from the USTA Communications Department

The April 15 deadline is drawing near for many stakes payments. Below are a list of notices that have been submitted to the USTA Newsroom.

Last call for nominations to City of London

Campbellville, ON — The Alliance would like to remind horsepeple that nominations to the 2017 City of London Series, to be contested at The Raceway at Western Fair District, are due Saturday (April 15).

Ontario sired 4-year-olds and younger, who were non-winners of C$10,000 lifetime as of midnight Feb. 28, 2017, are eligible for nomination to the City of London.

The dates for each of the four City of London Series are as follows.

1. Pace – Horses & Geldings (Eliminations: Tuesday, May 16 – Final: Friday, May 26)
2. Pace – Fillies & Mares (Eliminations: Tuesday, May 16 – Final: Friday, May 26)
3. Trot – Horses & Geldings (Eliminations: Friday, May 19 – Final: Friday, May 26)
4. Trot – Fillies & Mares (Eliminations: Friday, May 19 – Final: Friday, May 26)

Each elimination will be contested for a purse of C$7,000, while each City of London final will have C$20,000 in added money to the purse.

The nomination fee for the City of London Series is C$100 or US$75.

Administration duties for the City of London Series are handled by the Woodbine Entertainment Group.

The nomination form for the City of London Series can be viewed by clicking here.

Nomination fees can be paid online by clicking here.

If sending payments by mail, envelopes must be clearly postmarked no later than April 15 or payment will not be accepted. Registered mail is recommended.

— Mark McKelvie

WEG sustaining payments due Saturday

Campbellville, ON — The next round of sustaining payments for Woodbine Entertainment Group and Alliance stakes events are due this Saturday (April 15).

The C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup attracted 60 nominees in February and 56 of the nominated 3-year-old pacers were kept eligible by their connections following the March sustaining payment. The Pepsi North America Cup is scheduled for Saturday (June 17) at Mohawk Racetrack.

The full list of WEG stakes requiring an April 15 sustaining payment is available below.

Pepsi North America Cup (Pace: 3-Year-Olds)
Canadian Pacing Derby (Pace: 3-Year-Olds and Up)
Canadian Trotting Classic (Trot: 3-Year-Olds)
Maple Leaf Trot (Trot: 3-Year-Olds and Up)
Fan Hanover (Pace: 3-Year-Old Fillies)
Elegantimage (Trot: 3-Year-Old Fillies)
Casual Breeze (Trot: 3-Year-Old Fillies)
Goodtimes (Trot: 3-Year-Olds)
Somebeachsomewhere (Pace: 3-Year-Olds)
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 (Pace: Mares)
Armbro Flight (Trot: Mares)

The following Alliance stakes require an April 15 sustaining payment.

Battle of Waterloo (Pace: 2-Year-Olds)
Battle of the Belles (Pace: 2-Year-Old Fillies)
Confederation Cup (Pace: 4-Year-Olds)

A sustaining payments is also due Saturday for the 2017 WEG/SBOA Filly Stakes for Ontario sired 3-year-olds.

To view full information regarding each stakes event and payments, click here.

To make sustaining payments online, click here.

If sending payments by mail, envelopes must be clearly postmarked no later than April 15 or payment will not be accepted. Registered mail is recommended.

Any questions or concerns regarding stakes payments can be directed to the Mohawk Race Office, 905.854.7805.

— Mark McKelvie

Deadline nears for ICF stake payments at Hawthorne

Cicero, IL — Racing Secretary Robin Schadt would like to remind all horsemen wishing to enter their 2-year-olds for this year’s Illinois Conceived and Foaled stakes program, that nomination payments must be postmarked no later than Saturday (April 15).

The fee for this season’s 2-year-old events is $1,250.

Horsemen are also reminded that the deadline for entries to the Cicero Claiming Series at Hawthorne is April 24. Nominating fees range from $200 to $400 for this series based on the event and claiming price horses are being entered for.

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. Bookeeper, 3501 S. Laramie Ave., Cicero, IL 60804.

