Some groundhogs may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but spring is in the air for owners and trainers of Standardbreds as they mull over stakes payments ahead of the looming February 15 deadline (which could actually be February 17 since the 15th is a Sunday and 16th is a holiday).  While we can spend all day arguing what constitutes a Grand Circuit race, for my money the 2026 stakes season starts on May 2, and we are going to guide you through the calendar so you can circle some dates and begin to get excited about the slate of races. There are some additions to the calendar, some movement in the stakes, and the usual conflicts that will require fans and bettors to fire up multiple devices to keep up with the action. May - All eyes on Oak Grove The Grand Circuit calendar kicks off with the traditional 3-year-old trotting event known as the Dexter Cup, which moved to the Meadowlands last year after a long run at Freehold Raceway. There was hope that the venue switch, as well as the change to dropping the elimination format would bring renewed life to the race. That still remains a possibility but one that was certainly dimmed by the addition of the G1 Oak Grove Trotting Derby, an elimination (May 4) and finals (May 16) format race with split division for fillies ($300,000) and Open foes ($500,000). The Open final figures to offer a purse that is three times the Dexter Cup and could dilute the field for that race. Other major races to watch in May include: MGM Borgata and newly renamed Ursula McIntyre finals for older pacers at Yonkers Raceway on May 8 A.J. Cutler Memorial for older trotters at the Meadowlands on May 16 Charles Juranvinski Memorial for 4-year-old pacers at Flamboro Downs on May 17 Trio of $100,000 Invitationals for older pacers and trotters on May 24 at Harrah’s Philadelphia Camluck Classic for older pacers at Western Fair on May 29 Somebeachsomewhere for 3-year-old pacers and start of Graduate Series for 4-year-olds at Woodbine Mohawk Park on May 30 Start of the Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Ontario, New York and Indiana Sire Stakes for 3-year-olds June - best 3-year-old pacers step up North America Cup night at Woodbine Mohawk Park on June 13 is clearly the featured event on the calendar for the month. In addition to the C$1 million Grade 1 event for 3-year-old pacers, there will be a number of other top stakes on the special program. The sophomore class will also be highlighted less than two weeks later when MGM Yonkers Raceway hosts the MGM Grand Messenger and MGM Yonkers Trot finals on June 26 to commence the Triple Crown on both gaits. Other June races: Battle of Lake Erie with a boosted $250,000 purse (up from $200,000) for older pacers at MGM Northfield Park on June 6 Empire Breeders Classic for 3-year-old trotters on June 12 at Vernon Downs July - Big M adds second huge night The Meadowlands shakes things up this July by moving four stakes races for older pacers and trotters that were carded on the last Saturday in June to the Fourth of July. Fireworks on the track are guaranteed with those races joined by the Meadowlands Pace eliminations and more importantly, perhaps, the Graduate finals, because none of the 4-year-olds in that series will be able to compete against older combatants in the relocated Crawford, Brower, Six Pack and Perfect Sting stakes. You also have to wonder if nominations to those races will take a hit due to the move. The Meadowlands will remain in the spotlight the following week with a mega-card headlined by the G1 Meadowlands Pace (with a boosted purse courtesy of added payments this year) and also featuring most of the Hambletonian-bound 3-year-old trotters in the Stanley Dancer and stakes for just about every age and gait other than 2-year-olds. Another key note for July is that the G1 Adios Pace at The Meadows for 3-year-old pacers won't be the same day as the Hambletonian eliminations for the first time in recent memory. Other July Races: Next Generation for 2-year-olds at Eldorado Scioto Downs on July 4 Quartet of $100,000 races on July 18 at Scioto Downs Spirit of Massachusetts for 3-year-old and up trotters on July 19 at Plainridge Park Zweig Memorial at Vernon Downs for 3-year-old trotters on July 19 Sire Stakes for 2-year-olds begin ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter August - Hambo Day isn't the first Saturday in August A little-known fact is that the G1 Hambletonian is always on the first Saturday in August unless the first Saturday falls on August 1. In that case it moves to August 8. Could this be the last Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands with the race moving to another location in 2027? I still believe it will stay put, but not sure I'm putting a ton of money on it via Kalshi. Obviously Hambo Day has everything you could want in a stakes card and is highlighted by the $1,000,000 final for the best 3-year-old trotters. Eliminations take place on August 1. The rest of the month looks similar to 2025 and lays out as follows: August 3 – Grand River: Battle of Waterloo & Battle of the Belles for 2-year-olds August 14 – Harrah's Hoosier Park: G1 