Meadowlands Stakes Notes

Thursday, January 27, 2022

With the promise of another exciting summer stakes season looming, The Meadowlands reminds horsepersons that nomination payments for our 2022 stakes have a closing date of February 15. All information pertinent to this process may be found on the Meadowlands website.

Brand new for 2022 is the New Jersey Classic Series for NJ Sired freshmen and sophomores. We are excited to add a mare division to the Graduate Series, hoping to give the gals the same transitional opportunity into open competition that the series has provided to horses in the past. It is also important to note that the Freshman Fall Final Four will revert back to an elimination and final format in 2022.

There are several “housekeeping” details to bring to your attention so far as the 2022 stakes and some changes of note within the conditions.

Previously announced was the “Win & You’re In” to the Breeders Crown bonus for the Peter Haughton and Jim Doherty 2-year-old trotting stakes. This clause offers a lucrative incentive provided by the Breeders Crown for those competing in these top freshman trotting stakes.

Also previously released is the adoption of a new draw formula for the finals of stakes that require eliminations races. The goal is to, by rewarding more than only the winner of the elimination race with the chance to draw a preferred post, encourage more competitive racing in the elimination races. This new clause will be restricted to Meadowlands administered stakes.

The TVG FFA Championship now includes a clause that reads “Mare Buy Up” which states that; If, after all of the above conditions are exhausted there remain unfilled positions, mares that are eligible to the TVG Mare divisions may buy into and race in the TVG Open. To gain eligibility, the difference in payments between the Mare and Open divisions must be paid along with the Open declaration fee.

The Meadowlands and the Hambletonian Society have partnered to provide tiered entry fee discounts (as below) contingent upon nomination to other Meadowlands 2YO stakes to encourage participation in the first freshman Grand Circuit stake of the season, the June 17 Tompkins-Geers stakes.

Entrance Fee………………………………………………………………$500 

* If a 2-year-old has made all payments to the Fall Final Four & Kindergarten Series, the entrance fee will be waived.

* If a 2-year-old has made all payments to the Fall Final Four only, the entrance fill will be discounted 50% to $250.

*If the 2-year-old has made all payments to the Kindergarten Series only, the entrance fee will be discounted 25% to $375.

Those staking are reminded of the Stallion Restriction Condition (SRC) which applies to all Meadowlands administered stakes and Hambletonian Society stakes raced at The Meadowlands that include the SRC within their conditions. The list of stallions and affected stakes is available here.

All Meadowlands stakes conditions will be available on the USTA website.