SPECIAL NOTICE: The Meadows Racetrack & Casino has canceled Monday's live card due to the impact of the weekend storm that dumped more than 20 inches of snow on southwestern Pennsylvania. The casino, race book and off-track sites remain open.

Live racing at The Meadows is set to resume Tuesday, Feb. 9 with a 15-race card, first post 12:55 PM.

STAKE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

The Meadows Racetrack & Casino today announced its 2010 stakes schedule, a rich program that will award an estimated $6.45 million in purses to young Standardbreds who prove themselves against top competition.

The stakes schedule kicks off May 7 with a $200,000 PA Sires Stake for 3-year-old filly pacers and concludes Sept. 24 with a $125,000 Keystone Classic event for freshman pacing colts.

As always, the centerpiece of the schedule is the Delvin Miller Adios, which this year will be conducted over two days -- eliminations on Saturday, July 24, and the final on Saturday, July 31. Including the eliminations, the final and the $50,000 consolation, the “Pace for the Orchids” will offer a projected total purse of $750,000.

“This is one of the most compelling stakes schedules we have ever assembled,” said Mike Jeannot, president of Meadows Racing. “The sizable purses will attract first-rate stables and horses, which will mean exciting racing for our fans.”

Among the schedule’s highlights:

• Adios Day on July 31 also will feature three other Grand Circuit events -- the $200,000 Quinton Patterson Adioo Volo for 3-year-old filly pacers, the $100,000 Gov. David L. Lawrence- Arden Downs for freshman pacing colts, and the $100,000 Catherine Baker Knoll-Arden Downs for 2-year-old filly pacers. More than $1 million in purses will be up for grabs on the Adios Day card.

• A “Day of Champions” on Saturday, Sept. 4, when The Meadows will host all four PASS championships for 3-year-olds as well as a consolation for each of those divisions. Total PASS purses that day are projected at $800,000.

• The Currier & Ives, an early-season showcase for 3-year-old trotters, which will offer an estimated $300,000 in purses over its two divisions. The fillies will go on Thursday, June 3, with the Open division set for the following day.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR HORSEMEN

Retirement Sign-up and Informational Meetings for Grooms, Trainers and Drivers are scheduled:
Thursday, February 11, 2010 / Noon to 4:00 PM
Thursday, February 25, 2010 / Noon to 4:00 PM
at the MSOA OFFICE

Representatives of the MSOA Retirement Team (Janney, Montgomery, Scott and Dunbar, Bender and Zapf) will be available to sign-up grooms and to answer questions for drivers and trainers regarding retirement issues.

Qualifications: Grooms need to sign up for MSOA Associate Membership ($5.00)
and bring in W-2s and/or Form 1099s to calculate income for 2009.

Retirement qualifications must be completed by the February 25th meeting. For further info, stop by the MSOA office or call 724-228-3644.