Dan Patch for older pacers + new Rockin Nola for older pacing mares August 15 – Northfield Park: Carl Milstein Memorial for 3-year-old pacers August 22 – Pocono Downs: Sun Stakes with $2 million plus in stakes and Invitationals for 3-year-olds and older Charlottetown Driving Park: Gold Cup & Saucer August 29 – Woodbine Mohawk Park: Four stakes for 2-year-olds highlighted by the William Wellwood Memorial and Peaceful Way August 30 – Tioga Downs: Empire Breeders Classic for 3-year-old pacers September - Busier than rush hour in Los Angeles September is arguably the most congested month on the calendar, not just due to the number of stakes and where they fall but also because there are Sire Stakes finals for New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky going on. Neither of the September schedule clashes in 2026 are new. The $1,000,000 G1 MGM Yonkers International Trot and Bob Miecuna Invitational fall on the same date (September 12) as the Charlie Hill at Scioto Downs (the track also has the Jim Ewart Memorial for older pacers that night). All three races are for older trotters and with Yonkers seemingly moving post time to 3:30 P.M., the cards will likely overlap as well; a change for this year. The other conflict is with the 2-year-old trotters as the historic G1 Peter Haughton and G1 Jim Doherty take place at Harrah's Hoosier Park on September 18, followed by the Kentucky Sire Stakes finals on the 20th at The Red Mile and the G1 Mohawk Million at Woodbine Mohawk Park on September 26. One of these years we'll solve this problem...but I doubt it. The September 26 date at Woodbine Mohawk Park deserves special mention as it not only includes the C$1 million G1 Mohawk Million but also the C$1 million G1 Metro for 2-year-old pacers, G1 Canadian Trotting Classic for 3-year-old trotters, and a couple more stakes with C$300K-plus purses. More stakes of note: Woodbine Mohawk Park hosts the rich G1 Canadian Pacing Derby and G1 Maple Leaf Trot for older competitors on September 5 The Meadowlands showcases 2- and 3-year-old trotters and pacers in the New Jersey Classic finals on September 11 The Delaware County Fair rolls into Ohio on September 20 and the highlights are the G1 Jugette for 3-year-old filly pacers on the 23rd and the G1 Little Brown Jug one day later. That card also has the Miss Versatility final for older trotting mares. The biggest card of the year at Harrah's Hoosier Park is on September 25 with at least eight stakes being offered. The Caesars Trotting Classic for older trotters is the featured event. October - The Crown is back in Ohio October is always about the G1 Breeders Crown and perhaps more so in 2026 with the series returning to Ohio for the first time this century. Scioto Downs will host eliminations on the 16th and 17th ahead of the finals on the 23rd and 24th. All eyes will be focused on the Buckeye State for two weeks and rightfully so. It is worth pointing out that the second week of Grand Circuit action at The Red Mile falls in some divisions less than a week before the Crown races for those age groups. The 2-year-old colt pacers and filly trotters (International Stallion Stakes) along with the older horses (Allerage) will all have to come back in six days if they want to race in both events. I can see some horses skipping the second week of The Red Mile, or maybe skipping both weeks considering how busy the calendar is in September. It's a shame that a slight schedule adjustment couldn't been made. Other races to watch: The Red Mile has the Bluegrass Series for 2- and 3-year-olds on October 1 to 3 The biggest night of the year at Dayton is October 3 with four Dayton Derby races for older trotters and pacers (the mare races are G1) The Big Apple Trot and Pace finals for 2-year-olds are on tap for October 9 at Vernon Downs The G1 Kentucky Futurity (3-year-old trotters) stakes-filled card occurs on October 11 at The Red Mile Harrah's Hoosier Park has its final big card of the year on October 30 with a quartet of six-figure stakes for 3-year-olds Meadowlands closes out the month with the Kindergarten finals for 2-year-olds on Halloween Plus Sire Stakes finals for Ontario and Indiana November - One final show at the Meadowlands While there are a spattering of stakes through November, the Meadowlands has the final major card of the year on November 14 when it offers up eight stakes. The G1 Fall Final Four races for 2-year-olds, along with the G1 FanDuel finals for older horses (plus 3-year-olds that enter) are on a card that should sport about $3 million in purses. Bally's Dover is the other track to watch with the Matrons for 2-year-olds on November 5 and the 3-year-olds on November 12, plus the Progress Pace for sophomore pacers on the 25th. December - Yonkers closes out the stakes year The only Grand Circuit-caliber stakes races in December take place on closing night of the meet at Yonkers Raceway. The tracks hosts the MGM Grand Prix finals for older trotters and pacers on December 18. After that we regroup and start dreaming about what 2027 has to offer. That is still 11 months away and hopefully this year has plenty of great races and horses to offer.