GARY “SHACK” SMITH MEMORIAL SERIES
ELIMINATIONS: MAY 28
$2,500 EACH
FINAL: JUNE 4
$5,000
NO ENTRY FEE AND NO STARTING FEE!
CONDITIONS
FOR HORSES THAT HAVE STARTED FOR $4,000-$6,000 CLAIMERS IN 1 OF THEIR LAST 5 STARTS
AE: NON-WINNERS OF $1,001 IN LAST 5 STARTS OR $2001 LAST 10
AE: NON-WINNERS OF $200 PER START IN 2021-2022 OR JUST 2022 (MINIMUM 6 STARTS REQUIRED)
AE: NON-WINNERS OF $5,000, 2021-2022 COMBINED, MINIMUM 15 STARTS
NOT ELIGIBLE: ANY HORSE THAT HAS RACED AN INVITATIONAL EVENT IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS
ENTRIES MUST BE DECLARED ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 BETWEEN
8:00-10:00 AM
ELIMINATION WINNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE ONE FREE NIGHT AT THE BEST WESTERN SAINT JOHN, COURTESY OF GARY’S FRIENDS AT THE BEST WESTERN, WHICH WAS HIS FAVOURITE PLACE TO STAY
Bremner Stakes Highlight Saturday's Card
Horse Racing New Brunswick will play host to seven-dashes of horse racing action this Saturday at Exhibition Park Raceway, highlighted by three divisions of the prestigious Dawn & Ted Bremner stakes.
Frontier Cruise Impressive in N.B Debut
KCS Starlight & Brumby Share N.B Breeders Stake Glory
Horse Racing New Brunswick launched its 2022 racing card this past Saturday at Exhibition Park Raceway with the running of the second annual New Brunswick Breeders Stakes in two divisions.
Breeders Stakes Headline EPR Opener
Sophomore stakes action was the main event for the 2022 season opener on Saturday (May 14) at Exhibition Park Raceway.
As expected, Brumby captured the $4,900 New Brunswick Breeders Stakes for three-year-old male pacers. Never better than he was on this day, Brumby towed driver Mark Bradley to the position of command and played catch-me-if-you-can through fractions of :29.2, 1:00, and 1:29.1 before rambling home in :29.4 for the 1:59 decision and a new speed badge in the process.
Jamie Smith trains Brumby (Pang Shui - Anatevka) for Five Guys Horses N Lies of Charlottetown, P.E.I. The bay gelding sports three lifetime wins in 13 tries, with two of those coming at EPR in N.B. Breeders Stakes competition.
The $5,500 N.B. Breeders Stakes for sophomore pacing fillies was also won on the front end, but in this case by one of the longest shots on the board as KCs Starlite and Stephen Trites posted a 23-1 upset over favoured Mermaid Magic (Bradley) in 2:01.1.
Charlie Miles owns and trains the daughter of Source Of Pride - Allamerican Shaina with fellow Fredericton residents Donald Bishop and Bruce MacDonald. The win came in her first start of the season, and was her third lifetime victory from eight attempts.
It took a photo to determine the winner of the $2,500 Winners Over Pace as pacesetter G A Speed Sammy (Bradley) tried to hold off favoured pocket-sitter Frontier Cruise (John Davidson, Sr.) in a 1:59.3 mile. The photo determined that Frontier Cruise got up in the final strides for the victory, with Thats Some Plan another three lengths back in third.
Frontier Cruise (Sunshine Beach - Cuzurinittowinit) was making his first start in New Brunswick for trainer Jean Belliveau and co-owner Jean Charles Belliveau after the tandem claimed the pacer from a start at Woodbine Mohawk Park last October. He now sports 11 wins and 20 top-three finishes from 51 career starts with earnings of more than $62,000.
Live harness racing continues at the Saint John half-mile oval on Saturdays through to the end of June, with a single date in July and two cards in September before concluding the season on October 15.
Three Newcomers Highlight H.R.N.B $ 2500 Top-Class
This Saturday will see the launch of the 2022 racing season at Exhibition Park Raceway, presented by Horse Racing New Brunswick.
N.B Breeders Stakes Highlight H.R.N.B Opener Saturday
Horse Racing New Brunswick will lift the curtain on the much anticipated return to racing for the 2022 season on Saturday, May 14th.
Race Date Changes for Horse Racing New Brunswick in 2022
Officials with Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) have announced details for the start of the 2022 harness racing season in the province.
Qualifying races will be held this Saturday, May 7 at 12 p.m. Those who wish to enter a horse to qualify can do so by calling 506-663-5302 no later than 12 p.m. on Friday, May 6. The season will commence on Saturday, May 14 with leg one of the N.B. Breeders taking center stage.
A slight change to the season schedule was made in order to accommodate the 2022 Maritime Stakes schedule and in the best interest of racing. The full 2022 racing schedule can be seen below:
May 14: N.B. Breeders (Leg 1)
May 21: Ted & Dawn Bremner Memorial
May 28
June 4: N.B. Breeders (Leg 2)
June 11
June 18: Walter Dale Memorial
July 1: Barrieau McIsaac Stakes eliminations, N.B. Breeders for two-year-olds (Leg 1)
July 8 (6:30 p.m. post time): Barrieau McIsaac final
August 5 (Woodstock, 6:30 p.m. post time): Kelti Burnett Memorial, N.B. Breeders for two-year-olds (Leg 2)
September 3: Maritimer Stakes, Rod Goguen Memorial, Milton Downey Memorial, Open Mares
October 15: N.B. Breeders finals for two and three-year-olds
(With files from HRNB)
Significant Purse Increases to H.R.N.B Racing in 2022
Officials with Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) announced on Wednesday (May 4) a significant purse increase for the upcoming 2022 harness racing season.