— Tom Kelley

Northfield Park reminds horsemen of April 15 Late Closer payments

Northfield, OH — A reminder to horsemen that payments are due by April 15 (postmarked) for Northfield Park’s four Spring Late Closing series.

Entries require a single $300 per horse payment to a series. Entry forms can be found in the Northfield Park Race Office or at www.northfieldpark.com.

Please call 330.467.4101, ext. 2300, with any questions.

— Ayers Ratliff

April 15 payment deadline for Hambletonian Society-serviced stakes

Cranbury, NJ — April sustaining and nominating payments for Hambletonian Society stake events are due Saturday (April 15) and per USTA Rule 12 section 2, must be postmarked by midnight on Monday (April 17). Payments mailed from Canada must be postmarked by midnight Tuesday (April 18) as Monday is a legal holiday in Canada with no postal service.

Due at this time is the first nomination payment for the inaugural $250,000 Spirit of Massachusetts Trot, to be raced July 28 at Plainridge Park Casino, Plainville, Mass.

The remaining payments due on April 15 are those races with previous payments in March.

Eligibility lists for races with final payments in February or March of this year have been posted on the website. Race conditions, payment forms and much more information is available online at www.hambletonian.org. For additional information call the Society offices at 609.371.2211.

April 15 payments
Breeders Crown
Battle of Lake Erie Supplement
The Carl Erskine (3-year-olds; was Oliver Trot)
The Elevation (2-year-old pacing colts)
Dayton Derby (4-year-olds and older)
Jenna’s Beach Boy
Kentuckiana Stallion Mgt. Filly Pace and Trot (for 2-year-old fillies)
Madison County (2-year-olds;was Circle City)
Matron Series (2-year-olds)
Matron Series (3-year-olds)
Miami Valley Distaff
Monument Circle (3-year-olds)
The Spirit of Massachusetts (3-year-old and older trotters)

— Moira Fanning

Meadowlands and Tioga April payment information

East Rutherford, NJ — Horsemen are reminded that The Meadowlands and Tioga Downs have April sustaining payments coming up this week. Due to USTA Rule 12:02 those payments will be accepted if postmarked by April 17.

Payment info, forms, nominee lists and stakes conditions are available on the web. Meadowlands info from this link and the Tioga info here.

You may contact the Racing Office at each track with questions. Peter Koch-Meadowlands-201.842.5130; Jason Bluhm-Tioga Downs-607.699.7688.

— Meadowlands/Tioga Media Relations

NJSS and NJSDF second sustaining payments due April 17

Trenton, NJ — The deadline for the New Jersey Sire Stakes and Standardbred Development Fund’s final sustaining payments is approaching on April 17.

Normally the deadline would be on the 15th of the month but since that date falls on a Saturday this year, the deadline is extended to Monday (April 17).

The NJSS Premier Division’s second sustaining payment remains $500 for both 2- and 3-year-olds. The Standardbred Development Fund second sustaining payment for both 2- and 3-year-olds continues at $150.

Sustaining payment, 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

Pennsylvania Sire Stakes payments due May 15

Harrisburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission today reminded Standardbred horse owners that 2017 Sire Stakes payments for 2- and 3-year-old horses are due by May 15.

Second payments that are due for 2-year-old horses are $400 for the Pari-mutuel Division and $75 for the Fair Division. This 2-year-old payment must be made for the horse to be eligible to race as a 2-year-old in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes races.

The final 3-year-old Fair payment must be paid in order for the horse to race at the fairs.

Be advised that a new fee structure has recently been approved for those horses that are in the fair division. Yearling nomination fees are now $10, due May 15. Two-year-old sustaining fees were $50 if paid by March 15 and $75 if paid by May 15. The 3-year-old payment is $150, due May 15. Lastly, if no 2-year-old sustaining fees were made, a $750 late sustaining payment may be made by March 15 of the horse’s 3-year-old season, in addition to the $150 May 15 sustaining fee, which still remains.

The Sire Stakes Sustaining Payment forms are available at www.agriculture.pa.gov by searching for “sire stakes” or by contacting Pennie Dodson at pdodson@pa.gov.

— Will Nichols