The initial payment deadline for eligibility to more than 164 stakes events at 15 different tracks, headlined by the 101st Anniversary of the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands on Aug. 8 and the $7 million USD Breeders Crown events on Oct. 23 and 24, is fast approaching.

Payments for all Hambletonian Society-serviced stakes are due on Feb. 15, and must be postmarked by midnight on Tuesday, Feb. 17 due to a weekend and a federal holiday (President's Day), per USTA Rule 12.02.

What's New?

The $100,000 (est.) USD Rockin Nola race for three-year-old and older pacing fillies and mares. It will be raced on Friday, Aug. 14 at Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Anderson, Ind.

The $500,000 USD Guaranteed Final Oak Grove Trotting Derby and $300,000 USD Oak Grove Trotting Oaks for three-year-old trotters. The eliminations will be raced on Monday, May 4 at Oak Grove Racing, Gaming & Hotel in Oak Grove, Ky. The finals will be raced on Saturday, May 16.

What's Moved?

The Colonial Trot and Colonial Oaks for three-year-olds. The two trots have moved to Harrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack in Chester, Pa. from Plainridge Park and will be raced on Saturday, Sept. 12 in divisions.

Race Name Changes

The following race names have been changed:

• Star Destroyer Series replaced with "The Pompano Park"
• Catholic Cowboy Series replaced with "The Hazel Park"
• Bally's Randy Series replaced with "The Balmoral Park"

The $7 Million USD Breeders Crown – 43rd Anniversary

The Breeders Crown will be celebrating its 43rd birthday at Scioto Downs on Oct. 23 and 24. The Crown continues to enjoy robust participation from all segments of the industry, and the guaranteed purses for 2026 reflect that. The purses are as follows:

• Friday, Oct. 23
  • All two-year-old races: $700,000 USD
• Saturday, October 24
  • All three-year-old races: $600,000 USD
  • Mare Trot and Mare Pace: $400,000 USD (Gtd.)
  • Open Trot and Open Pace: $600,000 USD (Gtd.)

Win And You're In Races

A win in the Jim Doherty Memorial for two-year-old male trotters or Peter Haughton Memorial for two-year-old trotting fillies confers Breeders Crown options for those same divisions. Full details can be found in the race conditions.

Payment Schedule

The payment schedule dates are unchanged. Current racing conditions for the races serviced by the Hambletonian Society can be found on the website under each specified race page or on the USTA.

In all cases, only one cheque is necessary for each of the four payment periods, i.e., Feb. 15, Mar. 15, Apr. 15, May 15 or Aug. 15 (yearling supplement). Payment forms can be found at this link.

2026 Races Serviced By The Hambletonian Society

• Adios/Adioo Volo
• Arden Downs
• Balmoral Park T/P
• Battle of Bunker Hill Trot
• Breeders Crown
• Caesar’s Trotting Classic
• Cane Pace/Shady Daisy
• Circle City Series
• Clara Barton Distaff Pace
• Colonial Trot & Colonial Oaks (new venue)
• Currier & Ives Stakes
• Dan Patch Open Pace
• Dayton Pacing & Trotting Derbies
• Dayton Distaff Derby
• Dayton Oaks Derby
• Delmonica Hanover
• Dexter Cup/Lady Suffolk
• Earl Beal Jr. Memorial
• The Elevation
• Carl Erskine
• Fox Stakes
• Hambletonian/Oaks
• Hambletonian Maturity
• Hazel Park
• Hoosier Stake
• Horseman Stake
• Hoosier Park Pacing Derby
• James Lynch Memorial
• Jenna’s Beach Boy
• Jim Doherty Memorial
• Kentuckiana Stallion Mgmt. T/P
• Keystone Classics
• Landmark E.C.
• Liberty Bell
• Madison County
• Matron Stakes
• Max Hempt Memorial
• Messenger Stake/Park MGM Pace
• Monument Circle
• Oak Grove Trotting Derby & Oaks
• Paul Revere Pace
• Pennsylvania All-Stars
• Pegasus Series
• Peter Haughton Memorial
• Phil Langley Memorial
• Pompano Park
• Progress Pace
• W.N. Reynolds Memorial E.C.
• Rockin Nola
• John Simpson Memorial E.C.
• Spirit of Massachusetts Trot
• Thanksgiving Classic Series
• The U.S.S. Indianapolis Memorial
• The Crossroads of America
• Tompkins-Geers E.C.
• Ralph Wilfong
• Yonkers Trot/New York New York Mile

As always, please make sure to double check that all eligibility payments are made from month to month. Some races have one payment while others have multiple payments due over multiple months. Missing one of those payments will make your horse ineligible at the date of entry.

For convenience, eligibility lists can be emailed to nominators upon request. Eligibility lists are always available on the Hambletonian Society website.

(Hambletonian Society)