Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – To use race
caller terminology, The Meadowlands is in “deep stretch” of their Summer
Meeting with just two weekends of racing remaining, with the final day being
the granddaddy of them all, Hambletonian Day, on Saturday, August 7.
This Saturday (July 31), 36
three-year-old trotters will compete for spots in not only the $1-million
Hambletonian Final, but also its sister event, the $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks
Final, as both events will have two eliminations. The Hambletonian Elims will
whittle 16 male trotters down to 10 while the fillies will see half of 20
entrants advance.
The finals for the Hambo and Hambo
Oaks will serve as the marquee events on a spectacular 16-race program on Aug.
7 that has a special early post time of noon.
Much of The Meadowlands’ rise to the
top of North American harness racing can be attributed to their late, great,
longtime former racing secretary Joe DeFrank. With The Meadowlands Pace – a
race conceived by DeFrank in 1977 – now in the rearview mirror, looking back at
some of what made DeFrank such a pivotal part of The Big M’s legacy is well
timed.
First of all, DeFrank had a thought
of how racing would look at The Big M. His vision turned out to be the catalyst
to send the big oval in East Rutherford to the head of the harness racing
class.
It all started with a 10-horse
starting gate and the bigger one-mile track. Then, he spoke with the drivers.
“In the first driver’s meeting we
ever had here,” said DeFrank. “I tried to lay out the style of racing that I
wanted. No backing off to the halves. No sitting in. If you are on the outside,
just keep going. I want you out and going and moving. And if you get beat, you
get beat.”
DeFrank’s plan came through TV
screens across America on Meadowlands Pace Night (July 17). In the four-race
sequence shown live on Fox Sports 2, a national television audience saw no
winning favorites, no winners coming from inside posts, no horses winning on
the lead and 15 horses that went parked the entire mile, an average of almost
four per race.
“The [Meadowlands] Pace Night
national telecast was Meadowlands’ Championship Meeting racing in its most
contentious form,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason
Settlemoir. “A style of racing that Joe DeFrank and the current Meadowlands
ownership believe showcases Standardbred racing at its competitive best.
Forty-five years later, DeFrank’s vision, adapted to today’s racing style and
combined with the perfect one-mile racetrack, continues to create the highest
handles and the most exciting Standardbred racing in the world.”
(To see a video of Joe DeFrank, go to
https://youtu.be/kvrAyKKe60U)
PICK SIX CARRYOVER: There were no winning tickets sold in
the 20-cent Pick-6 last Saturday (July 24) night, so there will be a carryover
of $10,855 heading into the wager with the low 15 percent takeout. The bet
kicks off in the eighth race on Friday (July 30) night.
PICK-4 HAS HAMBO HOOK: On Saturday (July 31) night, the two
Hambletonian Eliminations will kick off both 20-cent Pick-4s. The bets with the
low 15 percent takeout and $50,000 guaranteed pool begin on races six and 10,
respectively.
FABULOUS FULL FIELDS: Both Hambletonian Oaks Eliminations
(races five and seven) will offer full 10-horse fields that are extremely
competitive and will offer plenty of opportunities to make a score.
FREE PROGRAMS: Free programs for every race of every
Meadowlands card are available to the public, and all one has to do to access
them is go to playmeadowlands.com.
LOW TAKEOUT, BIG PAYOUTS: Here are the six popular Meadowlands’
wagers that offer a low 15 percent takeout on a nightly basis:
·
Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5
·
Race 3: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7
·
Race 6: 50-cent Pick-4
·
Race 8: 20-cent Pick-6
·
Race 10: 50-cent Pick-4
·
Race 13: 10-cent Hi-5/Pentafecta
START TWEETING: You can always check in with the team
at The Meadowlands on Twitter.
For early changes, racing information
and staff selections, go to @themeadowlands or #playbigm.
On race nights, stay in touch with
the Big M’s Dave Brower (@eedoogie), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken
Warkentin (@kenvoiceover) and Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1).
BROWER’S BEST BETS: For those who like to get a leg up on
the action, go to playmeadowlands.com to see oddsmaker Brower’s
selections and analysis. Click on the “handicapping” tab and go to “race
reviews”.
Brower’s input is generally available
48 hours before every card.
HOW TO GET IN THE GAME: The best way to experience the action
on the track and at the windows is to go to The Meadowlands, but for those who
can’t make the trip, they can still tune in and get their action.
One of the best ways to watch the
action at The Big M – as well as all other races at other venues – is to get a
subscription to Roberts Television Network. All you do is go to rtn.tv for an affordable way to bring the action to
your TV, smartphone or other device.
A good way to get your bets in is to
use the Television Games Network (tvg.com) or your
favorite Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) site.
CHECK OUT THE SHOW: Big M TV’s live “Racing from The
Meadowlands” pre-game show, which provides news, notes, features, staff
selections and a look at that evening’s marquee races, gets underway at 5:47
p.m. on Friday and Saturday night.
Live action continues for the next
two weekends on Friday and Saturday. Post time is 6:20 p.m. with one exception:
Hambletonian Day (noon).
BET THE USA, USA, USA! For the first time ever, sports
bettors in New Jersey can wager on the Olympics, and there is no better place
in The Garden State to get your Olympic action, not to mention Major League
Baseball and a plethora of other sports, at one of the leading sportsbooks in
the country, the one inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands, The FanDuel
Sportsbook.
In a women’s soccer match slated to begin
Friday morning at 7 a.m., the USA is the favorite at +125 while the underdog
Netherlands is +180. If you want to bet on a tie being the result, the price is
+280.
In golf, Viktor Hovland, Paul Casey
and Xander Schauffele were all +1100 to win the gold medal as of noon Thursday.
Sports betting enthusiasts can get in
on all the action at “The Book” Sunday-Friday from 10 a.m.-midnight and
Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 a.m. The cash counter is open from 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
