Harness: New York Sire Stakes announces 2021 schedule

The New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) today released the approved schedules for the 2021 racing season, announcing that this season's Night of Champions Finals will be hosted at Yonkers Raceway on September 10. Finals for the Excelsior Series will be held at Vernon Downs on September 11. The full 2021 NYSS and Excelsior Series schedules can be found here.

"The New York Sire Stakes would like to thank the seven harness tracks in New York for working through the challenges that this year brings and helping us to produce another strong schedule for New York-bred horses," said Kelly Young, executive director, Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund. "We are excited to see what the new race season brings as our champions return and the offspring of past champions hit the track for the first time."

The New York Night of Champions purses will be $200,000 for each of the eight divisions. Purses for the Excelsior Finals have been approved at $50,000 for each division. All divisions feature five preliminary legs, plus an extra Excelsior leg at Goshen that carries a purse but no points for 3-year-olds.

Conditions have been finalized and posted for the Excelsior Series and County Fair Series, with minimal changes from last year. Purse levels have remained the same for both series.

The NYSS would like to remind horsemen that the 2021 stakes payments for 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds must be made online or postmarked by Tuesday, Feb. 16, due to the President's Day holiday.  To make your payment online, visit nysirestakes.com.

If your payment is returned for any reason, please save all documentation and dated materials, including postmarks.

If you have any questions, contact the New York Sire Stakes at info@nysirestakes.com or 518-388-0178.  

-edited release (NYSS)