paquet Jr.