On the tote board,
the all-sources handle was up 16% over what was a very mild weekend
weather-wise last year. Saturday's total of $3.7 million was the highest non-Meadowlands
Pace/Hambletonian
card handle in three years.
The
races themselves continue to be hotly contested while offering good
value. Thursday's Pick 4 returned $2,350 with the highest priced winner at
$18 and two favorites in the sequence. Friday's late Pick 4 was over
$8,200 keyed by another Eric Carlson driven bomb.
Three Winter Series finals were raced on Saturday
night with a logical winner in each. Windsun Galliano annexed the $51,000 Super Bowl in
a stakes record 1:53.4 for the Andy/Julie Miller stable and owners Tracy Brainard,
James and Elizabeth Harper.
Holdingallthecards was a comfortable
winner of the $67,400 Clyde Hirt final. He swept through the series
with Tim Tetrick
aboard for trainer Scott Di Domenico and owner William McIntyre.
Golden Receiver had dominated the two Presidential legs and
his imposing form resulted in 3/10 favoritism in the
$103,500 final. The road to the winners circle was fraught with peril
and required the veteran to dig deep into the currency of his courage to
prevail.
The
pride of breeder and co-owner Nina Simmonds and her partner Our Horse Cents
Stable, Golden Receiver was trained to his second consecutive Presidential tour
de force
by Mark Harder and perfectly driven by Tim Tetrick.
Golden Receiver and his potential competition throughout the 2013 racing season
will have an opportunity to earn big dollars while making their case
for seasonal honors with the brand new $1,000,000 Free For All events in
November at The Meadowlands.
These races offer a guaranteed $500,000 purse for both pacers
and trotters on November 30 as the fall meet opens at The Meadowlands. The nomination payment is due
February 15.
"With our best horses making the commitment to stay on
the racetrack longer, The Meadowlands has responded by providing a stakes
program that rewards that commitment," said Director of Racing Operations
Darin Zoccali.
"This brand new Free For All series is a
revolutionary idea that will build excitement, pitting the best of our
sport against one another throughout the season with an ultimate showdown on
November 30. The potential matchup of the best 3YO in the country against the
best older horses is spell-binding.
"We could have only hoped to see Somebeachsomewhere
against Mister Big or Muscle Hill against Lucky Jim. This new series makes that
possibility a reality!"
Information on this new event along with the entire menu of early & late
closers for the 2013 Big M season is available
on the web .
The
upcoming week will be strictly overnight racing as there is a one week break in
series action. Winter Series events resume on February 7 with the Winter
Survivor for horses that have started in a $15,000 claimer or less using the
bracket format and the Charles Singer four year old trot.
Friday, February 8 will see the return of the popular Junior Trendsetter series
for sophomore pacers and Saturday, February the Exit 16W for 4 year old pacers
kicks off.
Racing resumes on Thursday with first post at 7:15. Tune in at 6:45 for the
award winning "Racing at The Meadowlands" broadcast featuring
interviews with racing personalities along with perspective on the card and
expert selections.
