Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

World Cup Trot Action at The Big M this Summer

July 4, 2006

The $300,000 Nat Ray on August 5 at the Meadowlands, an invitational trot for the best free for all trotters in training, is among the featured events on a new website,
www.worldcuptrot.com

This is the first year the Nat Ray has been included in the World Cup Trot which is now in its 12th year. The series is comprised of five races in five different countries – Italy, Sweden, France, the United States and Russia.

“We are hopeful our participation in this year's World Cup Trot will stimulate continued international interest in the Nat Ray, and that it might encourage some of our top North American trotting stars to take on the world's best in the final at Kazan, Russia,” said Meadowlands Vice President for Racing Operations Chris McErlean.

When the World Cup Trot debuted in 1995, it was comprised of the Elite-Rennen at Gelsenkirchen Racetrack in Germany, the Hugo Abergs Memorial at Jägersro and the Jubileumspokalen at Solvalla, both in Sweden.

In 2006 the series was re-structured. The races at Milan [Gran Premio U.N.I.R.E.], Jägersro [Hugo Abergs Memorial] and Cagnes-sur-Mer [Prix du Conseil Minicipale des Alpes Maritimes] are now eliminations for a 300,000 Euro final at the Kazan track in Russia on August 30.

Nine horses gaining the most points in those three races, as well as three horses qualifying at the Meadowlands in the Nat Ray Trot, and two horse from Russia will advance to the final.
The opening round event, the Gran Premio U.N.I.R.E at San Siro in Milan, Italy on June 23 was won by the seven-year-old Kool du Caux, driven by Jos Verbeeck and trained by Fabrice Souloy. The next stop is Sweden for the Hugo Abergs Memorial on July 25.