The Meadowlands Racetrack is pleased to announce that the stakes event for older trotting mares formerly known as the Fresh Yankee shall be titled to memorialize longtime Grand Circuit ‘veterinarian to the stars’ Dr. John R Steele beginning with the 2017 edition of the race.

Dr. Steele graduated from Cornell University in 1946. After leaving academia, he developed a successful Standardbred practice in Vernon NY.

Dr. Steele travelled with the Grand Circuit for almost four decades and provided veterinary service to many world champions, a number of which were trained by Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, George Sholty, and Continental Farms.

He was acknowledged by his clients and peers as an astute lameness diagnostician who during the course of his career introduced many new and innovative therapies to the equine veterinary world.

Dr. Steele had a passion for trotters and even in his later years, rarely missed a Hambletonian.

John R Steele and Associates, the veterinary practice he founded and grew, is proud to sponsor, along with several veterinary pharmaceutical companies, the ‘Dr. John R. Steele Memorial’ in his honour at the Meadowlands.

Regarding the race itself, in just two years of existence it has been won by a pair of great mares. European invader D One made her presence known in the U.S. by winning the inaugural in 2015, while Hannelore Hanover captured last year's edition as part of her award winning season.

The 2017 purse is estimated to be $175,000.

Nominees to this and all Meadowlands stakes may be viewed on the website.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)