East Rutherford, NJ -- The first round of payments are in for the
major Grand Circuit stakes to be raced in 2014 at The Meadowlands and the big
news is the dramatic increase in the number of horses nominated to the
$750,000e Meadowlands Pace. A total of 58 three year old colt pacers were
named to the race, nearly double the 2013 figure of 30, and boast the most
accomplished freshmen from last season and a few upstarts among the nominees.
The eligibles include the recently named 2013 Dan Patch Award
winning two year old colt pacer He's Watching, Breeders Crown winner Luck
Be With You, Metro hero Boomboom Ballykeel and Governor's Cup champ JK
Endofanera. Both colts that won divisions of the Buddy Gilmour series so
impressively on Saturday, Capital Account and National Debt, have been paid in
as well.
Several tweaks in the payment formula resulted
in greater participation by nominators. The most noticeable
change was the reduction in the nomination fee from $1,000 to $500. Another is
the inclusion of a tiered entry fee replacing a flat fee of $6,000 to enter the
elimination round to $2,500 to start in the elimination race and then $5,000 to
continue on into the final.
Other changes are being implemented going forward which include
for the first time a two year old payment of $400 due March 15 on foals of 2012
which will result in a reduction of $2,000 in the sustaining payments for the 2015
Pace. The goal is to maintain and eventually increase the purse of the race
while at the same time reducing the burden on the nominators
By mere association the Mistletoe Shalee filly companion stake
leaped nearly 40%from 29 to 41.
Meadowlands General Manager and CEO Jason Settlemoir voiced his
approval, "It's gratifying to see our signature race experience such a
resurrection. It took some thought by the racing department Pete Koch, Darin
Zoccali and Nick Salvi to revise a payment plan that was no longer working. The
improvement is welcome and appreciated.
"With better weather ahead and the stakes season on the
horizon, there is certainly cause for optimism. Saturday past the place felt
alive, the crowd was not only large but also engaged. There was definitely the
type of buzz in the building that we are expecting for the new
grandstand."
Across the board on the stakes menu results were mixed.
Substantial increases were realized in the Peter Haughton Memorial and Merrie
Annabelle, a few more trotters were nominated to the Cashman Memorial
and the TVG Trotting Championship. Those names include two noteworthy
mares, Horse of the Year Bee A Magician and world record holder
Maven. The older pacing mare stakes were up a bit as well.
The Del Miller for sophomore filly trotters took the biggest hit,
down a third and several of the stakes for open older pacers also declined
appreciably while the quality of the nominees held up nicely.
Nominations for all the races are now posted on The Meadowlands website.
Keep in mind that these lists are subject to omission/correction.
