The Meadowlands and the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ) are announcing that the New Jersey Classic Series (NJCS) will return in 2023.
The NJCS was designed to offer the connections of NJ sired horses another option to race their two- and three-year-olds for big purses in the state. Total purses for the 2022 races were over $2 million and are expected to be similar next year.
Looking ahead to 2023, changes to the format to encourage fuller fields are being discussed. Also, in 2023, the NJCS will be adjusted to include horses eligible for the NJ Standardbred Development Fund races along with NJ Sired. Adding the SDF horses will provide a welcome earning opportunity for the foals of mares that are housed within the state of New Jersey, whether sired by a stallion standing in NJ or not. The inclusion of the SDF horses will also provide a larger pool of horses eligible for nomination.
Eligibility for the Standardbred Development Fund series will be open to all horses sired by New Jersey-based stallions as well as horses that are the result of a breeding between any registered standardbred stallion and a standardbred mare that has spent a minimum of 150 consecutive days in New Jersey inclusive of foaling.
The intention for the two-year-old NJSS at The Meadowlands next year is to begin those stakes two weeks later to allow Jersey bred colts and fillies additional time to prepare.
Further information on scheduling for the stakes will be made available as soon as the date application process is completed later this month.
(Meadowlands / SBOANJ)