At a meeting of the Agricultural & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund on Tuesday morning, the Fund unanimously approved a significant addition of the number of sire stakes legs to be contested at Yonkers Raceway during 2009. The action came following a request for more legs from Yonkers Raceway, and it was supported by the Standardbred Owners Association of New York.

 

The trustees of the Fund unanimously agreed to the additional dates. Also, there will be an additional $400,000 that will be utilized for overnight races for 2 and 3 year old New York Sire Stakes eligible horses, tentatively planned for October and November 2009. The exact details of those races, including dates, will be structured in consultations between Yonkers Raceway management and the Fund's executive director, Peter Goold.

 

The value of the added opportunities for owners of NY-sired horses at Yonkers is calculated to be an additional $2.5 million on top of the $2.1 million previously scheduled to be raced for at Yonkers in 2009. (Standardbred Owners Association of New York)