Last call for Feb. 15 stakes payments
February 15, 2017,from harness publicists across North America
The Feb. 15 deadline is drawing near for many stakes payments. Below are a list of notices that have been submitted to the USTA Newsroom.
Delaware (OH) Grand Circuit sustaining payments due
Delaware, OH — Sustaining payments for the sophomore classics Little Brown Jug (3-year-old colt pace), Jugette (3-year-old filly pace), Old Oaken Bucket (3-year-old open trot) and the Buckette (3-year-old filly trot) are due Wednesday (Feb. 15). These payments are for foals of 2014.
The Little Brown Jug and Old Oaken Bucket will be raced Thursday (Sept. 21) and the Jugette and Buckette on Wednesday (Sept. 20).
The 2016 Little Brown Jug attracted 11 entries and went for a record purse of $577,000, making the 71st edition of the pacing classic the third richest sophomore colt pace last year. The 2016 purse was boosted thanks to an allocation from the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association’s (OHHA) portion of the video lottery terminal revenue. The eventual Canadian “Horse of the Year,” Betting Line captured the 71st Jug in dominating fashion with miles of 1:50.4 and a world record 1:49.
The 2016 edition of the $239,400 Jugette featured L A Delight who defeated eight rivals. Last year’s Old Oaken Bucket and Buckette were contested for $122,500 and $86,200 respectively.
The 2017 Delaware Grand Circuit meet will continue to feature five days of racing (Sunday, Sept. 17 through Thursday, Sept. 21). Monday’s card will have a special 3 p.m. post. Sunday and Tuesday will go postward at 1 p.m. The Jugette and Jug cards will retain their traditional 11 a.m. start time.
For more information, please visit http://horsemen.ustrotting.com/stks_conditions.cfm.
— Jay Wolf
Northfield Park reminds horsemen of Feb. 15 stakes nominations
Northfield, OH — A reminder to horsemen that nominations are due by Feb. 15 (postmarked) for Northfield Park’s three major stakes events:
The $200,000 (Guaranteed) Battle of Lake Erie (Open Pace), to be raced Saturday, June 3
The $175,000 (est.) Cleveland Trotting Classic (Open Trot), to be raced Saturday, July 1
The $125,000 (est.) Courageous Lady (3-year-old filly pace), to be raced Saturday, Oct. 14.
The Hambletonian Society will handle the nominations for all three of these events. More information is available at www.hambletonian.com.
Also, note that Northfield’s premier event, the $300,000 (Guaranteed) Carl Milstein Memorial (3YO Open Pace), to be raced Saturday, Aug.12, will be an Invitational – no payments are needed.
Owners and trainers of top 3-year-old pacers who wish to race in the Carl Milstein Memorial are urged to contact Northfield’s Exec. V.P. of Racing & Simulcasting Dave Bianconi at dbianconi@northfieldpark.com as the 2017 season progresses.
— Ayers Ratliff
Maryland staking payments due
Union Bridge, MD — Sustaining forms and possible payment are due Feb. 15 for the 4- and 5-year-old Open Maryland Sire Stakes for trotters and pacers (foals of 2012 and 2013).
Three-year-old payments (foals of 2014) are due to the Maryland Standardbred Fund and the Maryland Sire Stakes on Feb. 15.
All stallion pedigrees, staking forms, and stake dates are now available online including a printable calendar. Please use our website, www.msrfonline.com, for all your current MSRF info and any updates as they become available.
We recommend that all payments be sent by certified mail. Please remember to check and make sure you use this address: Maryland Standardbred Race Fund, P.O. Box 540, Union Bridge, MD 21791.
Regulations can be found on our website at www.msrfonline.com or you may call 410.775.0152 (office) or my cell at 240.285.0326.
— Cheri Stambaugh
February payments for all Hambletonian Society-serviced stakes due
Cranbury, NJ — The initial payment deadline for 2017 eligibility to more than 130 stakes events at 13 different tracks, headlined by the $1 million Hambletonian heats at The Meadowlands on Saturday (Aug. 5) and the $5.8 million Breeders Crown finals at Hoosier Park on Oct. 27 and 28, is on Feb. 15.
All payments for all Hambletonian Society-serviced Stakes are due Wednesday (Feb. 15) and must be postmarked by midnight on Thursday (Feb. 16), per USTA Rule 12.02.
Changes to the stakes landscape in 2017 include:
- The addition of the Pegasus Series for 3-year-old pacers and trotters to be raced at Hoosier Park as an undercard event to accompany the Breeders Crown weekend.
- The Tompkins-Geers Stake No. 83 for 3-year-old colt and filly trotters has moved from Tioga Downs to The Meadowlands in 2017. The Tompkins-Geers will join the Reynolds Stakes and the Stanley Dancer and Del Miller Memorials in forming a three-race lead-up to the 92nd Hambletonian.
- The Hambletonian Society handles the payments for the Tompkins-Geers and Reynolds as well as the Hambletonian itself. The Dancer and Miller are Meadowlands administered stakes.
