The initial payment deadline for eligibility to more than 128 stakes events at 14 different tracks, headlined by the $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands Racetrack on Saturday, August 6 and the $5.8 million Breeders Crown events at the Meadowlands in October, is fast approaching.

Since Monday, February 15, is a U.S. federal holiday (President’s Day, with no mail service) payments for all Hambletonian Society-serviced stakes are due Tuesday, February 16 and must be postmarked by midnight on Wednesday, February 17, per USTA Rule 12.02.

Changes to the event landscape in 2016 include the transformation of the John Simpson Memorial races from stakes to early-closers featuring reduced nomination payments and starting fees; and the addition of the Liberty Bell for two and three-year-old Pennsylvania-sired pacers and trotters at Harrah’s Philadelphia has been added to their rich roster of races.

The W. N. Reynolds Memorial No. 62 sophomore pacing events have been cancelled and refunded for 2016.

The Hambletonian Society’s website contains all the tools and information necessary to stake your horse yourself. All information pertaining to these races – racing conditions, payment forms and much more information – is now available online at hambletonian.org or by calling the society’s offices at 609-371-2211.

In all cases, only one cheque (U.S. funds) is ever necessary for each of the four payments periods (i.e.: February 15,March 15, April 15 or May 15).

All races with February 15 payments due:

• Delvin Miller Adios (and Adioo Volo Filly Division)

• Arden Downs Stakes

• Battle of Lake Erie

• Breeders Crown

• Cane Pace (and Shady Daisy)

• The Carl Erskine

• Centaur Stakes

• Circle City

• Cleveland Trotting Classic

• Courageous Lady Filly Pace

• Currier & Ives Trot (and Filly Trot)

• Dan Patch

• Dayton Derby Trot and Pace

• Dexter Cup (and Lady Suffolk Trot)

• Hambletonian (and Hambletonian Oaks)

• Hambletonian Maturity

• Hoosier Park Pacing Derby (previously the Indiana Pacing Derby)

• The Horseman

• Jenna's Beach Boy

• Kentuckiana Stallion Mgt. Filly Pace & Trot (for 2YO Fillies)

• Keystone Classics

• Landmark Stakes

• Liberty Bell (New Early closer) 3yr

• Matron Series

• Meadows Maturity

• Miami Valley Distaff

• Carl Milstein Memorial

• Messenger Stakes (and Lady Maud)

• Monument Circle

• Progress Pace

• W. N. Reynolds Memorial Stakes (no 3-year-old paces)

• Art Rooney Pace (and Lismore Filly Division)

• John Simpson Memorial Early Closer

• The Crossroads of America

• The USS Indianapolis Memorial

• Tompkins Memorial & Geers Stake

• Yonkers Trot

Stakes payments to these stakes can also be made through SC Stakes Online. Click here for more info on how to get started.

(With files from the Hambletonian Society)