by M. Kelly Young, Executive Assistant, Harness Horse Breeders of NYS

LATHAM, N.Y.—One of the mysteries of the New York Sire Stakes program this season is where have all the 3-year-old trotting colts come from? With approximately the same number of eligible horses as the other three sophomore gait and gender divisions, the trotting colt races have consistently drawn one-and-a-half times the competitors of the other divisions.

This was again the fact when 46 horses crowded the entry box for their second leg of Sire Stakes action on Tuesday, July 20, at Saratoga Gaming and Raceway. This event was split into six divisions to accommodate all the entries. Combined purses will total more than $127,012.

One of the colts trying to distinguish himself from the pack on Tuesday will be Rapphappy Kash, a son of El Paso Kash. Owned by Paul and Pauline Nower of Hamilton, N.Y., the colt won his first Sire Stakes test at Buffalo Raceway on June 26, but will try to rebound from a poor finish July 4 at Historic Track in Goshen, N.Y.

“He couldn’t really grip the track in Goshen and didn’t finish well,” said Pauline Nower. “But we’re really happy with him. He has a big burst coming home and he responds to everything. He’s quite a racehorse, he really wants to do it and he just shines.”

“Gibson (trainer Gary Gibson) is awfully happy with him. He does everything you ask of him,” added Paul Nower, who didn’t want to speak too highly of his own colt for fear of being immodest.

Gibson, who trains five horses for the Nowers at Vernon Downs, has also driven Rapphappy Kash this season. Together the pair have scored five victories in seven starts.

“We’ve known Gary for 25 years or more. He was always stabled here (at Vernon) and he drove our horses off and on during that time,” explained Paul, who moved some horses into Gibson’s barn for the first time last year. “I really like him with a trotter. I don’t think there is any other man you could give the reins of a horse unknown to that would do a better job of driving him.”

Rapphappy Kash has earned more than $20,000 this year, the second largest of all the trotters on Tuesday. He is behind only defending champion Last Call at Dem’s, who has $25,000 on his card. That colt will start in the third race from post five with trainer and co-owner Ray Schnittker and will seek to extend his present win streak to three.

Schnittker will also start Nauru Blue Chip in race four. This Sir Taurus colt won his last start by 11 lengths over Goshen’s half-mile track, which serves as the trainer’s base. The colt will now attempt to prove himself off his home turf.

South Jersey Devil, starting from post eight in race six, will try to better the second-place finish he earned in his last two Sire Stakes outings. Steven Reisenweaver owns, trains and drives the colt.

Sire Stakes events are carded as races three, four, six, eight, 10 and 11 on the program. Post time is 7:10 p.m.