NZB Standardbred Graduates to Contest Million Dollar Spring

2 September 2020

Hailed as ‘The Million Dollar Spring’, New Zealand harness racing enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to in the new season as stakes for eighteen races have been announced for the country’s best two and three-year-old pacers and trotters. 

Krug (NZ) (Bettor's Delight) claimed the
Garrard's Sires Stakes Heat 2 (1980m) on August 21. 

Featuring prominently in the lucrative spring calendar is the inaugural running of NZB Standardbred’s Harness Million Series races.

Originally planned to get underway at Addington Raceway and Alexandra Park in May, the running of NZB Standardbred’s Harness Million Race Series 1 was postponed as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown and interruption to racing in New Zealand.

The New Zealand Sires Stakes Board has re-scheduled the race series for graduates of NZB Standardbred’s first-ever 2019 National Yearling Sale, which will be run as late two-year-old races.

Heading the line-up is the Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 2YO Colts & Geldings Pace (2200m) held at Alexander Park on Friday 25 September with a stake of $200,000.

The fillies will be chasing a $150,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 2YO Fillies Pace (1980m) and trotters will contest for $75,000 in the Listed NZB Standardbred Harness Million 2YO Trot (1980m). Both races will be held at Addington Raceway on Friday 2 October.

The Harness Million Series consists of principal two-year-old and three-year-old races for colts and geldings, fillies and trotters individually, plus other races that may be conditioned and are to include opportunities for four-year-old and older horses.

The Harness Million Series 1 eligible graduates will also have the opportunity to contest their three-year-old races set to be ran in the new year.

The incentive scheme incorporates an easy one-time qualifying fee and one-off entry fee, with a total combined purse of $1 million to be raced for.

To view the full spring racing schedule click here.