CELLMATE LOOKS TO ESCAPE WITH FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN AT BIG M

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Winter racing at The Meadowlands has featured competitive, full fields, and while 10 starters behind the gate is supposed to be a hindrance to horses looking to compile long winning streaks, such is not the case for Cellmate.

He’s popular with his fans – not to mention owners and trainers at the claiming box – having gone unbeaten is his last four starts, and the 5-year-old gelded son of Huntsville-Twin B Bikini will ramp up his drive for five Saturday (Jan. 18) in the sixth race at The Big M. He’ll leave from post two with Jason Bartlett in the bike as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

“I didn’t notice the horse,” said Frank Calcagni, who became Cellmate’s trainer at the conclusion of his win last week. “My owners picked up on him. They kind of pick out their own horses. Cellmate slipped through the cracks on me, but he seems to be running on all cylinders right now. I like the lines on him and he’s nice to be around.”

Cellmate’s streak started on Dec. 7 in a $20,000 claimer with a victory for trainer Tom Fanning at the mile oval as the 4-5 favorite, which was followed by a win at 10-1 from post eight at Yonkers 12 days later in another $20,000 claiming event. After that race, trainer Mark Ford took Cellmate home on his trailer.

The next two starts – both in East Rutherford – brought more visits to the winner’s circle. A Dec. 28 score as the 9-5 public choice in a $25,000 claimer was followed by the last of Cellmate’s “Fab Four”, another victory at the $25,000 claiming level, this time as the 2-1 favorite. That’s when Calcagni and his owners claimed the lifetime winner of 14 of 58 starts, who has earnings of $115,561.

“I’m just going to give him a light week,” said Calcagni. “Cellmate was pressed in his win last week. I like that Hunt For Cash [who was second in that race], too. I had him in my barn a few weeks ago.

“I go by the horse’s form [when considering claims]. I look back four, five, 10 lines and try to pick a horse that’s in form or getting in form.”

For Calcagni, the objective is to not have trainees in his barn for an extended period of time.

“I don’t like keeping horses very long,” said the 43-year-old conditioner. “Not more than a year. I want to see how they pan out, then I like to move them. I like fresh faces. I’m starting to get into the claiming game a little bit more. Horses can stay sharp when they move around from barn to barn.”

So, what’s the hope with Cellmate?

“I wouldn’t mind if he won this week and got claimed right back,” said Calcagni. “He’s in the right [$25,000] class. I would expect someone to put in a claim on him, but sometimes people are a little shy the first time in a new barn.”

Maybe that means Cellmate will get a stay from the Governor and get to be in Calcagni’s barn for another week or two.

SHOWING THE KIDS A THING OR TWO: The cold weather is supposed to be a time of year when the bigger names in the Meadowlands driver colony are vacationing somewhere warm, affording the track’s “Young Guns” an opportunity to win a lot of dashes.

Apparently, Dave Miller and Bartlett have a youthful spring in their respective steps.

Through the first four race cards of 2025, the 60-year-old Miller, who has said this will be his last year racing full time at The Big M, has 10 victories, good for second in the standings. He’s been ultra-consistent, recording no fewer than two but no more than three wins on any program.

Bartlett, 43, leads the colony with 14 walks down victory lane. The 13-time Yonkers kingpin won six races on Jan. 4 and followed that up with five more last Saturday (Jan. 11).

Thus far in 2025, only nine drivers have two or more Meadowlands wins. Miller and Bartlett have been so dominant, their total of 24 victories are equal to that of the next seven drivers in the standings combined.

THE SCHEDULE: During the month of January, live racing will be conducted every Friday and Saturday with a first-race post-time of 6:20 p.m.

CHECK OUT THE SHOW: On live race nights, check out the live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show at 5:45 p.m. when track announcer Ken Warkentin opens up the mic with a scene set and program changes before the team of Jessica Otten and Dave Little take over from the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set with news, notes, selections and a look at the night’s featured races.

Trot Magazine’s John Rallis will be on hand this weekend conducting interviews from the back paddock throughout the evening for both programs.

