Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Horsemen sent
up a signal. They needed some help. And management at the Meadowlands answered
the call.
After last week’s overloaded entry
box saw 777 horses hoping to get raced, many had to continue to wait on the
sidelines in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown. Two days ago, the box had
over 600 horses drop in, hoping for a chance. What was different this time
around, was that instead of the usual 26 races on the condition sheet, the Big
M race office – at the urging of track Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
Jeff Gural – will have 36 this weekend, with gigantic 18-race programs this Friday
and Saturday that have a special first-race post time of 6 p.m.
“We made a concerted effort to get as
many horses raced as possible, which will get much-needed purse money to as
many connections as possible,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General
Manager Jason Settlemoir. “Horsemen need racetracks and racetracks need
horsemen, so with neighboring states still not racing, we felt it was the right
thing to do to increase the number of races by 39 percent over the upcoming
weekend.
“Of course, we are happy to give our
fans as many opportunities to play the races as possible, but this move is more
with horsemen in mind. They have been waiting so patiently to get back to work
and we wanted to give them as much opportunity as we possibly could.”
COME OUT TO PLAY: There will be an expanded wagering
menu offering an increased number of the more popular Big M puzzles this Friday
and Saturday.
The Meadowlands’ “Big Four” bets will
increase to a “Big Six” this weekend, as there will be an additional 50-cent
Pick-4 and 20-cent Pick-5. Here is when the track’s most popular multi-leg
wagers will be offered. All will have a low 15 percent takeout:
·
Pick-4s will be offered on races 6-9, 10-13
and 15-18
·
Pick-5s will be offered on races 1-5 and
14-18
·
The 20-cent Pick-6 will
be offered on races 4-9
The remainder of the menu will look
like this:
·
Win, Place, Show,
Exacta, Trifecta and
Superfecta will be available on every race
·
Pick-Threes will begin in races 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9,
11, 12, 13 and 16
·
Daily Doubles will be offered on races 1-2 and
17-18
Regular players of the 20-cent
Jackpot Super High-Five will no doubt get involved in chasing a pair of big
carryovers. In the fifth race, the pool will have a $50,358 head start, while
in the 18th, the carryover stands at $59,763.
HOW TO WATCH, HOW TO BET: For those anxious to be a part of the
Big M action, they can watch the races on the Roberts Television Network (rtn.tv) or on the Television Games Network (TVG). To
bet the races in New Jersey, go to 4njbets.com,
and if out of state, go to tvg.com or your
favorite ADW (advance-deposit wagering) platform.
CONSISTENT PLAY CONTINUES: Betting remained steady last weekend
at the industry’s handle leader as a total of $2,650,358 was wagered Friday
(June 12) before $2,868,359 was put in play Saturday (June 13), marking the 11th
straight program where wagering exceeded the $2.5-million mark. Saturday’s per
race average was $220,643.
FIRST THE BELMONT, THEN THE BIG M: The Belmont Stakes, this year the
first leg in the thoroughbred Triple Crown Series due to the effects of the
COVID-19 shutdown, takes place on Saturday and has a post time of 5:42 p.m.,
exactly 18 minutes before the Meadowlands card gets underway.
GETTING IT DUNN: Last weekend’s leading Big M driver
was Dexter Dunn, who won five of the 26 races, including a victory in the
Preferred for pacers with Dancin Lou. Next in line was Tim Tetrick with four
scores.
On the training side, Chris Ryder and
Andrew Harris both had three winners.
CHECK OUT THE TEAM: For those who need to get a leg up on
the action, go to playmeadowlands.com
to see track oddsmaker and analyst Dave Brower’s selections and commentary. Go
to the “handicapping” drop down and then go to “race reviews”.
Additionally, track announcer Ken
Warkentin’s blog is available on the site and offers his picks and analysis.
Last week, the Big M TV team did
well, as all four members – Brower, Dave Little, Warkentin and Jessica Otten –
saw their best bets win on Saturday.
Meadowlands fans love the Pick-4, and
the mile oval’s “on set” team of Brower and Little shined a week ago. Brower
picked both Pick-4s on Friday while Little added one. Then, for good measure,
on Saturday, Little gave out the Early Pick-4, which paid a healthy $543 for a
$32 wager.
When this weekend’s pre-game shows
get underway at 5:30 p.m., check out the team’s best bets and value plays.
Little and Brower will do some news and notes and will also look at each
evening’s feature races. They will give out Pick-4 selections during the
evening before saying good night after the 16th-race replay with the
segment “Little’s Late Double”, where the former Daily News handicapper tries
to send everybody home a winner.
TWEET THE TEAM: Stay in touch on Twitter with the Big
M’s Brower (@eedoogie), Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Warkentin (@kenvoiceover) and
Otten (@JessicaOtten1) anytime, but especially on race night. Check in everyday
for Meadowlands news and updates at those handles, as well as at
@TheMeadowlands.
