The 2026 Stakes Guide, the industry’s most comprehensive collection of race conditions, payment schedules and race schedules, is available online at http://horsemen.ustrotting.com/stakes/.
Category: Staking
Maine 2 & 3 YO Sire Stakes payments due Feb. 15
Maine Sire Stakes continuation forms for both 2- and 3-year-olds are due by Feb. 15.
Last call for Stakes Guide preordering
The USTA’s Stakes Guide will be at the printer shortly, so it is last call for pre-orders to get your printed copy of the Stakes Event Guide and Conditions Book.
Pebble Beach 2024 foals may be supplemented for 2027 Meadowlands Pace
The 2024 foals of Pebble Beach, previously excluded from nominating to the 2027 Meadowlands Pace as yearlings by the Stallion Restriction Condition (Gural Rule), may now be supplemented to that stake by making the 2-year-old supplemental payment.
Woodbine releases 2026 Standardbred stakes schedule
Woodbine Entertainment today released the schedule for its 2026 stakes season, featuring a trio of C$1-million-dollar races and 12 Grade 1 events.
Meadowlands 2026 Early Closer Participation payment
For the upcoming season, The Meadowlands will institute an Early Closer Participation (ECP) payment on foals of 2024 which will be required to be made to The Meadowlands to gain eligibility for nomination to all Meadowlands 2-year-old Early Closers in 2026.
Meadowlands Stallion Stakes & EC participation payments on foals of 2025
The Meadowlands will require a Stallion Early Closer Participation Payment to provide eligibility for their foals of 2025 for Meadowlands Stakes & Early Closers that comes due (postmarked by) Feb. 15, 2026.
USTA announces expansion of Graded Stakes program for 2026
The United States Trotting Association announced Monday (Dec. 22) that the Standardbred Graded Stakes Committee has approved the addition of eight new graded stakes races for the 2026 racing season, bringing the total number of graded stakes events to 179.
Preordering available for Stakes Guide
The USTA is taking preorders for the 2026 Stakes Guide, including the Stakes Event Guide, Stakes Conditions Booklet, Stakes Calendar and Yearling Nomination Book.
Graded Stakes Committee meets; 2026 grades to be released in December
Harness racing’s Graded Stakes Committee met Nov. 18-19 at the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in Goshen, N.Y., to review graded stakes from 2025 and assign provisional grades for 2026.