Northfield Park’s richest race of the season, the Carl Milstein Memorial for three-year-old pacers, will be raced as a 'by-invitation-only' event in 2016.

The 3rd Annual Carl Milstein Memorial, named in honour of the track’s former owner and Chairman, will be contested on Saturday night, August 13 at the Cleveland-area oval.

Albeit one of the newest added-money events on the three-year-old calendar, the Carl Milstein Memorial has attracted stellar fields in its first two editions, including last year’s champion Wiggle It Jiggleit, who went on to be voted U.S. Horse of the Year.

The change from a paid-in stakes event to an Invitational adds more flexibility in showcasing harness racing’s elite sophomore pacers in Northeast Ohio.

“There are numerous stakes events for three-year-old pacers all summer long and having to pay into them in February and March limits the number of horses we may be able to attract for the race,” said Northfield’s Executive Vice President of Racing and Simulcasting, Dave Bianconi. “With an Invitational, I can ask the connections of all the major race winners throughout the summer to take a shot at $300,000, all of which is paid by Northfield –- there are no staking or starting fees whatsoever.

“As the 2016 stakes season heats up, I urge the connections of top three-year-old pacers of either gender to contact me if they have an interest in competing in the Carl Milstein Memorial,” said Bianconi, who can be contacted at 330-467-4101 ext. 2207 or at [email protected].

(With files from Northfield Park)