Nat Ray hopefuls will earn World Cup points

August 02, 2007

The participants in Saturday�s $300,000 Nat Ray at the Meadowlands will have the opportunity to earn points towards an invitation to the World Cup Trot final in late September at Paris-Vincennes in France.

This is the second year the Nat Ray has been included in the World Cup Trot, which is now in its 13th year. The 2007 series is comprised of seven races in five different countries�Italy, Sweden, France, the United States and Canada.

The Nat Ray Invitational has drawn a field of 12 of the world�s best free-for-all trotters, including Vivid Photo from the United States, Jaded and Giant Diablo from Sweden, and Equinox BI from Italy. The Nat Ray is race eight on Saturday afternoon�s 15-race card, with an estimated post time of 2:35 p.m. The field for the Nat Ray, from the rail out: Flamewalker, San Remo Kosmos, Vivid Photo, Man About Town, Jaded, Corleone Kosmos, Giant Diablo, Sand Vic, Majestic Son, Med Vac, Swan Image, Equinox BI.

European horses have won the Nat Ray twice in the last five years. In 2002, Victory Tilly and Stig H. Johansson established a 1:50.4 stakes and world record. Two years later, it was Revenue and Lutfi Kolgjini who beat their American rivals in 1:53. The French horse Jeanbat du Vivier was the last European horse to participate in 2005. He finished seventh in the race won by Hellava Hush.

�This is possibly the strongest field we have had in the history of the Nat Ray,� said Meadowlands director of Standardbred racing Tad Stockman. �We are honored to participate again in the World Cup Trot and hope that the Nat Ray continues to spark interest within the international racing community. We hope our participation in the series will encourage the top North American trotting stars to take on the world's best in France this September.�

The participants in the World Cup Trot final, to be held Sept. 30 in France, are selected by a point system. The seven horses with the highest point standings accumulated from the European and North American eliminations are eligible to the final at Paris-Vincennes.

Oiseau de Feuxm, driven by Jean-Michel Bazire, won the first leg of the 2007 World Cup Trot, the Hugo Abergs Memorial, on July 31 in Malmo Sweden.

Information on the series is available at www.worldcuptrot.com
The 2007 World Cup Trot Stakes
July, 31 - J�gersro / Sweden�Hugo �bergs Memorial�
August, 4 - The Meadowlands / USA�Nat Ray Trot�
August, 15 - Montecatini / Italy�Gran Premio Citta di Montecatini�
August, 25 - Cagnes-sur-mer / France�Grand Prix du Conseil General Alpes Maritimes�
September, 1 - Woodbine Racetrack / Canada�Breeders Crown�
September, 15 - Mohawk Racetrack / Canada�Maple Leaf Trot�
September, 30 - Paris-Vincennes / France� 2007 World Cup Trot final

(Meadowlands)

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