LADIES PREVAIL IN GLADA TROTS AT DELAWARE, OHIO

 LADIES PREVAIL IN GLADA TROTS TODAY AT DELAWARE, OHIO

     by John Manzi for GLADA

 

Delaware Ohio--Two $3500 amateur trots were on the card today at Delaware, Ohio and both races won by lady drivers.

 

 Lauren Harmon won her split behind Walkonthemoon with a late rally to turn back seven others in a 1:59 triumph while Jazmin Arnold used the front-end route to capture her split with Herecomescharlie B in 1:57. 

 

In her division Harmon got away slowly  from the eight-hole and was content to follow the leaders by the quarter in :29.1 and was still at the back of the pack at the half in :58.4. But as the field headed up the backside with Hititoutofthepark (Steve Oldford) showing the way Harmon was out and going with Walkonthemoon and she hustled her trotter alongside the leaders as the field headed for home. In the stretch Walkonthemoon  rallied to score a length victory over Hititoutoftepark. Another Breath, who was parked the entire mile, ended-up third

 

The winner, a 4-year-old Archangel stallion, is owned by the Walkonthemoon Stable and trained by Stacey Van Huizen. He paid $9.20 for the win.

 

In the other division Herecomescharlie B was way the best and he proved it by wiring the field through fractions of :28.3; :57.3;  and 1:27 to finish a length ahead of Muscles For Life and driver Steve Oldford in 1:57. Swan On A Mission finished third for Eddie Miller.

 

The race winner, a 5-year-old Full Count gelding, is owned and trained by Dan Venier. He returned a $5.00 win mutuel.

BIG M ‘MINI MEET’ CONTINUES, SO DO SUPER SIMULCASTS

Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The Meadowlands’ September ‘mini meet’ is now a tad smaller as tonight’s (Thursday, Sept. 8) race card was canceled late last week, but that will only serve to strengthen the programs that will take place this Friday (Sept. 9) and Saturday (Sept. 10). Post time is 6:20 p.m.

The New Jersey Classic Series, the brainchild of Big M President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gural, will be on display Friday. The “A” level final for 3-year-old trotting colts and geldings sports a purse of $275,000 and stars Beal winner – and Hambletonian third-place finisher – Temporal Hanover, a Marcus Melander trainee who has hit the board in all eight of his 2022 starts, winning half.

In addition, the $275,000 NJCS “A” final for 3-year-old trotting fillies is on the card, and that race features Hambletonian Oaks champion Fashion Schooner, who’s won six-of-nine this season, including the $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final.

Horses of a somewhat lower caliber still get to go for good green in the NJCS “B” level 3-year-old trotting events. The division for fillies and for colts and geldings will both go for a pot of $100,000.

Betting figures to be big at The Big M this weekend, with plenty of full competitive fields and 14 races both nights.

When this weekend’s action has concluded, racing at The Meadowlands will have one more week of live action (Sept. 16-17) before taking a six-week break. That’s when Monmouth will conduct thoroughbred turf racing over the Big M’s seven-eighths-mile grass course.

SIMULCAST HEAVEN: Last Saturday (Sept. 3), simulcast patrons were treated to the top two horses in training – one in harness racing and the other in the thoroughbred game – adding to resumes that were already out of this world.

Bulldog Hanover upped his winning streak to nine at Woodbine Mohawk Park after taking the Canadian Pacing Derby in 1:46.4, a time that equaled the track and Canadian record.

During his win streak, the 4-year-old son of Shadow Play-B J’s Squall, has taken the Roll With Joe, Graduate, William Haughton Memorial, Dan Patch and CPD. Of those five big wins, the slowest mile he paced was a lightning-quick 1:48.1. His 1:45.4 clocking in the Haughton – as every harness fan knows – is the fastest mile ever in the history of harness racing.

Trained by Jack Darling and driven by Dexter Dunn, ‘Bulldog’ has become the sport’s biggest attraction. To prove that point, all one needs to do is follow the money.

In six of his last seven starts, wagering on the race he was in was at least $356,204. The high-water mark was at The Big M on Meadowlands Pace Night, when $465,667 was pushed through the windows on the Haughton.

“Bulldog Hanover has become a standardbred superstar and has elevated the attention and focus of Grand Circuit races,” said John Campbell, the president and chief executive officer of the Hambletonian Society. “His legion of fans is growing with every race. The people are tuning in to not only watch his races, but they are wagering as well.”