WINNERS ON SET: Fans of Big M TV’s Dave Little scored after playing the longtime host’s Late 50-cent Pick-4 on Saturday (Jan. 11), cashing in for $155.55 after investing $36. For the night, Little selected five winners on top, including Maxim Hanover in the sixth race, who returned $12.20 to his backers.

FREE PPs: 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 to get the past performances at absolutely no cost.

THE BILL OF FARE: Every night, The Meadowlands offers a marvelous menu of popular wagers that offer a low 15 percent takeout.

They are:

• 20-cent Pick-5: Race 1-5
• 20-cent Survivor Pick-7: Races 3-9 (mandatory payout nightly)
• 50-cent Pick-4: Races 6-9 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• 20-cent Pick-6: Races 8-13
• 50-cent Pick 4: Races 10-13 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• 10-cent Non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5): Race 14

TIME TO GET SOCIAL: 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 team of Otten (@JessicaOtten1), Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).

SHARPEN YOUR PENCILS: Come on out to the track on Friday (Jan. 17), for the first of what will be a monthly handicapping contest with a prize pool of $1,000.

Contestants must be on-site to participate and the top two finishers earn a spot in a $10,000 invitation-only handicapping contest that takes place in December.

For complete information, and to enter, go here.

CIRCLE THE DATE: One of The Big M’s most popular giveaways takes place on Saturday (Jan. 18), with the track’s 2025 Calendar Giveaway, which is chock full of photos commemorating highlights of the 2024 season.

Starting at 6 p.m., the first 1,000 guests will receive a calendar. One per person, please.

UFC PARTY: Check out a great bout on Saturday (Jan. 18) when UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev takes on Arman Tsarukyan in the main attraction, affording the Big M faithful to watch and wager on both the fights and the races.

Come to The Gallery at 10 p.m. to check out the action.

PIRATE PARTY: A great college basketball matchup will be in the spotlight on Saturday, Jan. 25, when the Seton Hall Pirates head to Omaha, NE to take on the Creighton Blue Jays in a 1:30 p.m. tip-off.

There’s no need to travel across the country to catch the action. Head to The Meadowlands and watch the game in The Gallery, where there are huge TVs and waitress service.

For complete information, go here.

CHILI COOK-OFF: One of The Meadowlands’ more popular promotions is the Chili Cook-Off, and the winter edition of the tasty treat takes place on Saturday, Feb. 1.

There will be prizes for Homestyle Chili, Red Chili, People’s Choice Chili, Best Booth and Salsa.

If you are a cook, come on out and see how your skills in the kitchen stack up against everybody else’s in the contest. Not a cook? Come and get yourself some free samples all night long.

For complete information, and how to enter, go here.

FOOTBALL FANDUEL FRENZY: The FanDuel Sportsbook is the No. 1 facility of its kind in all of North America. With massive TV screens and self-service betting terminals, Meadowlands fans know all they have to do is head for the grandstand at the mile oval to get in the sports betting game.

The football action will be fast and furious this week as the National Football League playoffs are now at the divisional round stage, and you can watch and wager on every game in the FanDuel Sportsbook.

It all gets underway Saturday (Jan. 18), when the Houston Texans head to Kansas City for a 4:30 p.m. game with the Chiefs, who are an 8½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 41½ points.

At 8 p.m., the Washinton Commanders visit Detroit, where the Lions are a 9½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 55½.

(Big M fans take note: The Gallery will be open at 4 p.m. on Saturday, so head up and watch the games after betting on them downstairs.)

On Sunday (Jan. 19), the Los Angeles Rams head to Philadelphia for a 3 p.m. battle with the Eagles, who are a 6½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 44½.

The Baltimore Ravens will be in Buffalo for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff with the Bills. The Ravens are a 1½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 51½.

The championship game of the College Football Playoff will take place Monday (Jan. 20) and is set for a 7:30 p.m. start.

Two of college football’s blue-blood programs will go at it for the national title. The Ohio State Buckeyes are an 8½-point favorite over the Notre Dame Fightin’ Irish. The game has an under/over of 46½.

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.