EPIC BAD BEAT PUSHES PK 8 CARRYOVER PAST 80K AT BIG M

Thursday, March 12, 2026

Everyone who has been a lifelong horseplayer has experienced something the track provides a little too often, if you ask them.

The bad beat.

If you heard a noise Saturday (March 7) night at the conclusion of the 10^th race at The Meadowlands that sounded like someone groaning in great pain, it might have been the player who was, apparently, on his or her way to cashing in big on the $1 PK 8.

Only to have their big-money dreams crushed.

Had 2-1 favorite Four By Four held on for the victory, that punter would have been the lone winning-ticket holder for the track’s new wager and cashed in for approximately $84,000. That player settled for seven out of eight correct and collected $1,610.00 when Captain Up burst onto the scene late and defeated Four By Four by the smallest of noses.

The wager was placed through 4njbets.com.

“That was a nasty beat,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “And all of us who have played the horses can sympathize. But horseplayers know that’s part of the game. That’s the kind of excitement – or pain – that this wager can create. The PK 8 has the potential for six-figure carryovers, and interest in the PK 8 – as well as the amount of money carrying over – will increase as the PK 8 continues to go unhit.”

When racing resumes Friday night, the PK 8 carryover will stand at $82,301. The wager is offered on races three through 10 nightly.

The eight-leg puzzler is the brainchild of Peter Kleinhans, the renaissance man behind the $1 PK 8 curtain. Kleinhans wanted to find a way to create some buzz at The Big M with the PK 8, and was willing to put his money where his mouth is by seeding the pool with $50,000 of his own green.

The PK 8 debuted on Feb. 6, and was hit the second night it was offered by two players, who each cashed in for $26,543.90. Kleinhans then reached in his pockets to seed the wager again. Since then, the bet has not been hit for seven consecutive offerings.

AND THAT’S NOT ALL: The $1 PK 8 is not the only wager starting out with a significant amount of money in the hat. The 20-cent Pick-6 failed to yield a winning ticket for a second straight night on Saturday, and sports a carryover of $20,356.

The 20-cent Pick-6 is available on races eight through 13.

THE WOMEN TOOK OVER: Last Saturday (March 7), The Meadowlands celebrated International Women’s Day with a pair of races that featured all-female drivers. In addition, an all-female, five-member TV talent team brought the action to viewers.

Lauren Tritton, arguably the best female driver in North America, had her skills on display, as she guided the winners of both ladies’ dashes.

“A credit to all of the ladies. They did a great job tonight,” said Lauren after completing her daily double. “It’s a great showcase for women in such a male-dominated sport. I absolutely love it. It’s a privilege that The Meadowlands put on a showcase like this.”

On the talent side, where the five-member, female-only team was almost certainly the first in harness racing history, saw Debbie Little, the associate editor at Harness Racing Update, host the show, which was co-hosted by Meadow Twaddle, the newly-named marketing director of The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association.

Heather Wilder, known for many Little Brown Jug and Breeders Crown telecasts, served as paddock interviewer, while horsewoman Kiara Morgan handled the analysis for a nationwide audience on FanDuel TV. Melissa Keith, the track announcer at Rideau-Carleton Raceway, called the 14-race program.

In addition, trainer Annie Stoebe hosted a live Facebook feed, Mary McDermott was in charge of social media posts and Jessica Hallett was on hand serving in a role she is known for, covering the happenings through a camera lens.

54. PADDY’S BUFFET: On Friday (March 13), head to The Big M’s Pink Restaurant and enjoy a St. Patrick’s Day buffet feast for just $54.95 per person (plus tax and gratuity).

In fact, you can not only enjoy soda bread and corned beef on Friday night, but on Saturday (March 14) night as well.

To get a look at the full menu, go here.

For reservations, call 201-THE-BIGM.

ELVIS WILL BE IN THE BUILDING: Dust off your blue suede shoes and come on out to The Meadowlands on Saturday (March 14) for a phenomenal Elvis Presley tribute show.

The show takes place in Pink Restaurant while diners enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day buffet.

Seating for the Elvis Tribute show begins at 5 p.m. Post time for the first harness race is 6 p.m.

The show begins at 8 p.m. and “Elvis” will sing all of his hits up until approximately 10:15 p.m.

Seating is limited. Admission to the show is $70, which includes dinner, tax, tip, a live Big M program and a $10 betting voucher.

To buy tickets, go here.

GET YOUR FREE PROGRAMS: To show appreciation to its loyal fan base, The Meadowlands offers free program pages for every race of every race card on its website.

Go to playmeadowlands.com, then click on the “news” dropdown to get the past performances at absolutely no cost.

A GREAT WAY TO PLAY: Every night, The Meadowlands offers a marvelous menu of popular wagers that offer a low 15 percent takeout.

Here is the rundown of when these wagers will be offered on the 14-race programs that will take place this Friday and Saturday:

• Races 1-5:20-cent Pick-5
• Races 3-10:$1 PK 8
• Races 6-9:Early 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• Races 8-13:20-cent Pick-6
• Races 10-13:Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 14:10-cent Pentafecta (Hi-5)

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

Stay in touch with The Big M talent duo of Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).

FANDUEL IS NO. 1: Meadowlands regulars who love to plunk down a bet or two on professional sports, know all they have to do is head for the FanDuel Sportsbook, the No. 1 betting facility of its type in North America.

It couldn’t be easier to do, as it’s located inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands. There are massive TV screens and self-service betting terminals, which enable fans to watch and wager in comfort while having some great food and drink.

For local basketball fans looking for action on Thursday (March 12), they can play the Brooklyn Nets, who travel to Atlanta for a 7:30 p.m. game with the Hawks.

The Nets are getting 15 points (+730 on the money line) in the game that has an under/over of 226½ points.

Hockey fans will not be left out in the cold, as the New Jersey Devils welcome the Calgary Flames to The Garden State for a 7 p.m. face-off.

The Devils are +130 laying 1½ goals (-188 on the money line) in the game that has an under/over of 5½ goals.

The New York Rangers head for Winnipeg for an 8 p.m. matchup with the Jets.

The Rangers are -188 getting 1½ goals (+130 on the money line) in the game that has an under/over of 5½ goals.

Whatever the sport, for the latest odds, go here.

The FanDuel Sportsbook is open for business Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. – 1 a.m.; and Sunday 8 a.m. – midnight.