BIG M WAGERING HAND DEALT AN EXTRA PAIR OF FIVES

Thursday, April 23, 2026

By Dave Little, Meadowlands Media Relations

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – When live racing resumes Friday (April 24) night at The Meadowlands, patrons will have an extra 20-cent Pick-5 as well as an additional 10-cent Hi-5 (or Pentafecta, if you prefer) to titillate their exotic-bet palates.

Saturday (April 18) night’s $1 PK 8 was hit by three superb players for $21,417.50, but the bet, which was sponsored by Peter Kleinhans, has now been discontinued.

“We appreciate Peter’s generosity during the time we had the $1 PK 8. It created a great amount of excitement, especially when the carryover exceeded six figures,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir of Kleinhans, who seeded the wager four times with $50,000 of his own money. “Now, moving forward, we are out to show that at The Meadowlands, we are never afraid to try something different to keep things fresh for our fans.”

Here is the new lineup of wagers that will be offered every racing night. They all offer a low 15 percent takeout:

• Races 1-5: 20-cent Early Pick-5
• Races 3-8: 20-cent Pick-6
• Races 6-9: 50-cent Early Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 7: Early 10-cent Pentafecta (Hi-5)
• Races 8-12: 20-cent Late Pick-5
• Races 10-13: 50-cent Late Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 14: Late 10-cent Pentafecta (Hi-5)

“We may not be done making changes to the betting menu,” said Settlemoir. “We have seen other tracks change things up and change specific wager’s minimum bets to possibly stir up interest. We may try something different with our denominations and we are analyzing that now.

“As for the extra bets we are adding this week. The Pick-5 is one of our more popular bets, with big carryovers common. So, adding one of those was something we felt our fans would go for in a big way. The Hi-5 is something we added because we didn’t want to merely offer one on the last race of the night. And when one of those doesn’t get hit, the carryovers are considerable. Now, we have twice as many opportunities for that to happen.”

WHO’S ON THE SHOW? This Friday and Saturday, Brett Sturman, the columnist and handicapper from Harness Racing Update, will serve as co-host alongside host Dave Little on The Big M’s live simulcast presentation, which takes place nightly on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set.

The pregame show begins at 6 p.m.

Ken Warkentin will be in his usual spot calling the races both nights.

Gary DiLeo will serve as paddock interviewer for both programs as well as providing analysis and selections on the FanDuel Television (FDTV) feed on Friday.

Kiara Morgan will handle FDTV on Saturday.

THE SCHEDULE: Live harness racing at The Meadowlands will be conducted on a Friday-Saturday basis through Sept. 12 with a first-race post time of 6:35 p.m.

There are several exceptions to those rules.

On July 4, there is a stakes-packed program that includes two Graduate finals as well as eliminations for the Meadowlands Pace. Post time is 6 p.m.

The 101^st edition of the $1-million Hambletonian is on August 8. That card begins at noon.

Finally, there will be one card that takes place on a Thursday. That program is on August 6.

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.

CHECK OUT FACEBOOK AND X: Check out The Meadowlands on Facebook (@meadowlandsracetrack) for race replays, interviews, carryover updates, promotional videos and much more.

Everything Meadowlands is also 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).

O’MALLEY TOP ‘CAPPER: Patrick O’Malley wagered $60 to win on Sweet Sandy in the 12^th race, and when the 5-1 shot scored and paid $13.80, it catapulted The Big M regular to the top of the leaderboard before going on to win Leg 4 of the Meadowlands $1,000 Monthly Handicapping contest last Friday (April 17) night.

O’Malley turned his $100 bankroll into $554 at night’s end to also take away the competition’s $500 first prize. Finishing second was Stefan Ferrara, who ended the card with $380, good for $250 in winnings.

By finishing 1-2, O’Malley and Ferrara have now qualified for the Dec. 12 invitation-only contest final, which will have $10,000 in prize money up for grabs. After finishing second in Leg 1 on Jan. 10, Ferrara will now have two entries for the big-money conclusion.

The fifth leg of the $1,000 monthly test takes place on Saturday, May 23.

MARCH FOR BABIES: The Meadowlands is hosting a great event for a great cause on Saturday (April 25), when all are welcome to be a part of the annual March of Dimes “March for Babies” walk.

More than a yearly stroll, March for Babies is a community. Families, friends and co-workers can connect while raising critical funds for research, education, advocacy, programs and services so moms and babies get the best possible start.

Together, each step forward leads to a healthy future for us all.

Registration for the walk is at 8 a.m., while the event begins at 10 a.m.

To join, go here.

DERBY DAY APPROACHING: Known as “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports”, the 152^nd edition of the Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 2, and simulcast regulars know the greatest place to watch and wager on the race is inside The Meadowlands, in one of the best and most expansive simulcast areas anywhere.

Doors at The Big M will open at 9 a.m., with the first race at Churchill Downs slated for 10:30 a.m.

The Kentucky Derby has a post time of 6:57 p.m.

The Meadowlands is offering several options for players who want to spend the day at the track watching all of the action while enjoying some good food and drink.

Here is a look at three ways to enjoy your Derby Day:

The Café:

• Reservations must be prepaid
• The cost is $125 per four-person table
• Waited service
• Guaranteed track admittance and seating

Ticket purchase price is also a food credit that can be used at the Cafe on Derby Simulcast Day towards racetrack staples like chicken wings, French fries, cheesesteaks, burgers, pretzels, popcorn, ice cream and more. The credit is valid on Saturday, May 2, 2026 only.

To purchase a table, go here.

The Lounge:

• Reservations must be prepaid
• $75 Bar Seat
• $150 Two-Person Table
• $300 Four-Person Table
• $300 Three-Person Couch
• $500 Five-Person Couch
• Waited Service
• Guaranteed track admittance and seating

Ticket purchase price is also a beverage and food credit to be used at the Victory Bar & Kitchen on Derby Simulcast Day towards delicious fare including burgers, nachos, salads, sandwiches and more. The credit is valid on Saturday, May 2, 2026 only.

To purchase tickets, go here.

Pink buffet:

• To view the menu, go here.
• Seating begins at 4 p.m.
• Buffet opens at 4:30 p.m.

To make reservations, go here.

BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! Kentucky Derby Day at The Meadowlands has additional cool stuff for those who come out to The Big M.

$1,000 Derby Hat Contest:

• $1,000 total in cash prizes
• Registration is between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. the Clubhouse Lobby
• Judging will take place in the Winner’s Circle at approximately 5 p.m.
• Prize breakdown: 1st Place: $500; 2nd Place: $250; 3rd Place: $100; 4th Place: $50; Fanciest: $100

Win Wager Drawing:

• There will be ten winners of $50 win tickets on the Kentucky Derby. Drawing is at 6 p.m.
• There will be ten winners of $100 win tickets on the live Meadowlands program. Drawing is at 7 p.m.

To register, go here.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME: 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.

Grab your peanuts and cracker jacks, it’s time to bet on baseball.

On Thursday (April 23), the New York Yankees are in Boston facing their arch-rivals, the Red Sox, at 6:10 p.m.

The Bronx Bombers are the -148 favorite in the game that has an under/over of 8 runs.

The Minnesota Twins are in Queens to take on the New York Mets at 7:10 p.m.

The Twins are a -110 favorite in the game that has an under/over of 7½ runs.

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.

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