The April 15 deadline is drawing near for many stakes payments. Below are a list of notices that have recently been submitted to the USTA Newsroom. The following information regarding upcoming stakes payments is not meant to be a complete list of every required stakes payment. It is a list of only those notifications that have been provided directly to the USTA for posting here. For more information on payments, click here.
Massachusetts Breeders Stake sustaining payments due April 15
Plainville, MA — Owners and trainers of horses eligible to the Massachusetts Breeders Stake should take note that the 2025 sustaining payments for all 2- and 3-year-old contenders are due by Tuesday (April 15).
The 2-year-old payment is $200 and the 3-year-old payment is $300. If there has been a change of name or ownership, please submit a copy of the registration certificate at the same time.
The necessary form for this payment is available for download at sominc.net under the “forms” tab.
While on that page, it may also be a good time for you to download and submit the 2025 yearling nomination form, which will be due next month on Thursday (May 15).
Foals of 2024 from a resident mare registered with Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts, Inc. and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources are eligible for registration to the Massachusetts Breeding Program.
Yearling registration requires a copy of the USTA registration certificate and the fee of $25. Late registration will be accepted until Dec. 31. Late registration requires a copy of the USTA registration certificate and the May 15 fee of $25, plus a $500 late fee.
— Tim Bojarski
Next Generation nominations due at Scioto Downs
Grove City, OH — The nominations for the Next Generation start closing shortly. All four divisions for Ohio–sired 2-year-olds will be held Saturday (July 5) at Eldorado Scioto Downs.
Horsemen can purchase a spot in the division of their choosing by April 15 for $8,000. Or, if you need a little more time to decide before making the payment, a $10,000 nomination can be made by May 15. The last possible date to nominate is June 15 for $12,000. Each division is limited to nine entrants with eight spots needing purchased in order for the event to fill.
If less than 10 spots are purchased within any of the individual deadlines, all purchasers from that nomination period are guaranteed a spot and not subject to a lottery drawing. Within any deadline period, if the total number of spots purchased exceeds nine, then only those spots purchased within that time period are subject to the lottery drawing. Once nine spots have been purchased by any of the given deadlines, the event will be closed.
Full conditions for the Next Generation are available on the USTA website at horsemen.ustrotting.com.
— Jason Roth
DSBF 2-year-old payments due April 15
Dover, DE — The $300 payment is due April 15 for any DSBF eligible 2-year-old.
The May 15, 2024 yearling payment (or March 15, 2025 late payment) must have been made to be eligible as a 2-year-old in 2025.
If the April 15 payment is missed, a late payment of $1,000 by June 1 must be made.
If using the USPS, please use a service with a tracking number. All payments must be postmarked by April 15 and mailed to: Department of Agriculture, 2320 South DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901.
Credit cards are an acceptable payment through the online portal on the DSBF website at: https://agriculture.delaware.gov/delaware-standardbred-breeders-fund/ and owners can make multiple payments on horses in one transaction.
Payments may be made at Harrington Raceway until 6 p.m. on Monday (April 14) and Tuesday (April 15), for those wanting to make payments at the track.
For more information call 302.698.4610 or email Mark.Short@delaware.gov.
— Mark Short
Ohio Breeders Championship stallion nominations due April 15
Delaware, OH — Ohio stallion owners are reminded that the deadline to register your stallion for future Ohio Breeders Championships is April 15.
For the last 40 years, the Ohio Breeders Championships, raced during the Grand Circuit meet at the Delaware County Fair, have become an important series on the Ohio racing calendar. In 2024, over $ million was distributed in the OBC races thanks to the support of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association. To get the most value for your stallion, you should consider making your stallion’s offspring eligible to this rich and prestigious series.
Nominate your stallion by April 15 by paying the stallion subscription fee of one half of the stud fee charged for the year of conception (2023), minimum of $300. Stallions must have registered with the Ohio State Racing Commission and must have stood in Ohio the entire breeding season of the year the colt or filly was conceived.
This year’s payment will cover foals for 2024 to be raced as 2-year-olds in 2026 and 3-year-olds in 2027.
For additional information, please refer to the nomination form on LittleBrownJug.com. Conditions for nominating yearlings will be published in the USTA Stakes & Futurities Nomination Book, on ustrotting.com and littlebrownjug.com.
Questions can be emailed to MMiller@littlebrownjug.com.
— Jay Wolf