The $350,000 (est.) Progress Pace and all eight Matron Stakes highlight the opening weeks of Dover Downs' 40th season.

The month-long festival of stakes action begins on November 2 with $25,000 Progress Pace eliminations plus three sophomore divisions in the Matron Stakes.

Following the elims, the top eight in Progress Pace and Matron divisions return the following week on Sunday, November 9 for the lucrative finals.

Then on Saturday, November 8, the top two-year-olds vie in Matron colt and filly trot and pace eliminations. These four finals take place on November 15.

The Matron three-year-old colts tangle in December 8 elims with a December 15 final.

Horses nominated to the November 2 Progress Pace and Matron elims for three-year-olds must be dropped in to race by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28.

Declaration fee for those staked to the Progress Pace is $3,000. The Matron declaration fee is $1,500. Supplemental declarations to these events is $25,000 made payable to the Hambletonian Society and due at time of declaration.

Saturday and Sunday racing starts at 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday post time is 4:30 p.m.

Dover Downs Major Stakes

2008 Progress Pace
November 2 - $25,000 elims
November 9 - $25,000 consolation
November 9 - $350,000 final

Matron Stakes elims
November 2 – 3-year-old filly pace - $60,000
November 2 – 3-year-old filly trot - $75,000
November 2 – 3-year-old colt trot - $75,000
November 8 - 2-year-old filly pace - $70,000
November 8 - 2-year-old filly trot - $70,000
November 8 - 2-year-old colt pace - $75,000
November 8 - 2-year-old colt trot - $75,000
December 8 – 3-year-old colt pace - $70,000

Matron Stakes finals
November 9 – 3-year-old filly pace - $200,000
November 9 – 3-year-old filly trot - $225,000
November 9 – 3-year-old colt trot - $220,000
November 15 – 2-year-old filly pace - $230,000
November 15 – 2-year-old filly trot - $200,000
November 15 – 2-year-old colt pace - $265,000
November 15 – 2-year-old colt trot - $225,000
December 15 – 3-year-old colt pace - $235,000

2008 Delaware S-Bred Breeders Fund legs
November 22 – 2-year-old filly pace #1 - $20,000
November 22 – 2-year-old filly trot #1 - $20,000
November 23 – 2-year-old colt pace #1 - $20,000
November 23 – 2-year-old colt trot #1 - $20,000
November 29 – 2-year-old filly pace #2 - $20,000
November 29 - 2-year-old filly trot #2 - $20,000
November 30 – 2-year-old colt pace #2 - $20,000
November 30 – 2-year-old colt trot #2 - $20,000

2008 Delaware Sbred Breeders Fund finals
December 7 - 2-year-old filly pace - $100,000
December 7 - 2-year-old filly trot - $100,000
December 8 - 2-year-old colt pace - $100,000
December 8 - 2-year-old colt trot - $100,000

(Dover Downs)