by Frank Drucker, publicity director, Empire City at Yonkers Raceway

Yonkers, NY — The first downstate New York Sire Stakes event of 2008 hits town Thursday night, July 10, when Yonkers Raceway hosts the $192,712 Milt Taylor Trot.

Post time for the 10-race card is 7:40 p.m., with the quintet of statebred events for frosh colts and geldings going as races two, four, six, eight and nine. This is also the first NYSS of the season for this plebe class, 33 of which have been entered here.

The first division includes Hitontheflipside (Kevin Cummings, post two), a son of Giant Hit-Lynden Leah who arrives off consecutive wins at Buffalo, the latter in a life-best 2:06.3.

Thursday’s second grouping finds Spin Spanky Spin (Dan Daley, post one), who added straps for his most recent Vernon qualifier and rolled home. The son of Conway Hall-Spin The Planet makes his purse debut in this race.

The third NYSS event includes Grand Way (John Stark, Jr., post six), who, like “Spanky,” threw on the straps and aired in his own Vernon qualifier. The son of Conway Hall-Grand Abby is another making his pari-mutuel debut.

The penultimate event has DW’s Smooth Talker (Kim Crawford, post two), a son of Dilbert Hanover-Trash Talkin, progessing steadily in his Saratoga qualifiers. He won (2:04.3) there in his final non-betting tune-up.

Thursday’s final sire stakes event finds Bailey Banks (Jason Bartlett, post six), a son of Conway Hall-Pompous who was second in a Chester baby race and third in a Meadowlands non-bettor.

Yonkers now offers a six-night-per-week live harness schedule (Monday through Friday at 7:40 p.m., Saturday at 6:50 p.m.). Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.