Harness: No decision on 2027 Hambletonian; 2YO supplemental payment added

At the March 15, 2026 winter meeting of the Directors of the Hambletonian Society, the board approved the conditions of Hambletonian No. 103, the stake for foals of 2025 to be raced in 2028, which will take yearling payments on May 15, 2026.

For the first time, the Hambletonian conditions include a supplemental 2-year-old payment, beginning with Hambletonian No. 103. Horses not kept eligible by either the May 15, 2026 Yearling Nomination or the August 15, 2026 Yearling Supplement may make a February 15, 2027 supplemental nomination fee of $1,500 to either the Open or the Oaks. This payment will allow those horses to remain eligible to make the additional 2-year-old and 3-year-old schedule of payments for the year of the respective races.

Also added was language regarding information on the reporting of shoeing changes, an issue currently under committee review by the U.S. Trotting Association.

The following language was added to Hambletonian No. 103, which was approved with May yearling payments.

Trainers may be subject to notifying the racetrack and/or judges of their intention to race without shoes. The protocols and time frames will be posted on the condition sheet before entry time.

In addition, the board approved the conditions of Breeders Crown No. 41, which takes yearling payments on May 15, 2026 for the races of 2027 and future years. Added to the conditions was the aforementioned shoeing change language included in Hambletonian No. 103.

In other business, the board reviewed proposals submitted for future host sites of the Hambletonian, beginning in 2027. Proposals received from Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Meadowlands Racing & Gaming, and Woodbine Entertainment Group were presented to the board. The board voted to allow additional time to issue a Request for Information (RFI) to the tracks and to permit further review and clarification of each proposal.

No new directors were elected at this time. The annual meeting of the Hambletonian Society Board is scheduled for Lexington, Kentucky on Friday, October 9, 2026.

-edited release (Hambletonian Society)