New stakes race names at The Big M

East Rutherford, NJ – The Meadowlands is announcing that two popular Grand Circuit harness racing stakes for older mares have been retitled for 2022 to represent a pair of exciting new sires that stand at Deo Volente Farms in New Jersey.

The Open Mare Trot previously known as the Joie De Vie will become the Six Pack when it is raced on Saturday, July 2, 2022. Champions such as Buck I St Pat, Maven, Hannelore Hanover, stakes record holder Emoticon Hanover and 2021 winner Atlanta are among those listing this classic on their resume. Six Pack is the fastest trotting stallion on a mile track in Harness Racing history by virtue of his 1:49.1 Kentucky Futurity win and retired with career earnings of nearly $2 million. His first crop of 2021 foals have captured the imagination of all who have seen them and will be featured at the major yearling auctions next fall.

Perfect Sting will replace Artiscape as the title sponsor of the Open Mare Pace, raced on the same date. An examination of that stake’s history reveals all-time greats like My Little Dragon, Androvette, three-time winner Shartin N and Lyons Sentinel, who set the stakes record of 1:48 in 2021. Perfect Sting was simply born to be a champion. His sire Always B Miki is the co-fastest Standardbred in history while his dam Shebestingin was the fastest pacing mare ever at the time of the mating. He raced out of the barn of Hall of Fame trainer Joe Holloway, who had trained both sire and dam, throughout his career.

Perfect Sting completed a perfect 10 for 10 season at age two and was a player in every major stake at three, closing his career with a second Breeders Crown win. The decision to stand him in New Jersey resulted in a quickly filled book of high-quality mares.

Mile Gulotta has been a vital force in the resurgence of New Jersey Standardbred breeding and racing, both through Deo Volente Farms and his tireless efforts in the political arena. He responded with his usual enthusiasm when the opportunity to support these Grand Circuit stakes at The Meadowlands presented itself.

“Having a race named after Perfect Sting so soon after his retirement is testimony to his greatness. Sting adds another dimension to New Jersey’s sire ranks, and we are proud to call Deo Volente his new home. We wish all his supporters’ tremendous success.

“Six Pack also gets his well-deserved recognition as one of the great ones ever of our sport. His Kentucky Futurity World Record was simply amazing, and I expect him to be a very successful stallion.”

by Nick Salvi, for the Meadowlands