The initial payment deadline for eligibility to more than 128 harness racing stake events at 14 different tracks, headlined by the $1 million Hambletonian heats at The Meadowlands on Saturday, August 6 and the $5.8 million Breeders Crown events at The Meadowlands in October, is fast approaching.
Since Monday, February 15, is a federal holiday [President's Day, with no mail service] payments for all Hambletonian Society-serviced Stakes are due Tuesday, February 16 and must be postmarked by midnight on Wednesday, February 17, per USTA Rule 12.02.
Changes to the event landscape in 2016 include the transformation of the John Simpson Memorial races from stakes to early-closers featuring reduced nomination payments and starting fees; and the addition of the Liberty Bell for 2 & 3-year-old Pennsylvania-sired pacers and trotters at Harrah's Philadelphia has been added to their rich roster of races.
The W. N. Reynolds Memorial No. 62 sophomore pacing events have been canceled and refunded for 2016.
The Hambletonian Society services more than a hundred of harness racing's richest and most prestigious events and provides one-stop shopping for your staking needs. The web site contains all the tools and information necessary to stake your horse yourself. All information pertaining to these races – racing conditions, payment forms and much more information – is now available online at http://www.hambletonian.org or by calling the Society offices at 609-371-2211.
In all cases only ONE check (U.S. FUNDS) is ever necessary for each of the four payments periods i.e.: February 15, March 15, April 15 or May 15.
All races with February 15 payments due:
Delvin Miller Adios (and Adioo Volo Filly Division)
Arden Downs Stakes
Battle of Lake Erie
Breeders Crown
Cane Pace (and Shady Daisy)
The Carl Erskine
Centaur Stakes
Circle City
Cleveland Trotting Classic
Courageous Lady Filly Pace
Currier & Ives Trot (and Filly Trot)
Dan Patch
Dayton Derby Trot and Pace
Dexter Cup (and Lady Suffolk Trot)
Hambletonian (and Hambletonian Oaks)
Hambletonian Maturity
Hoosier Park Pacing Derby (previously the Indiana Pacing Derby)
The Horseman
Jenna's Beach Boy
Kentuckiana Stallion Mgt. Filly Pace & Trot (for 2YO Fillies)
Keystone Classics
Landmark Stakes
Liberty Bell (New Early closer) 3yr
Matron Series
Miami Valley Distaff Carl Milstein Memorial
Messenger Stakes (and Lady Maud)
Monument Circle
Progress Pace
W. N. Reynolds Memorial Stakes (no 3-year-old paces)
Art Rooney Pace (and Lismore Filly Division)
John Simpson Memorial Early Closer
The Crossroads of America
The USS Indianapolis Memorial
Tompkins Memorial & Geers Stake
Yonkers Trot