- In 2017, The Landmark, W.N. Reynolds Memorial, and the Tompkins-Geers races for 2-year-olds will be restructured as early closers that race in the year payments are collected. There will now be a single nomination fee per colt or filly due March 15 and a single sustaining fee due May 15, payable to the Hambletonian Society should you wish to participate in the race(s). The entrance fee to start in any division of the races will apply.
- The W. N. Reynolds No. 63 for 3-year-old colts and geldings and filly pacers has been canceled for 2017.
- The Meadows Maturity Trot at the Meadows Racetrack and Casino has also been canceled.
All the forms for the stakes listed below can be found by clicking this link.
The Hambletonian Society services more than a 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 www.hambletonian.com or by calling the Society offices at 609.371.2211.
In all cases only one check (U.S. funds) is ever necessary for each of the four payments periods i.e.: Feb. 15, March 15, April 15 or May 15.
All races with February 15 payments due: Delvin Miller Adios (and Adioo Volo Filly Division); Arden Downs Stakes; Battle of Lake Erie; Breeders Crown; Cane Pace (and Shady Daisy); The Carl Erskine; Centaur Stakes; Circle City; Cleveland Trotting Classic; Courageous Lady Filly Pace; Currier & Ives Trot (and Filly Trot); Dan Patch; Dayton Pacing & Trotting Derbies; Dexter Cup (and Lady Suffolk Trot); Hambletonian (and Hambletonian Oaks); Hambletonian Maturity (4-year-old trotters); Hoosier Park Pacing Derby; The Horseman; Jenna’s Beach Boy; Kentuckiana Stallion Mgt. Filly Pace & Trot (2-year-old fillies); Keystone Classics 3-year-olds; Landmark Stakes 3-year-olds; Liberty Bell Early Closer 3-year-olds; Matron Series; Messenger Stakes (and Lady Maud); Miami Valley Distaff; Monument Circle; Pegasus Series (new for 3-year-old trotters and pacers); Progress Pace; W. N. Reynolds Memorial; Art Rooney Pace (and Lismore Filly Division); John Simpson Memorial; The Crossroads of America (3-year-old filly trotters); The USS Indianapolis Memorial (3-year-old filly pacers); Tompkins-Geers; Yonkers Trot.
— Moira Fanning
NJSS and NJSDF sustaining payments due Feb. 15
Trenton, NJ — The deadline for the New Jersey Sire Stakes and Standardbred Development Fund’s first sustaining payments is the last chance for owners of 2- and 3-year-old pacers and trotters to be kept eligible to the 2017 Premier Division and Standardbred Development Fund racing programs.
The NJSS Premier Division will be contested exclusively again at The Meadowlands in 2016 starting in May/early June for 3-year-olds and in late June/July for 2-year-olds.
In 2017 the Green Acres Division has been completely replaced by the New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund series of races. The SDF is open to all horses sired by a New Jersey-based stallion as well as the offspring of mares who have resided in New Jersey for a minimum of 150 days, regardless of where the sire stands. Previous registration of the mare while she was in foal and a yearling nomination are required to establish eligibility. The SDF races will be held beginning in September at Freehold Raceway, the location of all races in the series.
The NJSS Premier Division’s first sustaining payment remains $300 for both 2- and 3-year-olds. The initial Standardbred Development Fund sustaining payment for both 2- and 3-year-olds remains $100.
Also on Feb. 15, a $650 supplemental 2016 yearling nomination (for foals of 2015) can be made for eligibility to the New Jersey Sire Stakes Premier Division and the SDF. Those fees are in addition to the sustaining payments for 2-year-olds also due on Feb. 15. The supplemental fee for the Sire Stakes Premier division is $850 if the foal was produced by an out-of-state breeding.
The first 2-year-old sustaining payments must be made in order to keep the horse eligible as a 3-year-old in 2018 to both the Premier Division and the Standardbred Development Fund, even if the horse does not race in 2017 as a 2-year-old.
Horsemen are also reminded of the upcoming nomination for the inaugural Renaissance Pace for 2-year-old pacers — open and filly divisions. The Renaissance will be run as an early closer in 2017 with nominating fees of $700 for the Open Division and $400 for the Filly Division due March 15.
Sustaining payment and supplemental nomination forms, as well as race dates and other information, may be found on the NJSS website at www.newjerseysirestakes.com.
All payments must be in U. S. funds. No late payments will be accepted and no billing notices will be mailed. Certified mail is strongly recommended to NJSS, P.O. Box 330, Trenton, NJ 08625.
— Christopher Castens
DSBF 3-year-old Feb. 15 payment due
Dover, DE — A $300 sustaining payment is due for DSBF eligible 3-year olds who made a March 15, 2016 payment of $100. This is the only payment before the declaration fees.
All payments should be postmarked by Feb. 15.
It is strongly advised to use mail with a tracking number. Even UPS and Fed Ex are accepted.
For credit card payments please call and give all the information but still mail the form.
For forms and information call 302.698.4610 or e-mail Judy.Davis-Wilson@state.de.us.
— Judy Davis-Wilson
SBOANJ stakes payment reminder
Manalapan, NJ — The first 3-year-old stakes payment for the Smith Trotting Classic is due on Feb. 15 in the amount of $200.
