Yonkers, NY --- New York Sire Stakes return downstate Thursday night (June 21), with Yonkers Raceway hosting the $172,499 Art Watson Pace for 3-year-old fillies.
There are three consecutive divisions -- worth $56,833, $57,833 and $57,833, respectively -- going as races nine through 11. First post for the dozen-race card is 6:50 p.m.
The first NYSS ensemble finds Tell Me A Joke (Jim Morrill Jr., post two) eying a second statebred win. The daughter of Art Major went down-the-road at Tioga (1:53.2) and enters having won half of her six seasonal starts.
Hopefully, Tell Me A Joke has a short memory, since the last time she was here, she stopped to a walk on the lead as the odds-on favorite in her division of the Reynolds Memorial. The lass is co-owned by Howard and Judith Taylor and Blue Chip Bloodstock and is trained by Gareth Dowse.
Betterthangraduate (Matt Kakaley, post one) is trying to regain her six-figure frosh form. The Betterthancheddar miss is winless in a half-dozen tries this season.
The second NYSS division sees Pueblo Blue Chip (George Brennan, post six) going after another statebred win. After wiring her foes at Saratoga (1:53.3), she tried open company in WEG’s Fan Hanover, but was outrun. The American Ideal miss is trained by Ron Burke for co-owners Blue Chip Bloodstock, Michael Guerrero and Menary Racing.
Azreal As It Gets (Brian Sears, post seven) was the bridesmaid in last season’s $225,000 final of the NYSS here.
Speaking of last season’s statebred finale, the victress has returned. Alexis Faith (Jim Morrill Jr., post seven) is back stateside after two weeks in WEG’s Fan Hanover, tiring to fourth in last weekend’s final. The daughter of American Ideal is trained by Casie Coleman for co-owners West Wins Stable, Kevin McKinlay, Jim Fielding and J. Robert Darrow.
Wisdom Tree (Scott Zeron, post five) was a blowout sire stakes winner at Buffalo (1:54) in her latest outing.
The next New York Sire Stakes visit is Tuesday’s (June 26) Jim Meagher Pace (2-year-old colts/geldings, purse TBA).