The Meadowlands Racetrack has announced that is introducing a slate of late-closing series for the 2018 racing season. All of the series are written with two legs and a final.
The first cluster will be raced in April and is for horses of all ages with separate events for pacing horses and mares that were non-winners of six extended pari-mutuel races lifetime or non-winners of $125,000 in 2017. The trotters will combine the sexes with the condition being for non-winners of six (fillies and mares eight) extended pari-mutuel races lifetime or non-winners of $125,000 (fillies and mares $150,000) in 2017. The added money for each is $40,000 and the estimated final purse is $50,000. The conditions for these are through and including December 31, 2017 and a nomination payment of $500 is due by February 15 for this first group.
The second group of closers will be raced through the month of May and are restricted to three-year-olds with a separate division dedicated to each gait and sex. The conditions for those events read: non-winners of two extended pari-mutuel races or $25,000 lifetime (winners of over $75,000 lifetime are ineligible). Be aware that to help accommodate those horses that may have won second-tier state bred stakes at age two, a clause that states ‘state-bred wins for $10,000 or less first money not considered on wins’ has been included in the conditions. These finals are at $30,000 added, estimated to be $40,000. The conditions are through and including March 15 and the $500 nomination deadline is the same date.
Questions should be directed to Meadowlands Race Secretary Peter Koch at 201-842-5130.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)