Big M sets '07 stakes

The $1 million Meadowlands Pace on Saturday, July 14, and the $1.5 million Hambletonian, paired with its filly companion event, the $750,000 Hambletonian Oaks, on Saturday, Aug. 4, headline the nearly $18 million in stakes which have been scheduled for 2007 at the Meadowlands.

The Hambletonian is the track's showcase event for 3-year-old trotters while the Meadowlands Pace is the signature stakes for 3-year-old pacers for the 137-date season that spans Jan. 5 through Aug. 4, 2007.

"Our stakes schedule offers something for everyone, from our popular Winter Series to our power-packed Championship Meet in the summer," said Meadowlands director of racing and racing secretary Tad Stockman.

The 3-year-old trotting colts also have the $350,000 Stanley Dancer Memorial on July 14 while the fillies have the $350,000 Delvin Miller Memorial on July 13.

The $100,000 Perretti Matchmaker, a stakes for older trotting mares that was introduced in 2005 and includes not only the purse money but a prized breeding to one of Perretti Farms' elite trotting stallions, will take place on July 28.

The season for veteran trotters begins with the three-week Su Mac Lad Series (March 25, April 1 and $100,000 final on April 15), the $180,000 Cutler Memorial on May 19, the $200,000 Titan Cup on June 30 and the $300,000 Nat Ray on Aug. 4.

Older pacers have plenty of stakes opportunities, including the Presidential Series (Jan. 13, 20 and $100,000 final on Jan. 27), the $225,000 Graduate on May 19, the $625,000 William R. Haughton Memorial on July 7 and the $350,000 US Pacing Championship on Aug. 4.

Pacing mares have a variety of Winter Series, including the Overbid Series (March 9, 16 and the $100,000 final March 23), the $100,000 Matriarch on May 13, the $200,000 Lady Liberty on June 1 and the $175,000 Golden Girls on July 28.

In addition to the Meadowlands Pace, the 3-year-old pacing colts are showcased in the $225,000 Berry's Creek on May 5, the $500,000 Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic on June 2, the $119,000 Jersey Cup on June 30 and the $275,000 Oliver Wendell Holmes on Aug. 4.

The premier events for 3-year-old pacing fillies are the $200,000 Thomas D'Altrui Miss New Jersey on June 2, the $85,000 Ladyship on June 29, the $150,000 Tarport Hap on July 20 and the $350,000 Mistletoe Shalee on Aug. 4.

The 2-year-old features begin with the Historic Series the week of June 27, the Meadowlands Grand Circuit the week of July 18 and the quartet of meet-ending stakes: $400,000 Merrie Annabelle (2-year-old trotting fillies) and $400,000 Peter Haughton Memorial (2-year-old trotting colts) on Aug. 2, and the $425,000 Sweetheart (2-year-old pacing fillies) and the $400,000 Woodrow Wilson (2-year-old pacing colts) on Aug. 3.

« Back