Yonkers: New York Night of Champions showcased on Saturday night

New York Night of Champions for 2020 is in the books as the sire stakes champions in the 2-year-old and 3-year-old divisions were decided in eight $225,000 finals on Saturday night at Yonkers Raceway.

Test Of Faith (Jim Marohn Jr.) was victorious in the Winbak Farm 2-year-old filly pace to kick off the card. She took the lead after the 27 2/5 opening quarter and never faced a serious threat from there, winning by two lengths in 1:54 1/5. Heart Of Mine (Jason Bartlett) finished in second, with Albergita Hanover third.

A filly by Art Major, Test Of Faith is trained by Brett Pelling for owners Melvin Segal, Kentuckiana Racing Stable, and Eddie Gran. She has five victories and a second from six efforts, and she has now banked $257,750. Bred by Fred Hertrich, Test Of Faith fetched $92,000 at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale and is the fourth foal of the Cam's Card Shark mare Cannae Cammie (1:50 2/5, $538,140). This makes Test Of Faith a half-sister to Alexis Faith (American Ideal, 1:50 3/5, $577,874) and to Can't Beach That (Somebeachsomewhere, 1:49, $204,600). Test Of Faith was the 1-5 favorite and returned $2.40 to win.

The next two races, the Allerage Farm 3-year-old filly trot and the Crawford Farms 2-year-old filly trot, both went to driver Brian Sears, trainer Marcus Melander, and owner Courant Inc. Hypnotic AM was their first victor, and she romped on the engine to a five length win in 1:55 over No Mas Drama (Joe Bongiorno) and Without A Warning (Scott Zeron), and then Iteration overcame an extended break before the start, getting up in the shadow of the wire from second-over to beat Aela Jamieson (Andy Miller) by a nose in 1:59, with Melander-trainer Insured AM (George Brennan) third.

Hypnotic AM and Iteration are both daughters of Chapter Seven. Hypnotic AM, who paid $2.50 to win as the heavy favorite, now has a record of 11-4-2 from 17 starts, and she has earned $916,260. She was also a NYSS champion a year ago. Iteration, who is a full sister to two-time NYSS final winner Gimpanzee (out of the Muscle Massive mare Steamy Windows), has three victories, a second, and a third from five chances, and she has pocketed $147,694. A $250,000 Standardbred Horse Sale buy, she was bred by Order By Stable. Iteration returned $4.20 to win as the second choice.

The biggest upset of the finals occurred in the 2-year-old colt and gelding trot when 19-1 shot Steel (A. Miller) split foes in the lane after a pocket trip and got up for the win by a head in 1:59. Unwritten Chapter (Dexter Dunn) came on from second-over to finish in the runner-up spot, and pace-setter Incommunicado (Scott Zeron) got third. Previously-unbeaten Ambassador Hanover (Ake Svanstedt) ended up fourth after a first-up journey.

Trained by Julie Miller, Steel is a Chapter Seven gelding owned by Pinske Stables and Crawford Farms Racing. Steel broke his maiden in his sixth opportunity, and he has now stashed away $152,161. Also bred by Crawford Farms Racing, Steel fetched $65,000 at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale and is out of the Credit Winner mare Pink Power, a half-sister to a couple of Breeders Crown winners in Pick Me Up and Flirtin Miss. Steel paid $40.20 to win.

The 2-year-old colt and gelding pace saw another undefeated colt toppled as American Courage (Matt Kakaley) wasn't himself after leading through the 57 1/5 half, backing through the field off the third turn while King James Express (Bartlett) overhauled him from first-up. After taking over, King James Express held sway, defeating Town Gossip (Bongiorno), who got caught in the pocket behind the backpedaling American Courage, by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:56. Carrythetorchman (Marcus Miller) came in third.

King James Express, a gelding by Art Major, is co-owned by trainer Mark Harder in partnership with Deena Frost, Wayne Carleton, and Dean Lockhart. King James Express, who was bred by Gregory Dey and fetched $20,000 at the 2019 Standardbred Horse Sale, has a record of 3-0-1 from seven efforts, and he has pocketed $173,181. King James Express is the fifth foal out of the Dragon Again mare More Diamonds (1:53 3/5, $66,844), a half-sister to the likes of Diamond Stick Pin (Bettor's Delight, 1:49 3/5, $557,102). King James Express was a 4-1 shot and returned $11.80 to win.

Hen Party (Tim Tetrick) moved from the pocket to the top passing the 27 1/5 opening quarter in the sophomore filly pace, sponsored by Cameo Hills Farm, turned away a first-over So Rude (Bongiorno) past the 56 second half, and held sway in the lane over a rallying 112-1 shot Moaning Lisa (Marohn Jr.) to tally by a length and a quarter. Galleria Gal (Kakaley) collected third.

A daughter of Roll With Joe, Hen Party is trained by Tony Alagna for owner Crawford Farms Racing. This was her tenth career win, and she has now earned $541,621. She paid $2.80 to win as the 2-5 favorite.

Hobbs (Bartlett) was well-rated on the lead through stations of 28 3/5, 58 4/5, and 1:28 1/5 in the 3-year-old male trot and pulled away from pocket-sitter Chaptiama (Sears) in the last quarter, prevailing by 2 3/4 lengths in 1:56 3/5. Bourbon Express (Tyler Buter) got third.

The victorious gelding by Credit Winner is trained by Jim Campbell for owner/breeder Runthetable Stables. This was Hobbs's sixth lifetime triumph, and he has now put away $391,818. He returned $4.60 to win as the second choice.

Completing the sire stakes champions was Blank Stare (Corey Callahan), who wore down leader Splash Brother (Buter) from first-up in the lane and took the Blue Chip Farms 3-year-old colt and gelding pace by three-parts of a length in 1:52 2/5 at odds of 10-1. Genius Man (M. Miller) came in third.

John Butenschoen trains Blank Stare, a gelding by Bolt The Duer, for owners Harmony Oaks Racing Stable Inc., James Crawford IV, and In Over My Head Stable. Blank Stare sent his bankroll to $244,299 and paid $22.40 to win.