Bulldog Hanover’s schedule for the remainder of the year includes the Hoosier Park Pacing Derby (Sept. 23), Dayton Pacing Derby (Oct. 1) and the Allerage at the Red Mile (Oct. 9) before the Breeders Crown at WMP (Oct. 29) and then, possibly, the TVG Open Pace at The Big M (Nov. 26).

While the Bulldog remains the biggest attraction in the sulky sport, Flightline is the headliner of the thoroughbred game.

In Saturday’s (Sept. 3) $1-million Pacific Classic at Del Mar Racetrack, the best dirt horse in the world did nothing to weaken that statement, winning by a remarkable 19¼ lengths while putting up a Beyer Speed Index of 126. The win earned him a spot in the starting gate for the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November.

How extraordinary is a 126 Beyer speed fig, you ask?

It was the highest number assigned in 18 years, according to Bill Center’s San Diego Union Tribune story that was published Sunday. Only Ghostzapper’s 128 was higher than Flightline and Formal Gold’s 126 in the past 31 years.

Flightline has made five starts in his career and has never been beaten.

PICK 6 CARRYOVER: Twenty-cent Pick-6 bettors will be looking forward to when racing resumes, as there were no winning tickets sold on the bet last Saturday, creating a carryover of $4,091.80.

The Pick-6 will be offered beginning in race eight Friday night. Keep in mind that free past performances for every race of every Meadowlands card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com.

There will also be the usual two 50-cent Pick-4s that will sport guaranteed pools of $50,000. Those bets will begin in races six and 10, respectively.

INSIDEHARNESS.COM: Marty Marsh’s insideharness.com provides bettors with insights from trainers and drivers on many Meadowlands races every night.

All one has to do is go to the website and sign up to access the inside dope.

WHO DOES BROWER LIKE? For expert selections and analysis of every Big M card, check out track oddsmaker Dave Brower’s race reviews.

For Brower’s input, which is generally available 48 hours before every card, go to playmeadowlands.com, then click on the “handicapping” tab and go to “race reviews”.

CHECK OUT THE SHOW: Every racing night, the track’s live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show kicks off at 5:45 p.m.

Join Brower and Dave Little for harness racing news, a look at that evening’s featured events, best bets, value plays and more to get you ready for a night at the races.

GET ON TWITTER: Everything Meadowlands is available by going on Twitter. You can check in with the Big M team for early changes, racing information and staff selections by going to @themeadowlands or #playbigm.

On race nights, stay in touch with Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1), Brower (@eedoogie), Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover) and Edison Hatter (@Edison_1999_).

WHHC CHAMPIONSHIP: The World Harness Handicapping Championship takes place at The Meadowlands on Saturday (Sept. 10).

Players who did not earn a seat through qualifying events can directly buy in for $1,000. The fee includes a $300 bankroll with the remaining $700 going into the prize pool.

Entry includes a live racing program and a dinner buffet.

The top 10 finishers will earn cash prizes.

For complete information, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2022WHHCFinal.pdf

CHECK OUT THE PAST MASTERS: On Saturday (Sept. 10), enjoy live harness racing and live music as The Past Masters will be playing on Victory Terrace up on the roof at The Big M. The music begins at 5:30 p.m., approximately one hour before racing kicks off.

IT’S FOOTBALL TIME! It’s the best time of the year for sports bettors, as the National Football League season begins tonight (Thursday, Sept. 8) when the Buffalo Bills travel to Los Angeles to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Rams at 8:20 p.m.

Players know that the best place to get their action is the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is located inside the grandstand at The Big M.

The Bills are a 2½-point favorite and -134 on the money line while the Rams are +114 on the money line in the game that has an over/under of 51½.

Before you get your bets down, go to https://www.fanduel.com/sportsbook-meadowlands for up-to-dates lines on any sporting event the book offers.

The sportsbook is open for business Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-2 a.m. and Sunday 8 a.m.-12 a.m.

INSTAGRAM MODEL WINS AGAIN AT BIG M

By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – It was three weeks ago on Hambletonian Day that Instagram Model came from off the pace to take the $355,000 Jim Doherty Memorial in a lifetime-best 1:53, so it came as no surprise when the daughter of Chapter Seven-Check Out Trixie won a $20,000 division of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-old trotting fillies at The Meadowlands Thursday night as the mile oval kicked off an eight-card September “mini meet”.

The Annie Stoebe trainee, whose last start resulted in a dominant 4-length score in New York Sire Stakes action on Aug. 19 at Vernon Downs, scored for the fourth time from just five lifetime starts after sitting a pocket trip behind Grand Fashion.

