Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Meadowland's 2006 Stake Schedule Announced

December 20, 2005

The $400,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial Trot joins the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 15, while the $1.5 million Hambletonian remains the closing day feature on August 5 on the $20 million stakes schedule for 2006 at The Meadowlands. The Dancer and the Hambletonian are the track’s showcase events for three-year-old trotters while the Meadowlands Pace is the signature stakes for three-year-old pacers for the 139-date season that spans January 4 through August 5.

In 2006 the Meadowlands will host a $1.8 million quartet of Breeders Crowns for the older horse and mare divisions on July 29. The elimination races for both the 81st edition of the Hambletonian and the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks, share the same program.

The three-year-old trotting fillies also have the $400,000 Delvin Miller Memorial on July 14 which is co-featured with the $100,000 Perretti Matchmaker. The $250,000 Breeders Crown Mare Trot is on July 29.

The season for veteran trotters begins with the three-week Su Mac Lad Series [March 26, April 2 and $100,000 final on April 9], the $225,000 Cutler Memorial on May 20, the $240,000 Titan Cup on July 1, the $800,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot on July 29 and the $300,000 Nat Ray on August 5.

Older pacers have plenty of stakes opportunities, including the Presidential Series [January 14, 21 and $100,000 final on January 28], the $325,000 Graduate on June 20, the $700,000 William R. Haughton Memorial on July 8, the $500,000 Breeders Crown Open Pace on July 29 and the $350,000 US Pacing Championship. Pacing mares have a variety of Winter Series, including the Overbid Series [March 10, 17 and the $100,000 final March 24], the $225,000 Lady Liberty on June 16, the $300,000 Breeders Crown Mare Pace on July 29 and the $175,000 Golden Girls on August 5.

In addition to the Meadowlands Pace, the three-year-old pacing colts are showcased in the $225,000 Berry’s Creek on May 6, the $500,000 SBOA/ New Jersey Classic on May 27, the $119,000 Jersey Cup on July 1 and the $275,000 Oliver Wendell Holmes on August 5.
The premier events for three-year-old pacing fillies are the $200,000 Miss New Jersey on May 27, the $85,000 Ladyship on June 30, the $150,000 Tarport Hap on July 21 and the $350,000 Mistletoe Shalee on August 5.

The two-year-old features begin with the Historic Series the week of June 28, the Meadowlands Grand Circuit the week of July 19 and the quartet of meet-ending stakes: $400,000 Merrie Annabelle [2YO trotting fillies] and $425,000 Peter Haughton Memorial [2YO trotting colts] on August 3, and the $375,000 Sweetheart [2YO pacing fillies] and the $400,000 Woodrow Wilson [2YO pacing colts] on August 4.