The Meadowlands Racetrack has announced a series of races for Open pacers and trotters, designed to provide races during those weeks where there are no stakes for the older horses.
There is no advance nomination payment required, but there will be a one-time entry fee of $500 that is payable only in the first leg in which the horse competes with no fee for subsequent starts.
The series will cover each gait and sex and the top point earners will race for an estimated purse of $60,000 in each final.
A minimum number of starters may be required for these races to fill.
Here's the schedule:
OPEN PACE (Golden Receiver)
Saturday, April 27 Purse $30,000
Saturday, May 11 Purse $35,000
Friday, June 14 Purse $40,000
Saturday, July 27 Final $60,000e
OPEN TROT (Mr Muscleman)
Saturday, April 27 Purse $30,000
Saturday, May 18 Purse $35,000
Friday, June 14 Purse $40,000
Saturday, July 6 Purse $40,000
Saturday, July 20 Final $60,000e
OPEN MARE PACE (Rainbow Blue)
Saturday, April 27 Purse $30,000
Saturday, May 18 Purse $35,000
Friday, June 21 Purse $40,000
Friday, June 28 Final $60,000e
OPEN MARE TROT (Bee A Magician)
Saturday, April 27 Purse $30,000
Friday, May 31 Purse $35,000
Friday, June 28 Purse $40,000
Saturday, July 27 Final $60,000e
There will also be four-year-old Opens written as prep races for the Graduate Series the last two weeks of April.
Finally, with both of the series written for three-year-old filly trotters and pacers having been cancelled, there will be a short overnight series written for non-winners of two pari-mutuel races that will have $15,000 legs on April 13 and 20, then a $30,000 final on April 26 or 27. This also may require enough entries to fill a minimum of two divisions to be raced. There will be no fee for these races.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)