The initial payment deadline for eligibility to more than 127 stakes events at 14 different tracks, headlined by the $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands Racetrack on August 8 and the $5 million Breeders Crown events at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto on October 24, is fast approaching.
Due to the U.S. federal holiday on Monday, payments for all Hambletonian-Society serviced stakes are due Tuesday, February 17 and must be postmarked by midnight on Wednesday, February 18, per USTA Rule 12.02.
Important changes to the 2015 stakes landscape include the cancelling of the Historic Stakes for this year only; a host of new races and changes to existing ones in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio, and the freshman Fall Final Four Championships rotating back to the Meadowlands Racetrack this year.
A list of new races with February 15 payments due appears below.
• Dan Patch (was an Invitational, now an early closer in 2015)
• Cleveland Trotting Classic (4-year-old & up trotters)
• Crossroads of America (3-year-old filly trot)
• Jennas Beach Boy (3-year-old colt pacers)
• Meadows Maturities (4-year-old & up horse & mare trots)
• USS Indianapolis Memorial (3-year-old Filly Pacers)
The Hambletonian Society services more than one hundred of harness racing’s richest and most prestigious events and provides one-stop shopping for your staking needs. The 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 payment periods (i.e. February 15, March 15, April 15 or May 15).
Stakes payments to these stakes can also be made through SC Stakes Online. Click here for more info on how to get started.
A list of all races with February 15 payments due appear below.
• Delvin Miller Adios (and Adioo Volo Filly Division)
• Arden Downs Stakes
• Battle of Lake Erie (early closer in 2015)
• Breeders Crown
• Cane Pace (and Shady Daisy)
• Carl Erskine (3-year-old colts)
• Centaur Trotting Classic Free For All
• Circle City (3-year-olds)
• Cleveland Trotting Classic (4-year-old & up trotters)
• Courageous Lady (3-year-old filly pace, early closer in 2015)
• Crossroads of America (3-year-old filly trot)
• Currier & Ives Colt & Filly Trots
• Dan Patch Pace (early closer in 2015)
• Dayton Derbies (open trot and pace)
• Dexter Cup (and Lady Suffolk Trot)
• Goldsmith Maid
• Governor's Cup
• Hambletonian (and Hambletonian Oaks)
• Hambletonian Maturity (4-year-old trotters)
• The Horseman
• Hoosier Park Pacing Derby Free For All
• Jenna's Beach Boy (3-year-old colt pacers)
• Kentuckiana Stallion Mgt. Pace & Trot (2-year-old fillies)
• Keystone Classics (3-year-olds)
• Landmark Stakes
• Matron Series (3-year-olds)
• Meadows Maturities (4-year-old & up horse and mare trots)
• Messenger Stake (and Lady Maud)
• Miami Valley Distaff (4-year-old & up mares – pacers & trotters)
• Carl Milstein Memorial (3-year-olds)
• Monument Circle (3-year-olds)
• Progress Pace
• W. N. Reynolds Memorial Stakes
• Art Rooney Pace (and Lismore Filly Division)
• John Simpson Memorial Colt & Filly Stakes
• Three Diamonds
• Tompkins Memorial & Geers Stake
• USS Indianapolis Memorial (3-year-old filly pacers)
• Valley Victory
• Yonkers Trot (and Hudson Filly)
The following races are no longer serviced by the Hambletonian Society and should be sent instead to Pocono Downs:
• 2015 Pennsylvania All-Stars
• 2015 Earl Beal Jr Memorial
• 2015 Max C Hempt Memorial
• 2015 James M Lynch Memorial
• 2015 Ben Franklin
• 2015 Super Stakes
(With files from the Hambletonian Society)