After grabbing the lead at the head of the stretch, Instagram Model went on to a 1¾-length win in 1:56 to up her win streak to three. She returned $2.40 to her backers with Andy McCarthy driving as the 1-5 public choice, and in the process, upped her lifetime bankroll to $206,575. Grand Fashion held second with Defacement third.

After the Doherty, Stoebe told DRF/Harness: “When it comes to staking any horse, I like to pick two major races that I want to win. I went with the Doherty and the [Oct. 28] Breeders Crown [at Woodbine Mohawk Park]. Her entire schedule revolves around those two races. I amazingly accomplished my first goal and the next goal is to have her ready for the Breeders Crown.”

IT TAKES TWO: Trainer Chris Ryder had a pair of winners on the night, scoring with Lisa Lane (Lazarus N-Special Kay Deo) in a Kindergarten division for 2-year-old filly pacers, and with Goldin Greatness (Huntsville-Bet On Hill) in a split for 2-year-old male pacers. Chris’ son Patrick drove Lisa Lane, giving him his first-ever win at The Meadowlands. Three-time defending Dan Patch Driver of the Year Dexter Dunn was in the bike behind Goldin Greatness.

TIM TERRIFIC: Reflecting on winning his 13,000^th career race at Harrah’s Philadelphia with Sir Isaac Newton on Wednesday, Tim Tetrick told the Big M’s Jessica Otten: “It’s pretty special for a kid who thought he’d be a groom.” Tetrick, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame two years ago, won his first race with Travelin Legacy for a purse of $1,168. Since then, he’s won five Meadowlands Paces, four Driver of the Year Awards and has amassed lifetime earnings of almost $250 million.

A LITTLE MORE: Driver Todd McCarthy, last seen taking the Hambletonian with 52-1 longshot Cool Papa Bell, kept on rolling, guiding three winners on the card. …. All-source wagering on the nine-race program totaled $1,206,420. … Racing resumes Friday at 6:20 p.m.

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RACING BACK AT BIG M AFTER HUGE HAMBO DAY

Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Still basking in the afterglow of a Hambletonian Day card that saw the fourth-highest single-card total handle (combining North American and international outlets) in the history of the track, The Meadowlands returns with live racing tonight (Thursday, Sept. 1) when an eight-day fall “mini meet” kicks off. Post time is 6:20 p.m.

Betting on the 16-race, Aug. 6 Hambo Day card totaled $8,555,851. Only 2002 ($8,819,235), 2005 ($9,015,019) and 2014 ($8,739,953) saw more money pushed through the windows on the “Greatest Day in Harness Racing”.

There will be eight live programs at The Big M over the next three weeks before harness racing goes on hiatus for six weeks. Thoroughbred action will take place from Sept. 23 through Oct. 22. Live harness will then return on Nov. 4.

Harness racing at The Meadowlands will take place on two Thursdays (Sept. 1 and 8) and three Fridays and Saturdays (Sept. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17) during September.

This weekend’s action will feature the Kindergarten and NJ Classic Series. In mid-November, the Kindergarten will have four finals that will go for estimated purses totaling $1 million. The brand-new NJ Classic Series for horses bred in the Garden State will no doubt help to keep the breeding industry rolling. The series will have six finals on Sept. 16 for horses of high – and moderate – calibers vying for total purses estimated at $1.25 million.

The harness racing spotlight will shift to out-of-town Grand Circuit events when Big M harness is down. Some of the bigger races that Meadowlands’ simulcast patrons can look forward to are the Little Brown Jug at the Delaware (OH) Fairgrounds on Sept. 22, the Kentucky Futurity at Lexington’s (KY) Red Mile on Oct. 9 and the 12-race, $6.7-million Breeders Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park on Oct. 28-29.

Once the Crown trophies have been doled out, live harness racing will then return to The Meadowlands on Nov. 4 for the “Fall Championship Meet”.

The Kindergarten finals will take place Nov. 12. Two weeks later, the Big M will host its third biggest card of the year – after Meadowlands Pace Night and Hambletonian Day – when “Fall Final Four/TVG Finals Night” takes center stage on Nov. 26. That evening, divisional titles, and, quite possibly, Horse of the Year honors will be determined on a card where estimated total purses are $2.6 million.

SPECTACULAR SIMULCASTS: On Saturday (Sept. 3), Flightline is out to remain unbeaten when he heads the field for the $1-million TVG Pacific Classic Stakes at Del Mar Racetrack.

