Meadowlands: New races on the Road to the hambletonian

In the wake of the havoc wreaked by the Covid-19 shut-down on all sports and events scheduling, the Road to the $1M 2020 Hambletonian has turned into more of a "guideline."

In an attempt to close some of the gaps on the calendar, the Meadowlands and Hambletonian Society are sponsoring $25,000 overnight events for 3-year-old filly and colt trotters, Hambletonian-eligible preferred. Fillies will draw the inside if entered.

The races will be slated for Saturday, June 27 and Saturday, July 4 on the Meadowlands' condition sheet.

With the rescheduling of many Grand Circuit Stakes north and south of the border, from the Currier & Ives Trot at The Meadows to the prestigious Goodtimes at Woodbine Mohawk Park, and the cancelation of such important races like the Earl Beal Memorial, trainers are scrambling to remap the path to the Hambletonian winner's circle, which has held firm to the date of Saturday, August 8, at the Meadowlands.

"We are trying to do everything we can to get all the various sire stakes, Grand Circuit stake, late closers and overnight horses raced," said Jason Settlemoir, COO and General Manager of the Meadowlands.

"“We appreciate the Hambletonian Society partnering with us on creating this additional opportunity for Hambletonian-bound trotters."

The 3-year-old trotters resume a schedule in July that includes the Currier & Ives (July 4 Meadows), Reynolds (July 11 Meadowlands), Stanley Dancer & Del Miller Memorial (July 18 Meadowlands), and the Tompkins-Geers (July 25 Meadowlands), prior to the Hambletonian and Oaks eliminations on Saturday, August 1.

The $1M Hambletonian is the first leg of trotting’s Triple Crown. The $500,000 MGM Yonkers Trot (Sep. 5 at Yonkers Raceway) and the $500,000 Kentucky Futurity (Oct. 11 at Lexington’s Red Mile) comprise the remaining legs.

-release (Hambletonian Scoiety/Meadowlands)