The Meadowlands holds out the promise of riches to those participating in the 2021 Fall Championship Meet, with an estimated $10 million in stakes purses offered to the sport's top performers.
Hot on the heels of the $6.5 million Breeders Crown, set to be raced over the last two weekends of October, the Kindergarten Classic Finals offer a run at big money with nearly $800,000 in purses available to the juvenile set on Nov. 13.
The following week the coveted Freshman Fall Final Four comes along, bringing with it an estimated $1.6 million bonanza on Saturday, Nov. 20.
The “Final Four” has long been an important engagement on the calendar for two-year-olds, as far back as 1985 when the inaugural edition launched at Garden State Park by Hall of Fame Racing Secretary Joe DeFrank. The Governor's Cup, Valley Victory, Three Diamonds and Goldsmith Maid are the last high dollar stakes of the season for the division.
Aside from the lure of riches, the case may certainly be made for the impact these stakes have had on year-end honours over the course of time. As recently as last season, Anoka Hanover and Lady Chaos were perceived to be in a virtual deadlock for the freshman-trotting-filly crown, with the former’s score in the Goldsmith Maid a key component of her capturing year-end honours.
The $1-million TVG Championship Finals will share top billing on the Nov. 20 card.
Conceived by Jeff Gural as a stage where the best three-year-olds could take on older foes at season's end, as is the case in the Breeders Cup Classic, the TVG has become another stake with value beyond its considerable financial reward to those talented enough to win.
Over its brief history, top sophomores like What The Hill and Tactical Landing have enhanced their resume by defeating older foes in the TVG Championship.
The stakes program for 2021 at The Meadowlands is an intriguing and exciting possibility for owners to take their shot against the best for big money. It remains the place where victories are most rewarding both personally and financially and clearly have the greatest impact of any in the industry.
The Meadowlands welcomes you to consider the possibilities for the upcoming stakes season by visiting our stakes information page on the track website.
(The Meadowlands)