The top-rated dirt horse in the world, Flightline, perfect in four starts, is the 1-5 morning-line favorite in the mile-and-a-quarter event. The Classic will be the first time the John Sadler trainee will go longer than one mile. Post time for the race is 8:35 p.m. EDT.

At Saratoga, seven horses – four from Todd Pletcher’s barn – will get in the gate for the $1-million Jockey Club Gold Cup at a mile-and-a-quarter. Untreated, Americanrevolution, Keepmeinmind and Dynamic One makeup Pletcher’s “Fab Four”. Post time is 5:45 p.m.

Harness enthusiasts will be checking out the action at Woodbine Mohawk Park, where huge stars will be on the track in a pair of big-money events.

Bulldog Hanover, whose 1:45.4 win in the William Haughton Memorial at The Meadowlands last month was the fastest mile in the history of the sport, will try and up his win streak to nine in the $650,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (post time, 10:20 p.m.), while Alrajah One IT, who is unbeaten in three starts since coming to North America, tops the $610,000 Maple Leaf Trot (post time, 9:30 p.m.).

Three-time defending Dan Patch award-winning Driver of the Year Dexter Dunn will pilot both horses, who figure to go off as heavy favorites at post time.

WHHC CHAMPIONSHIP: The World Harness Handicapping Championship takes place at The Meadowlands on Saturday, Sept. 10.

Players who did not earn a seat through qualifying events can directly buy in for $1,000. The fee includes a $300 bankroll with the remaining $700 going into the prize pool.

Entry includes a live racing program and a dinner buffet.

The top 10 finishers will earn cash prizes.

For complete information, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2022WHHCFinal.pdf

CHECK OUT THE PAST MASTERS: On Saturday, Sept. 10, enjoy live harness racing and live music as The Past Masters will be playing on Victory Terrace up on the roof at The Big M. The music begins at 5:30 p.m., approximately one hour before racing kicks off.

FREE PROGRAMS: Free past performances for every race of every Meadowlands program are available 48 hours before a given card. To access the no-cost official program pages, go to playmeadowlands.com.

GET ON TWITTER: Everything Meadowlands is available by going on Twitter. You can check in with the Big M team for early changes, racing information and staff selections by going to @themeadowlands or #playbigm.

On race nights, stay in touch with Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1), Dave Brower (@eedoogie), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover) and Edison Hatter (@Edison_1999_).

CHECK OUT THE SHOW: On live racing nights, tune in to the track’s live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show, which kicks off at 5:47 p.m.

IT’S FOOTBALL SEASON! It’s the best time of the year for sports bettors, as the National Football League season begins on Thursday, Sept. 8, when the Buffalo Bills travel to Los Angeles to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Rams at 8:20 p.m.

Players know that one of the best places to get their action is the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is located inside the grandstand at The Big M.

The Bills, who are the +600 favorites to win the upcoming Super Bowl, are a 2½-point favorite. The Rams, +1100 to repeat as champions, are +114 on the money line in the game that has an over/under of 52½.

On the local front, those who like betting under/overs for wins can get in the game.

The New York Giants are +125 to win more than 7½ games and -145 to win less than 7½.

The New York Jets are -145 to win more than 5½ times and +125 to win less than 5½.

Before you get your bets down, go to https://www.fanduel.com/sportsbook-meadowlands for up-to-dates lines on any sporting event the book offers.

The sportsbook is open for business Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-2 a.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-2 a.m. and Sunday 8 a.m.-12 a.m.

Tioga Downs plays host to a $121,900 leg of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) for 3-year-old trotting fillies on Saturday (September 3).

The much-heralded Joviality S (Brian Sears) leads of field of nine filly trotters in the last NYSS leg before next week’s NYSS finals at Tioga Downs.  The filly by Chapter Seven is trained by Marcus Melander.  She is seven for nine as a sophomore.  She beat the boys in the MGM Yonkers Trot and finished second in the Hambletonian getting beat by fellow NY bred Cool Papa Bell.  She has won over $700,000 this season and is north of $1,600,000 in her young career. 

Her toughest rival will probably be the Tony Alagna trained Valentina Blu (Joe Bongiorno).  The filly by Chapter Seven has three wins in six starts this season.  She has won over $336,000 this season and has amassed over $458,000 in her career. 

The 8-race card starts at 6:15. 

For more information go to www.tiogadowns.com