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

Yonkers, NY — The New York Sire Stakes caravan returns downstate Thursday night (August 9), with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $285,120 Jim Meagher Pace for 2-year-old colts and geldings.

The event, honoring the memory of the Raceway’s long-time corporate controller, was drawn and quartered as races one, three, four and five.

Leading the opening $71,605 Sire Stakes event is Deny Deny Deny (Tim Tetrick, post five). The son of Art Major, trained by Linda Toscano for owner Ken Jacobs, has a statebred win (Buffalo) and a pair of seconds in his four tries ($59,444). Tijuana Party (Montrell Teague, post one) and Framed Art (Mark MacDonald, post seven) also own NYSS wins.

The second $71,605 division finds Jacobs, Toscano and Tetrick teaming up again, this time with Doctor Butch (post four). The Art Major colt is the state’s elite frosh, with three wins (life-best 1:54 at Saratoga) and a pair of seconds in five tries ($100,129). Doctor Butch returns here for the first time since winning his elim for the Lawrence B. Sheppard Pace, then finishing second (from the eight hole) in the $119,000 final.

Competition can be found with Thirty Two Red (Ray Schnittker, post two), a son of Bettor’s Delight who was second to Doctor Butch a week ago at Batavia. Like Doctor Butch, Americasgottalent (Jason Bartlett, post one) and Dealmaker (Larry Stalbaum, post three) made it to the final of the Sheppard. Both are sons of American Ideal (Dealmaker is a gelding).

Thursday night’s third event, worth $70,305, includes Bet The Moon (Bartlett, post six), thrice second in four first-season tries ($41,307), and Story Book (Stalbaum, post three), a statebred winner (Saratoga) and four board finishes in five efforts ($45,749).

The evening’s final $71,605 Sire Stakes soiree offers Toscano and Tetrick and Swift As A Shadow (post two). The son of Bettor’s Delight fought off a stubborn Bet The Moon last week at Batavia (life-best 1:56) for his second (statebred) win in four tries ($43,665).

The Raceway continues its normal five night per week live schedule, with first post every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:10 p.m. Evening simulcasting accompanies all live programs, with afternoon simulcasting available around the NYRA schedule.