All forms can be found at www.SBOANJ.com along with a 2017 stakes payment schedule.
— Courtney Stafford
ICF stakes payments due Feb. 15 for 3-year-olds
Cicero, IL — Racing Secretary Robin Schadt would like to remind all horsemen wishing to enter 3-year-olds for this year’s Illinois conceived and foaled stakes program, that nomination payments must be postmarked no later than Wednesday (Feb. 15).
The fee for this season’s sophomore events is $1,750.
Payments for this season’s Illinois conceived and foaled 2-year-old stakes ($1,250) are due by April 15.
Horsemen are also reminded that an intensive Late Closing Series will also be offered to kick off this summer’s meet at Hawthorne. Nominating payments ($300) for those events are due by April 1.
Entry forms and schedules for all stakes and late closers can be found at www.hawthorneracecourse.com.
All payments should be made payable to Suburban Downs and sent to: Hawthorne Race Course, Attn. Bookkeeper, 3501 S. Laramie Ave., Cicero, IL 60804
— Tom Kelley
Miami Valley Grand Circuit older mare nominations due Feb. 15
Lebanon, OH — Miami Valley Raceway reminds owners of outstanding older mares, both pacers and trotters ages four and up, that the initial nominating payment ($300) for the $100,000 (est.) Miami Valley Distaff mare trot and the $100,000 (est.) Sam “Chip” Noble Memorial mare pace are due to the Hambletonian Society by Feb. 15.
The Grand Circuit races will take place on the Sunday (May 7) and Monday (May 8) matinees at Miami Valley. The pacers will race on Sunday and the trotters on Monday.
— Miami Valley Raceway
Meadowlands stakes nomination information
East Rutherford, NJ — The Meadowlands wishes to remind owners and trainers of the impending close of nominations to our Grand Circuit stakes.
All Meadowlands 2017 stakes have a nomination deadline of (postmarked by) Feb. 15.
The Racing Office may be reached at 201.842.5130.
All of the forms and details are available by these links on the website.
— Meadowlands Media Relations
Florida stakes payments due Feb. 15
Pompano Beach, FL — The FSBOA 3-year-old (foals of 2014) colt/filly, trotters/pacers stakes payments are due by Feb 15.
You can pay online on our website at www.floridaharnessracing.com or mail a payment in at FSBOA, 1800 SW 3rd St., Pompano Beach, FL 33069.
Any questions call Rosie at 954.972.5400.
The payments are as follows:
Florida Breeders Stake-$100
Sunshine State Stake-$100
Stallion Stake-$100
— Rosie Huff
WEG stakes nominations due Feb. 15
Toronto, ON — The deadline to nominate your horse to the Woodbine Entertainment Group’s lucrative stakes program in 2017 is quickly approaching.
New in 2017, the closing date for nominations to all WEG and Alliance Stakes is Feb. 15. In past years, nomination deadlines varied from event to event, but in an effort to make the process more convenient, WEG has implemented an across the board due date for all stakes.
Under the new format, the following stakes now require nominations by Feb. 15.
Canadian Pacing Derby (Pace: 3-year-olds and up)
Maple Leaf Trot (Trot: 3-year-olds and up)
Metro Pace (Pace: 2-year-olds)
She’s A Great Lady (Pace: 2-year-old fillies)
William Wellwood Memorial (Trot: 2-year-olds)
Peaceful Way (Trot: 2-year-old fillies)
Nassagaweya (Pace: 2-year-olds)
Eternal Camnation (Pace: 2-year-old fillies)
Roses Are Red (Pace: Mares)
Milton Stakes (Pace: Mares)
Armbro Flight (Trot: Mares)
Nominations are also due on Feb. 15 for the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old pacers. North America’s richest race for pacers will take place on Saturday (June 17) at Mohawk Racetrack.
Other events to require nominations by Feb. 15 include the C$650,000 Canadian Trotting Classic (3-year-olds), C$400,000 Elegantimage (3-year-old trotting fillies), C$400,000 Fan Hanover (3-year-old pacing fillies), C$265,000 Goodtimes (3-year-old trotters), C$160,000 Casual Breeze (3-year-old trotting fillies) and the C$130,000 Somebeachsomewhere (3-year-old pacers).
Similar to recent years, WEG continues to handle all administration duties for Alliance racetrack stakes. Nominations are due on Feb. 15 for Grand Rivers Raceway’s Battle of Waterloo and Battle of the Belles (Ontario sired 2-year-old pacers), Flamboro Downs’ Confederation Cup (4-year-old pacers), Clinton Raceway’s Kin Pace (Ontario sired 3-year-old pacing fillies) and Hanover Raceway’s Dream of Glory (Ontario sired 3-year-old trotters) and Balanced Image (Ontario sired 2-year-old trotters).
The nomination form for the events closing on Feb. 15 can be viewed by clicking here.
Nomination fees for all events can be paid online by clicking here.
If sending nominations by mail, envelopes must be clearly postmarked no later than Feb. 15 or payment will not be accepted. Registered mail is recommended.
All inquires regarding the Feb. 15 closing date can be directed to the Mohawk Race Office, 905.854.7805.
— Mark McKelvie