With reduced race dates this year, HRNB felt it was important to give owners and trainers an opportunity to race for more money while keeping competitive with other tracks, like in P.E.I. and Maine.
This year, the minimum purse will be $1,800, which represents an 80 per cent increase from last year. The top class will race for between $2,500-$2,800 based on the number of starters, which is also a significant increase from last year. These increases come during yet another year of harness racing in the province without any government support.
Officials are hopeful that the eased travel restrictions along with the purse increases will help entice horsepeople to come to New Brunswick to race and that this will give local horses a chance to race for good money while also getting an opportunity to support harness racing in other places such as P.E.I. and Maine.
(With files from HRNB)
Earn Stall Rent with Horse Racing New Brunswick
Horse Racing New Brunswick has announced another incentive to race at Exhibition Park Raceway this season.
Horses racing at EPR this season will earn one free month of stall rent for every start they make this year at the Saint John oval. With 10 race days at EPR, horses will have the chance to earn up to 10 months of free stall rent. These credits can be used by owners and trainers for only the 2022 calendar year. There is no cash value for unused credits.
Officials hope this helps reward the loyal local horsepeople and maybe even attract a few new horses or even trainers to race at Exhibition Park this year. Anyone interested in stalls for the upcoming season should call 506-663-5302.
(HRNB)
Broodmare Grant Program Announced
Feb. 16, 2021
Horse Racing New Brunswick (HRNB) announced details of its new broodmare grant program. HRNB will offer 10 grants for the purchase of new broodmares. Stipulations for the grant program are as follows:
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Mares must foal in 2021 or be used for breeding to foal in 2022 to be eligible for the grant money. Payment will be issued when mare produces a live foal. Payments will be:
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$2,000 for first live foal
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$250 in Year 2
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$250 in Year 3
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Mares must be owned by a New Brunswick resident and reside in New Bruswick 183 days in the first year of foaling (2021 or 2022) and subsequent years of the program.
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Owners of mares are encouraged to keep current on mares reports for three years. Failure to do so may result in grant being suspended.
GARY “SHACK” SMITH MEMORIAL SERIES
ELIMINATIONS: MAY 28
$2,500 EACH
FINAL: JUNE 4
$5,000
CONDITIONS
1. FOR HORSES THAT HAVE STARTED FOR $4,000-$6,000 CLAIMERS IN 1 OF THEIR LAST 5 STARTS
2. AE: NON-WINNERS OF $1,001 IN LAST 5 STARTS OR $2001 LAST 10
3. AE: NON-WINNERS OF $200 PER START IN 2021-2022 OR JUST 2022 (MINIMUM 6 STARTS REQUIRED)
4. AE: NON-WINNERS OF $5,000, 2021-2022 COMBINED, MINIMUM 15 STARTS
5. NOT ELIGIBLE: ANY HORSE THAT HAS RACED AN INVITATIONAL EVENT IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS
ENTRIES MUST BE DECLARED ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 BETWEEN
8:00-10:00 AM
ELIMINATION WINNERS WILL ALSO RECEIVE ONE FREE NIGHT AT THE BEST WESTERN SAINT JOHN, COURTESY OF GARY’S FRIENDS AT THE BEST WESTERN, WHICH WAS HIS FAVOURITE PLACE TO STAY
New Stakes Series In New Brunswick
Feb. 8, 2021
Officials with Horse Racing New Brunswick are pleased to announce a stakes series geared toward supporting New Brunswick breeders.
The New Brunswick Breeders Stakes will begin in 2021 and will help support breeders by offering added value for New Brunswick foals. There will also be a 4 per cent breeders rewards program which will return dollars directly to New Brunswick breeders. In 2022, two-year-olds will race for $50,000 added.
“After some discussions with the ASBA (Atlantic Standardbred Breeders Association), it became apparent that for New Brunswick to rejoin the Atlantic Sires program was too expensive for us right now. It would have left our overnight horse population with only 10 or 11 race days,” said HRNB president Brock McEachern. “This program is affordable for HRNB, and offers added incentives for people to buy New Brunswick-foaled yearlings and for our breeders to foal here in New Brunswick.”
To be eligible to the series, mares must reside 183 days in New Brunswick. However, other yearlings from outside jurisdictions can be made eligible so long as they are 100 per cent trained in New Brunswick. “This premise promotes the industry here (in New Brunswick),” elaborated McEachern.
New Brunswick Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association president Sam Hodgin says this series is a big step in the right direction for New Brunswick:
“This series gives us stake races in Woodstock in 2022 going forward, which will be great to see.”
“Stay tuned,” says McEachern. “We have more good news to come.”
The new series can now be found in the Standardbred Canada Stakes Guide.
Bonus added to Barrieau-McIsaac
Feb. 3, 2021
Horse Racing New Brunswick are pleased to announce an added feature to the Barrieau-McIsaac Memorial Stake in 2020 and going forward.
HRNB will contribute $3,000 specifically for an added bonus for fillies. This bonus will award $2,000 to the highest placing filly in the final and $1,000 to the second-highest placing filly also in the final. This bonus will be paid in addition to any purse money won from the lucrative stakes event.
Last year, the filly Red Dirt Star garnered a respectable third-place finish in the $40,000 final.
"It is hoped this encourages owners with stakes fillies to stay eligible and compete in the rich event," said HRNB in its announcement of the bonus.