Opening
weekend of the winter live racing season at TheMeadowlands
was an unqualified success on all fronts.
On the racetrack, the new letter classification system provided the competitive
racing promised upon implementation. The strong response at the entry box
resulted in full fields for very nearly all of the twenty five races, including
an expanded twelve-horse field in one race per night.
Business-wise, despite opening at the end of December on the heels of the post
Christmas holiday shopping hangover, handle shot up 24% on Friday over last
year's starting date. Saturday's handle, though hampered by a snowstorm that
kept many indoors, was also increased.
The wagering offered remarkable value to the horseplayer,
with the average win payoff over the twenty five races a whopping $26.80,
buoyed by a pair of triple digit winners on Friday. Favorites won at a perfectly
acceptable 31.25% and there were but three odds-on favorites over both days.
More prevalent were closing odds that reflected the competitiveness of the
fields with many 2-1 and 3-1 favorites at post time.
A Pick 5 carry-over from Friday to Saturday
resulted in a $92,195 pool for that wager on Saturday. A few head-scratchers
through that sequence left just a few happy customers rewarded with a payoff of
over $32,000 for a $2 bet. Friday's second race exacta returned a near record $2 payoff of $4.451.20
and the co-featured ninth race trifecta paid nearly $5,000 for the
same $2 wager.
New Meadowlands Director of Racing
Operations, Darin Zoccali, had this to say, "Coming into this new racing
season, we put in place a wagering format that put the bettors first. By giving
the Meadowlands
bettor more of what they want, they have responded by supporting our races with
strong wagering.
We had hoped the classified system of racing would
produce more competitive racing, providing the bettors with more betting value
and fewer short priced favorites. Through the first two days, I am extremely
pleased with the early returns."
Free admission with a free program greets each
customer on Thursday and Friday. All race nights offer a pair of Pick
4 wagers, along with the nightly Pick 5. These horizontal wagers were
warmly received with substantial pools that could contain a sizable wager.
"It was nice to get the racing underway this
past weekend, there was a buzz here at the Meadowlands with the return of live
racing from both our customers and employees.
The race cards Pete Koch (Race Secretary) and the race office put
together using the ABC classification system were outstanding.
The customers responded on both nights wagering more money
at the windows than the previous dates we were up against from earlier this
year.
One of our initiatives at the NewMeadowlands Racetrack has been and continues to
be to deliver the best harness racing in the world. I
was extremely happy to hear all the positive feedback from our customers about
the racing and the guest service they were greeted with throughout both nights.
There is still room to
improve as the most important aspect of our business will be to deliver
unparalleled customer service to our guests and horsemen. Accordingly
I would like to hear feedback and suggestions from our customers and horsemen atmedia@newmracing.com .
I would also like to take this opportunity to
wish each and every one of our customers, employees and horsemen a very happy,
healthy and prosperous New Year”, said Jason M. Settlemoir, CEO/General Manager
of the New Meadowlands
Racetrack.
Racing resumes on
Thursday and continues with a Thursday - Friday - Saturday schedule each week
with a post time of 7:15 until mid-March. Find all the information you may need
at The Meadowlands'website.
