Meadowlands Meet Features Four Graded Stakes

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The 30-day meet at Meadowlands will feature four graded stakes, including the $500,000 Meadowlands Cup, a grade II event that serves as a prep for the Breeders' Cup Classic - Powered by Dodge (gr. I).

In all, 33 stakes worth $2.6 million are scheduled for the meet that runs from Sept. 30-Nov. 12.

The Meadowlands Cup is set for Oct. 7. Other graded stakes are the $250,000 Pegasus Stakes (gr. III) on opening night, the $150,000 Cliff Hanger Stakes (gr. III) Oct. 14, and the $150,000 Violet Handicap (gr. III) Oct. 21.

"With the Meadowlands Cup three weeks before the Breeders' Cup, we should continue our trend as a major prep race for racing's richest day," Dennis Dowd, senior vice president/racing for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, said in a release. "The entire stakes schedule should continue to draw top horses and horsemen from the region and across the country."

Following the first Friday and Saturday of the meet, racing will take place Tuesdays through Saturdays. First post on Tuesdays will be 1:10 p.m., with a 7:30 p.m. first post the other four days. In November, the New Jersey track will switch to a four-day schedule with racing Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.

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