from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department

East Rutherford, NJ — The Meadowlands is pleased to announce that the stake for older trotting mares formerly known as the Fresh Yankee shall be titled to memorialize long-time Grand Circuit “Veterinarian to the Stars” Dr. John R Steele, beginning with the 2017 edition of the race.

Photo courtesy of the Meadowlands

The stake for older trotting mares formerly known as the Fresh Yankee shall be titled to memorialize long-time Grand Circuit “Veterinarian to the Stars” Dr. John R Steele.

Dr. Steele graduated from Cornell University in 1946. After leaving academia, he developed a successful Standardbred practice in Vernon, N.Y.

Dr. Steele traveled with the Grand Circuit for almost four decades, providing veterinary service to many world champions, a number of which were trained by Billy Haughton, Stanley Dancer, George Sholty, and Continental Farms.

He was acknowledged by his clients and peers as an astute lameness diagnostician who during the course of his career introduced many new and innovative therapies to the equine veterinary world.

Dr. Steele had a passion for trotters and even in his later years rarely missed a Hambletonian.

John R Steele and Associates, the veterinary practice he founded and grew, is proud to sponsor, along with several veterinary pharmaceutical companies, the Dr. John R. Steele Memorial in his honor at The Meadowlands.

Regarding the race itself, in just two years of existence it has been won by a pair of great mares. European invader D’One made her presence known in the U.S. by winning the inaugural edition in 2015 while Hannelore Hanover captured last year’s edition as part of her award winning season.

The 2017 purse is estimated to be $175,000.

Nominees to this and all Meadowlands stakes may be viewed on the website.