The Grand Circuit stakes season for this year kicks off on Friday night (March 15) with three $40,000 divisions of the opening round of the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series for pacing mares at MGM Yonkers Raceway.
Category: Grand Circuit News
Big M ban to prevent Howard Taylor, others from certain Hambletonian Society stakes
In Thursday’s (Feb. 15) Daily Racing Form Harness Digest, harness racing editor Derick Giwner reports that certain owners, trainers and drivers excluded by Meadowlands owner Jeff Gural will not be permitted to race in Hambletonian Society-administered stakes at The Meadowlands, Vernon Downs and Tioga Downs.
Nadia Lobell and Moni Maker move to Scioto
Eldorado Scioto Downs will host two new $120,000 events during the 2024 racing season. Both the Nadia Lobell, for 3-year-old pacing fillies, and the Moni Maker, for 3-year-old trotting fillies, will move to Scioto and be held on Saturday (July 6).
Tompkins-Geers to be hosted by Woodbine Mohawk Park in 2024
Canadian horsemen will enjoy a bolstered schedule of stakes races for 2-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 2024. The management of WEG has added the Tompkins-Geers freshman stakes, one of the oldest and most venerable of the Grand Circuit races, to the June calendar, as a launch pad for millions in summer and fall purses.
Woodbine releases schedule for 2024 Standardbred stakes season
Woodbine Entertainment today released the schedule for its lucrative 2024 Standardbred stakes season at Woodbine Mohawk Park, featuring three C$1 million races for the first time since 2012. The Pepsi North America Cup (June 15), Mohawk Million (Sept. 21) and Metro Pace (Sept. 21) will all be contested for a guaranteed purse of C$1 million, headlining a stakes season with more than C$12 million in Grand Circuit stakes.
Meadowlands 2024 stakes to approach $25 million
The Meadowlands is proud and excited to announce that the entire 2024 stakes program at the industry’s leading racetrack will offer nearly $25 million in purses. Greatly enhancing the Grand Circuit stakes presence this year will be the return of the Breeders Crown to the Garden State.
Woodbine announces changes to Mohawk Million
Woodbine Entertainment management has announced changes for the 2024 Mohawk Million. Following a review of the Mohawk Million format, Woodbine has reduced the price of purchasing a slot in the race for 2-year-old trotters from C$100,000 to C$50,000 and will offer all 10 slots in the race for purchase.
Metro Pace returns to C$1 million purse for 2024
Woodbine Entertainment management has announced that the 2024 Metro Pace for 2-year-old pacers will have a guaranteed purse of C$1 million. The 2024 Metro Pace, to be held on Saturday (Sept. 21) at Woodbine Mohawk Park, will be the 13th edition to have a purse of C$1 million and the first since 2012.
Breeders Crown back at Big M in 2024
The Hambletonian Society announced Wednesday night that the Breeders Crown will be contested at The Meadowlands in October of next year.
2023 O’Brien Awards finalists announced
Standardbred Canada is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2023 O’Brien Awards, honoring Canada’s best in harness racing over the past season.