The Meadowlands will race the $1 million (estimated) FanDuel (formerly known as TVG) Championships, a Grand Circuit event, on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Designed to be a true year-end championship, the FanDuel uniquely includes a caveat that offers top three-year-olds the opportunity to compete with the best older horses, as is done with the Breeders Cup Classic.
Several have accepted that challenge and sophomore colt trotters What The Hill and Tactical Landing ended their careers with aplomb by defeating older foes in the Open Trot division.
The prospect of the season's top sophomores facing their accomplished elders, such a rare occurrance in garness racing, generates exceptional excitement and enthusiasm.
The potential for it to happen this season seems to be taking shape with the connections of Confederate having discussed the possibility of tackling the pacers, led by the red-hot Tattoo Artist. Don't sleep on the chance that Its My Show might complicate matters.
How about Tactical Approach or Celebrity Bambino hooking Alrajah One IT in a stretch duel?
Sylvia Hanover and Twin B Joe Fresh battling Grace Hill and her crew?
Perhaps the connections of Heaven Hanover, Mommamia Volo or Bond will roll the dice against a trotting mare division that will certainly come up short with only eight left standing.
The Breeders Crown finals may well add a few more names to the existing list with elimination winners Special Way, El Rey, Coach Stefanos, Zanatta, Strong Poison, Up Your Deo and Helpfirstedition one win away from the top of these lists.
The stakes conditions outline the process by which a three-year-old may be invited to compete in the FanDuel Championships. These invitations (as described in the stakes conditions) may be offered to multiple horses until the race is filled.
The order of invitation and the 2023 winners of those stakes are included in the information below. The outcome of the Breeders Crown remains a mystery, but once known the winning horses will be offered invitations in the order below.
Winners of the following stakes may be invited to the FanDuel Open Trot & Pace finals:
1. Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Colt final - TBD
2. Breeders Crown Open final - TBD
3. Hambletonian / Meadowlands Pace - Tactical Approach / Confederate
4. Kentucky Futurity/North America Cup - Tactical Approach / Its My Show
5. Breeders Crown Open Mare final - TBD
6. Canadian Trotting Classic / Tattersalls Pace - Celebrity Bambino / Cannibal & Confederate
7. Cane Pace - Confederate
8. Little Brown Jug - Its My Show
9. Zweig Memorial - Ari Ferrari J
Winners of the following stakes may be invited to the FanDuel Mare Trot & Pace finals:
1. Breeders Crown Three-Year-Old Filly final - TBD
2. Breeders Crown Open or Open Mare final - TBD
3. Hambletonian Oaks / Mistletoe Shalee - Heaven Hanover / Sylvia Hanover
4. Kentucky Filly Futurity / Tattersalls Glen Garnsey - Mommamia Volo / Sylvia Hanover & Twin B Joe Fresh
5. Elegantimage / Fan Hanover - Bond / Sylvia Hanover
6. Shady Daisy - Sylvia Hanover
7. Jugette - Ucandoit Blue Chip
8. Zweig Filly - Sadie Hanover
The FanDuel conditions also contain a clause that permits an invitation to one "foreign" horse per division.
The Meadowlands Media Guide contains the history of these (listed as the TVG) and all stakes raced at the track in years past.
Direct questions to 607-972-5500.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)