The Meadowlands announced on Tuesday, April 1 that beginning with the 2025 edition, the Graduate Series finals will be titled to memorialize Stanley F. Bergstein.

For more than 50 years, Stan Bergstein was “The Man" in harness racing, passionately guiding the sport he loved through times of tremendous growth.

Bergstein was a writer, innovator, broadcaster, race announcer, master of ceremonies, editor, race secretary (the first to write “claiming” races), mentor, collector, spokesperson, horse owner, pedigree reader, consultant, auctioneer, ambassador, dean, humorist and sage.

In 1961, Bergstein joined Harness Tracks of America (HTA), a trade group representing racetrack owners, which at that time was comprised of 17 member tracks, and raised the membership to as high as 50 tracks at the association’s peak. He originally held the title of executive secretary and continued in that position and as executive vice president until his retirement in February 2011.

While in his role at HTA, Bergstein created a relationship between HTA and the University of Arizona's racing industry studies program and strove to hire its graduates for his organization. Many of his hires advanced to significant roles in both the Standardbred and Thoroughbred racing industries.

In 1968, Bergstein assumed the positions of vice president of publicity and public relations of the United States Trotting Association (USTA), the governing body of the Standardbred sport in the U.S. He also served as editor of the USTA's award-winning monthly magazine, Hoof Beats.

Perhaps Bergstein’s best-known work was in the infancy of cable television when he paired with Spencer Ross to introduce the nation to harness racing on the popular “Racing From Yonkers/Roosevelt” live action series on WOR-TV in New York City.

“Those were probably my happiest years. All my life’s been happy with harness racing, but they were years of accomplishment, years of ego satisfaction. The show was on a major station at a very good time,” Bergstein once said.

In 1986, Bergstein was elected to the Writers' Corner of the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame, then to the Living Hall of Fame the following year.

“Stan was a great friend and mentor to me when I was getting started in racetrack management,” said Jason Settlemoir, general manager at The Meadowlands. “I’m so pleased to be able to honour his memory with what has been a really great series of races over the years.”

Meadowlands president Jeff Gural observed that the recognition was long overdue.

“Bergstein was involved in every aspect of racing and it’s past time we recognize him for all he did on racing’s behalf,” said Gural.

The $500,000 USD Stan Bergstein Memorial Graduate finals will be raced at The Meadowlands on Saturday, July 5.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)