For the first time since closing night of the 2010
Championship meet, the Meadowlands total handle on a Friday night card
surpassed $3 Million. In addition, in just 14 days of racing thus far in
2013,the Meadowlands surpassed a mark that took 80 racing days in 2012.
Tonight marked the fourth $3 Million handle of the young meet. In 2012,
that plateau was only reached on three occasions, the third of which did not
occur until Hambletonian Day. The total handle of $3,102,714 was an
increase of 28 percent over the $2,422,625 wagered on this same Friday in 2012.
On the racetrack, it was “Miller Time” once again.
Dave Miller won 3 races on the card, extending his lead in the driver standings
early on in the year. One of his wins came with Real Babe who was often
referred to as the “other three year old filly” in Ray Schnittker’s stable,
playing second fiddle to the brilliant Check Me Out. Now in the barn of
Mark Harder, Real Babe seems to be thriving as a four year old, earning back to
back wins, in consecutive lifetime marks. Harder’s hot start to the meet
continued with a training double as he scored earlier in the card with
Southwind Jazmin. Harder has 9 wins already on the year at The
Meadowlands, 4 of which with his newly named January Horse Of The Month, Golden
Receiver.
Racing continues on Saturday at the Meadowlands with a big
13 race program, kicking off at 7:15 P.M. Saturday’s card features the
best bet in harness racing, the $75,000 guaranteed Late Pick 4.
