Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – When it comes
to the best that harness racing has to offer, all roads lead back to The
Meadowlands.
Last week a winding stakes highway
that took the best horses and horsemen from Woodbine at Mohawk Park in Ontario
to the Delaware, Ohio Fairgrounds to Lexington’s Red Mile made its final stop
at Indiana’s Hoosier Park for the Breeders Crown.
Now, the Big M will be the place for
the sport’s biggest events for the next three weeks as this Saturday’s (Nov. 7)
program kicks everything off with four Kindergarten Classic Finals for
2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits.
Anoka Hanover will try to up her
winning streak to six in the $252,340 filly trot while Lindysmusclemania and
Jula Muscle Pack – both winners in their final Kindergarten preliminaries –
take on Peter Haughton champion Zenith Stride in the $207,570 trot for colts
and geldings.
Breeders Crown winner Fire Start
Hanover is the marquee attraction in the $151,030 filly pace while Simon Says
Hanover – who seeks his fifth straight score – takes on Breeders Crown winner
Summa Cum Laude (who dead heated with Perfect Sting) in the $204,050 colt and
gelding pace.
Once the Kindergarten is over, it
will be time for all Big M watchers to get ready for the third biggest program
of the calendar year – after Hambletonian Day and Meadowlands Pace Night – when
Fall Final Four/TVG Finals Night takes place on Nov. 21 with many Breeders Crown participants expected to be on hand.
That evening, 2-year-olds will once
again be in the spotlight as the Governor’s Cup (colt pace), Three Diamonds
(filly pace), Valley Victory (colt trot) and Goldsmith Maid (filly trot) makeup
the Fall Final Four, with total purses of about $1.8 million.
In addition, year-end divisional
honors figure to be determined by what happens in the four TVG Finals, which
are the Mares Trot, Open Trot, Mares Pace and Open Pace, a fabulous foursome
which will see just over $1 million get doled out.
CUP RUNNETH OVER: One of the biggest events on every
track’s simulcast calendar is the Breeders’ Cup, and this weekend the best in
Thoroughbred racing will be at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY for the
14-race extravaganza.
The Cup will be the centerpiece of
the Meadowlands’ simulcast offerings over the weekend, as the event will begin
with five races on Friday (Nov. 6) and conclude on Saturday (Nov. 7) with nine
more dashes, the last of which is the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic.
The first Breeders’ Cup race on
Friday is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., while Saturday’s opener goes at 12:02 p.m.
The Classic has a post time of 5:13 p.m.
BETTING MENU UPDATE: The Meadowlands is refreshing its
betting menu. There will be some addition and subtraction of wagers and it is
bringing back guaranteed pools to its most-popular plays.
On a normal 13-race card, gone is the
fifth race 10-cent Pentafecta and ninth race 20-cent Pick-5, but those who
liked the 20-cent Survivor will no doubt be pleased that bet is back, albeit in
a seven-race format rather than the former 10-race marathon.
Effective, Saturday (Nov. 7), here is
the new wagering lineup for a normal 13-race card. Each bet offers a low 15
percent takeout:
·
Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5
($50,000 guaranteed)
·
Race 3: 20-cent Survivor
Pick-7
·
Race 6: 50-cent Pick-4
($50,000 guaranteed)
·
Race 8: 20-cent Pick-6
·
Race 10: 50-cent Pick-4
($40,000 guaranteed)
·
Race 13: 10-cent Pentafecta
“We are aware that many of our fans
wanted the Survivor wager back,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General
Manager Jason Settlemoir, “and we are happy to oblige them with the Survivor
Pick-7.”
On Friday (Nov. 6) night, the
Meadowlands will offer a 12-race card, so there will be one less Pick-4
offered, but because of a two-day carryover in the 20-cent Pick-6, a $25,000
guaranteed pool will be offered on the wager that kicks off in the sixth race.
There will also be $50,000 promises on the first race Pick-5 and ninth race
Pick-4, meaning that during the weekend, a total of $265,000 in guaranteed
green will be up for grabs.
FREE PPs: For free past performances of
Meadowlands races, courtesy of the United States Trotting Association and
TrackMaster, go to playmeadowlands.com,
where one can access races six through 12 on the Friday night card and races
one through five for Saturday.
TWEET THE TEAM: Stay in touch on Twitter with the Big
M’s Dave Brower (@eedoogie), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken Warkentin
(@kenvoiceover), Andrew Demsky (@shadesonracing) and Jessica Otten
(@JessicaOtten1). Check in everyday for Meadowlands news and updates at those
handles, as well as @TheMeadowlands and #playbigm.
CHECK OUT THE PICKS: For those who need to get a leg up on
the action, go to playmeadowlands.com
to see track oddsmaker and analyst Brower’s selections and commentary. Click on
this link to check out Friday’s card: http://playmeadowlands.com/RaceReviews.aspx?racedt=11/6/2020.
Additionally, track announcer
Warkentin’s blog is available on the site and offers his picks and analysis.
On race nights, access picks and
plays from the Big M TV team at #playbigm or at @TheMeadowlands.
CHECK OUT THE SHOW: As always look for the “Racing from
The Meadowlands” live in-house simulcast show every Friday and Saturday night.
The Big M’s regular team of Brower and Little will be on set both nights this
weekend in addition to providing winner’s circle interviews for the
Kindergarten Classic. The pre-game show begins at 6:42 p.m. First race is at
7:15 p.m.
If you want to watch all the action
at home, go to rtn.tv or your favorite ADW platform
to catch every race live.
