Balmoral Park and Maywood Park have announced that all February 15 stakes nominations have been moved back one month and will now be due on March 15. The stakes affected will include all aged stakes events and
both tracks' three-year-old events for both open and Illinois-conceived and foaled pacers and trotters.
The main reason for the delay in nominations is that both tracks hope that a resolution will be reached regarding the impact fee monies currently being held by the courts. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for February 23 and with a favorable outcome the tracks hope is to set the added money at traditional levels. A later decision would have the same effect, but the hope of the tracks is that nominators will know with certainty prior to having to make their nominating decisions.
The stakes affected by the delay include the American National Aged Stakes for both trotters and pacers, the American National three-year-old events for both breeds and gaits, the Windy City Pace, the Galt Stakes, all Hanover Stakes for three-year-olds, the Maywood Pace and Filly Maywood Pace, as well as all of the three-year-old events scheduled for Super Night.
Regardless of the decision of the courts, stakes payments will be due for all Aged, Three-Year-Old and Two-Year-Old stakes on March 15.
Earlier, the Illinois Department of Agriculture also announced its decision to delay stakes payments for their three-year-old events until March 15.
The Department of Agriculture races affected by that decision include the Cardinal and Violet Stakes for both pacers and trotters, the first payment for the World Trotting Derby, all Hayes Memorial Stakes and the Review Stakes.
The Department of Agriculture is only delaying stake payments due on February 15. Payments that were scheduled for March 15 have not been changed.
(Balmoral/Maywood Park)