The Graduate Series for 2023

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

The $1 million Graduate Series for 4-year-old trotters and pacers returns to The Meadowlands stakes schedule this summer, with a stop at Woodbine at Mohawk Park (WMP) to kick things off. The mare divisions we tried in 2022 have been discontinued. Mares may be nominated for and race in the open divisions of the Graduate.

It was the great Bulldog Hanover’s sweep through the three legs and final of the Graduate series that helped to launch his magical 2022 campaign and thrilled those that witnessed his incredible run of four wins in 1:47 or faster in 23 days at The Meadowlands.

The Graduate series will start a bit later this year to avoid conflict for the 4-year-olds with the new Ontario series at WMP through the month of April, the KYSS Maturity at Oak Grove in May and the the Juravinski Memorial at Flamboro, also in May.

The first Graduate leg will be the Mohawk leg on Saturday, June 3 on the same card as the Somebeachsomewhere 3-year-old colt pacers and leg two of the Miss Versatility for older mare trotters.

The series moves to The Meadowlands for leg two on Friday, June 16 and leg three a week later on Saturday, June 25 before skipping a week leading into the $250,000 finals on the Meadowlands Pace elimination card of Saturday, July 8.

2023 purses will remain at the same level as previous seasons, $75,000 ($50,000 if divisions) for each leg and $250,000e for the finals.

Further information may be found on this and all Meadowlands stakes on the web.