COMPETITIVE RACING, BIG ACTION AT BIG M THIS WEEKEND

Thursday, June 9, 2022

– Last weekend (June 3-4), non-favorite players – and there are plenty of those at The Meadowlands – were treated to back-to-back race cards where the public choice won only six-of-24 Big M races, a low success rate of 25 percent at a track where the chalks only win at a 38 percent clip to begin with.

When compared to Yonkers (46 percent), Harrah’s Philadelphia (47 percent), Pocono Downs (46 percent) and Monticello (47 percent), the best place in the area to try and beat post-time public choices is the mile oval at the top of the New Jersey Turnpike.

The action will continue this weekend at The Big M with 12 races Friday (June 10) and 13 more Saturday (June 11). Post time both nights is 6:20 p.m.

The track’s live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show with “The Two Daves”, Brower and Little, kicks off at 5:47 p.m. immediately after track announcer Ken Warkentin opens his microphone to begin the festivities with scratches and changes.

Racing continues at The Big M through Hambletonian Day, August 6, on a Friday-Saturday basis.

The Meadowlands has the most competitive racing in North America, and the product’s fans appear to like that since the month of May saw nightly handle average over $3 million.

The Big M is the bettor’s best bet to bet on everything sports, so there’s no need to get in the car and sit in traffic to get your action, despite some serious events that are taking place in the Metropolitan area.

In addition to the live racing that will take place at the mile oval, there’ll be plenty of play in the track’s expansive simulcast area, with two huge events slated for Saturday.

First up, for Thoroughbred racing fans, is the 154^th running of The Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park. The “Test of the Champion”, a mile-and-a-half-long marathon for 3-year-olds is one lap around the track known as “Big Sandy” in Elmont, New York.

We the People (post position 1) is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for jockey Flavien Prat and trainer Rodolphe Brisset. He could prove to have an edge on the competition since he won Belmont’s Peter Pan by 10¼ lengths on May 14.

Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike is 7-2 from post 4 for jockey Sonny Leon and trainer Eric Reed. The threesome teamed up to rock the tote board at 80-1 in The Derby. The rags-to-riches horse, who was claimed for $30,000, loves to close and could benefit from the long distance.

Post time for The Belmont Stakes is 6:44 p.m.

So, will harness fans be left out? At The Meadowlands, of course not.

That evening, there is a huge card on tap at Woodbine Mohawk Park, featuring two eliminations for the $1-million North America Cup for 3-year-olds on the pace.

The first race at “The ‘Hawk” gets underway at 7 p.m., with the N.A. Cup elims taking place in races four and eight. Big M fans will get plenty of insight into what might transpire on July 16, when The Meadowlands Pace takes place, as seven of the horses in Dave Little’s weekly “Road to The Meadowlands Pace” top 10 poll will be racing in The Cup.

BET THE BELMONT ON THE GO: Don’t have time to come into the building to bet The Belmont Stakes? No problem. The Meadowlands has you covered.

There will be a walk-up betting window open from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday in Parking Lot M. Just follow the signs to get your bets in.

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.

BROWER, HATTER ‘MASTERFUL’: Brower and Edison Hatter were the winners during the first weekend of the “Battle of The Meadowlands Masterminds”, a competition that pits Big M handicappers in a contest where one lucky fan can walk away with $10,000 on Hambletonian Day. In addition, all five track touts are playing for charities that will get a donation regardless of where their handicapper finishes at the conclusion of the contest.

Brower turned his mythical $500 bankroll into $1,030 on Friday while Hatter hit big the next night, cashing in for $2,152.50, over $1,800 of which came on a single $1 Pick-3 bet.

The competition, which also includes Little, Ken Warkentin and Jessica Otten, takes place every racing night through Friday, August 5. Patrons can pick the handicapper they think will have the biggest bankroll at the end of the night for a chance at $250 in cash and prizes and a shot at the $10,000 grand prize.

For complete information, go to playmeadowlands.com.

HORSE PLAY: Patrons attending the races at The Meadowlands can participate in “Horseplay” for a chance to win a 2022 Toyota Corolla.

The contest takes place every live racing night through Friday, August 5. Participants will attempt to throw a numbered horse into the window of a moving car. Of those that land inside the vehicle, one winner will be chosen at random and will receive a $100 betting voucher.

Each night’s winner will be entered into the grand prize drawing, which will take place on August 6. Guests can pick up a free horse to toss at the Players Club Desk or the Horseplay table in front of the winner’s circle.

