from the Meadowlands publicity department

East Rutherford, NJ — The $1.5 million Hambletonian on August 8 and $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 18 headline nearly $19.5 million in stakes races scheduled for the 2009 harness meet at the Meadowlands.

The 151-date season kicks off January 1 and runs through August 21, 2009.

The sport’s premier events for 3-year-old trotters, the Hambletonian and $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks for fillies, will be contested Saturday, August 8. Sophomore trotting colts also have the $350,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 17, while the fillies have the $300,000 Del Miller Memorial on July 17.

In addition to the track’s signature event, the $1 million Meadowlands Pace on July 18, 3-year-old pacing colts are showcased in the $225,000 Berry’s Creek on May 9, $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic on June 13 and $250,000 Oliver Wendell Holmes on August 8.

The top older trotters and pacers have plenty of rich stakes opportunities before them, most notably the $1.7 million Breeders Crown Championships on closing night, August 21. The Classic Series also makes a stop at the Meadowlands on May 1 and 2. The season for veteran trotters includes the Su Mac Lad Series, which begins March 20, followed by the $200,000 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial on May 16, $200,000 Titan Cup on July 4 and $300,000 Nat Ray Invitational on August 8.

The lengthy stakes season for older pacers begins with the three-week Presidential Series on January 10 and continues with the $250,000 Graduate on May 16, $600,000 William R. Haughton Memorial on July 11 and $325,000 US Pacing Championship on August 8.

Pacing mares have a variety of Winter Series engagements on their dance cards, as well as the $50,000 Thomas Strada Memorial on April 11, $100,000 Matriarch on May 10, $225,000 Lady Liberty on June 27 and $200,000 Golden Girls on August 1.

In addition to the Breeders Crown and Classic Series, their trotting counterparts have the $100,000 Perretti Matchmaker on June 21 and first leg of the Miss Versatility on May 10 (The two subsequent legs of the Miss Versatility will be raced at Vernon and Tioga Downs, while the final will be contested at Delaware, Ohio during Little Brown Jug week).

The premier events for 3-year-old pacing fillies are the $375,000 Mistletoe Shalee on August 8, $200,000 Thomas D’Altrui Miss New Jersey on June 13, $150,000 Tarport Hap on July 25, and $68,000 Historic-Ladyship on July 3.

The 2-year-olds take center stage in a quartet of stakes during the last two weeks of the meet. The $475,000 Peter Haughton Memorial and $475,000 Merrie Annabelle for trotters will be contested on the Hambletonian Day card on August 8. The $400,000 Sweetheart and $350,000 Woodrow Wilson for pacers will move to closing night, August 21. The top of New Jersey’s freshman class will compete in a quartet of $200,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Championships on a single night, Thursday, July 23. Rounding out the stakes schedule for 2-year-olds are the Historic Series, the week of July 1, and the Countess Adios and Niatross, on August 6 and 7, respectively.

The 2009 harness meet runs Thursday, January 1 through Friday, August 21 with live racing Wednesday through Saturday evenings (7:00 p.m.) and Sunday afternoons (1:10 p.m.) through April 5. A special Presidents’ Day matinee (1:10 p.m.) will be run Monday, February 16; the track will be dark Wednesday, February 18.

The schedule shifts to Wednesday through Saturday evenings beginning April 8, with matinee cards on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10; Memorial Day, Monday, May 25; Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21; and Hambletonian Day, Saturday, August 8 (11:30 a.m.).

Dates and post times are subject to change.