Schenectady, NY — The New York Sire Stakes County Fair Series is set to begin Thursday (June 20) at the Chenango County Fair in Afton. The County Fair finals, scheduled for Sept. 5 at Monticello Raceway, will be contested for $10,000 purses in each of the eight divisions. The full schedule of race dates can be viewed here.

Horsemen should note that declarations close for Afton on Saturday (June 15) at 10 a.m. Entries for all NYSS County Fair events will now be made through the NY County Fair Entry Hotline at 518.388.0964 or online through the USTA. If you are entering online, be sure to add the fair tracks to your account in advance. Entries for all overnight events, including at Afton, should be made by calling the fair race secretary directly. This number is included with information on each fair in the NYSS 2019 County Fair Schedule Book.

Horsemen should also note that the draw schedule for the season will follow a new four-day box, as opposed to the historical three-day box. Careful attention should be paid to draw dates.

The New York Sire Stakes County Fair series consists of 20 non-pari-mutuel harness racing events open to eligible 2- and 3-year-old New York-bred Standardbreds. The events provide young horses with the opportunity to earn as they learn, while bringing the community together for a series of races.

“I am excited to kick off this year’s New York Sire Stakes County Fair season at Afton next week and see the debut of many of our young New York-bred horses. We look forward to this time of year each summer and are so proud to partner with the individual county fairs to bring these events to their towns,” said M. Kelly Young, executive director, Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. “We love having the opportunity to introduce harness racing to new audiences at the fairs and hopefully spark an interest in the sport for years to come.”

Select County Fair series race dates will also include Racing Under Saddle (RUS) exhibitions. RUS is a hybrid between harness and Thoroughbred racing where riders race atop Standardbreds at a trot. RUS NY was formed in 2014 to increase interest in the sport and showcase the versatility of the Standardbred breed.