There is a bonus for the kids who are at the track. The youngsters who help pick up the horses left on the track will receive a free ice cream.

For every horse that makes it into the Horseplay car, Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment will donate $5 to a designated monthly charity. May’s charity was Act Now Foundation, June’s is Bluemont Sanctuary and the July/August recipient is Allaire Community Farm. An additional $5 for every horse that makes it into the car will also be donated to the Purple Haze Standardbred Adoption Program.

HICKEY WINS WHHC “Q”: Ken Hickey of Dumont, NJ, was the winner of Saturday’s (June 4) free World Harness Handicapping Championship Qualifier at The Meadowlands, and took home the top prize, which was a $1,000 seat into the WHHC Final on Sept. 10 at The Big M.

Qualifier information can be found at playmeadowlands.com.

GET UP EARLY: Week two of “Breakfast with the Babies” takes place this Saturday (June 11). Post time for the first of 18 races is 9 a.m.

Hatter, 22, the voice of Freehold Raceway, will serve as the announcer for the races on the card.

For those who would like to watch the races live, they are available on rtn.tv (Racetrack Television Network) or on The Big M’s web page at playmeadowlands.com.

GET THE 411: Marty Marsh’s insideharness.com got off to a rousing start last week, with many Meadowlands trainers and drivers providing insight as to how their horses are coming into their races.

To check out the site, which was referred to many times during the evening on The Big M’s live race-by-analysis portion of its simulcast show, go to insideharness.com. It’s free to sign up.

GET YOUR ACTION IN “THE BOOK”: The NHL and NBA playoffs continue this week, and you can watch and wager on the action in the top sportsbook in the country, The FanDuel Sportsbook, which is located inside the grandstand at The Big M.

The New York Rangers take on the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final at 8 p.m. Thursday (June 9) at Madison Square Garden. The best-of-seven series is tied at two games apiece with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup Final and a date with the Western Conference champion Colorado Avalanche.

Despite being the visitor, the Lightning are -130 in the game while the Rangers are +108. The under/over is 5½ goals.

The Boston Celtics lead the Golden State Warriors two games to one in the NBA Finals, and the Warriors will look to get even Friday (June 10) night when the series resumes in Boston at 9 p.m.

The Celtics are a 4-point favorite who are -174 on the money line. The under/over is 214.

The New York Yankees take on the Twins in Minnesota Thursday at 7:40 p.m. The Yankees are -210 on the money line and the under/over is 8.

The New York Mets are off on Thursday before traveling to Anaheim to take on the Angels in a three-game series that gets underway Friday at 9:30 p.m.

For up-to-date lines on any sporting event go to https://www.fanduel.com/sportsbook-meadowlands

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.

CAN YOU PICK THE WIENER? On Saturday (June 11), when you get to the track, the first thing to do when you get there is to cheer on your favorite winner.

Make that wiener.

Always a hit with fans, The Big M’s fourth annual “Wiener Dog Derby” will take place. There will be seven wiener dog dashes (the first is at 6:45 p.m.), with the championship final heading to the starting box at 9:30 p.m.

For complete information, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/event/4th-annual-weiner-dog-derby/

SPORTSCASTERS DERBY: The Meadowlands will host the third edition of the “Sportscasters Charity Derby” on Friday, June 17.

There will be two charity races with four sportscasters participating in each race in a one-mile race driving in a jog cart. All eight of the sportscasters’ will have a $1,000 donation made to their selected charity wherever they finish, and, in addition, Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment will donate $5,000 to each of the two winning sportscasters’ selected charities.

“We are very excited to be hosting the Sportscasters’ Charity Derby,” said Big M Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gural. “We are equally excited that so many of the top sportscasters who live in the New York-New Jersey Metro area will be participating in this fun and exciting event.”

For a list of the sportscasters who will be participating and complete information, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/event/meadowlands-sportscaster-derby/

ANOTHER BIG SATURDAY: On Saturday, June 18, Meadowlands regulars will be loving life, with a great on-track card, the $1 million North America Cup Final simulcast from Woodbine Mohawk Park and the track’s extremely popular “Burger Battle”.

A total of $3,000 in prize money is up for grabs and the event is from 5-11 p.m. in The Backyard.

To participate or to just taste some great burgers, get complete information by going to https://playmeadowlands.com/event/food-festival/

In addition, that night will be the third of six live presentations of Meadowlands and Churchill Downs races to be shown on “America’s Day at the Races” on Fox Sports 2.

The FS2 presentation is from 9-11:30 p.m.