from the Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund

Schenectady, NY — The Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund has released the approved schedule for the New York Sire Stakes County Fair series.

This year’s season gets underway on July 2 at Historic Track in Goshen, N.Y. The County Fair finals, scheduled for Sept. 6 at Monticello Raceway, will be contested for $10,000 purses.

The County Fair series will consist of 20 non-pari-mutuel harness racing fairs open to eligible 2- and 3-year-old New York Standardbreds, separated into eight divisions based on age, gender and gait. These events provide young horses with the opportunity to earn as they learn, while providing an opportunity to reach a new audience of race fans.

“County Fair racing is part of the rich tradition of harness racing and both horsemen and fans alike look forward to the New York Sire Stakes County Fair series each summer,” said M. Kelly Young, Executive Director of the Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund. “We love having the opportunity to introduce harness racing to new audiences at the fairs and we hope they will show an interest in the sport for years to come. These events also provide a great proving ground for young horses and young trainers and drivers to begin their careers.”

The County Fair Series will also include Racing Under Saddle (RUS) events at nine separate fairs. RUS is similar to Europe’s monte racing in which riders race atop Standardbreds, usually at a trot. RUS-NY was formed in 2014 to increase interest in the sport and showcase the versatility of the Standardbred breed.

The New York Sire Stakes promote the breeding, buying, and racing of Standardbred horses in New York State, and are administered by the Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund. A complete schedule of this season’s races can be found at https://nysirestakes.com/.