MAY WAS MARVELOUS AT THE MEADOWLANDS

Thursday, June 2, 2022

In terms of handle on a given night, the “magic number” that signifies a great evening of business at The Meadowlands is $3 million, a hurdle that’s been jumped 12 times during 2022 from a total of 39 race cards.

The month of May was especially magical at The Big M, as five times from just eight programs, total action surpassed the $3-million mark, leading to a month where the average nightly handle exceeded the $3-million plateau.

Action during the month totaled $24,252,560 for the 104 races that were contested, good for an average per race of $233,197 and a nightly average of $3,031,570 at the home of the industry’s handle leader.

STARS ON SATURDAY: Lyons Sentinel, the defending Dan Patch Mare Pacer of the Year, will make her second start of 2022 in the sixth race Saturday (June 4) night in the $31,500 Open for pacing fillies and mares.

The Jim King Jr. trainee finished seventh from a tough spot in the $100,000 Betsy Ross at Harrah’s Philadelphia in her seasonal debut Sunday and should prove tough this time around despite drawing post six in the six-horse field. The 5-year-old daughter of Captaintreacherous-Tutu Hanover has lifetime earnings of $2,003,594.

The 10^th race is the co-featured $31,500 Open for trotters and features lifetime $3-million earner Atlanta taking on 2021 Hambletonian Oaks winner Bella Bellini.

‘MASTERMINDS’ TO BATTLE: The “Battle of The Meadowlands Masterminds” is a handicapping contest that will pit five Big M TV personalities against one another in a competition where fans and charities will be the real winners.

The contest begins Friday (June 3) and concludes the evening before The Hambletonian (Friday, August 5). The five Battle combatants are Dave Brower, Dave Little, Ken Warkentin, Jessica Otten and Edison Hatter.

There’ll be plenty of rooting along the way. All the handicappers are representing charities that get more money the higher their representative finishes at the end of the competition. In addition, on-track patrons will have a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize.

For complete information, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/news_post/the-heat-is-on-this-summer-for-the-meadowlands-handicappers/

FREE WHHC “Q”: With The Meadowlands being the top Standardbred venue in the sport, it’s a natural that the World Harness Handicapping Championship Final would be held at The Big M (it takes place on Sept. 10), and those who’d like to earn a spot in the big event can do so when there is another WHHC Qualifier at the mile oval this Saturday.

The difference from most of the other prior qualifiers is that this contest is free to enter.

For complete information, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/event/free-whhc-qualifier/

CHECK OUT NEXT WEEK: Saturday, June 11, is a date worth circling on your calendar.

The first thing to do at the track that night 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.

The Derby is open to the first 80 entrants by June 4.

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

For Thoroughbred racing fans, the 154^th running of The Belmont Stakes is the marquee event. 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.

There’s no need to sit in traffic on the Cross Island Parkway on the way to Belmont Park. Just head to The Meadowlands, where The Big M’s expansive simulcast area is the place to be to get your action on the third jewel in Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown.

Harness fans will not be left out. That evening, the action will be at Ontario’s Woodbine Mohawk Park, with eliminations for the $1-million North America Cup for 3-year-olds on the pace.

BIG ACTION IN “THE BOOK”: The Meadowlands offers the best live harness racing and simulcasting anywhere, and, to complete the “Action Trifecta”, The Big M can also boast it has the leading sports wagering facility on the planet.

The FanDuel Sportsbook, located inside the grandstand at the mile oval, will be hopping this weekend.

The red-hot New York Mets, winners of six straight, head to Los Angeles Thursday night to begin a four-game set with the Dodgers at 10:10 p.m. The Dodgers are -174 to put an end to the Mets’ winning ways. The under/over is 9.

The New York Yankees conclude their series with the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday with a doubleheader. In the 1:05 p.m. game, the Bronx Bombers are a -122 (under/over 7½) favorite, while in the nightcap (first pitch, 7:05 p.m.), the Yankees are -152 (under/over 8½).

Are you a basketball fan? You’re in luck. Game 1 of the 2022 NBA Finals tips off at 9 p.m. Thursday evening. The Golden State Warriors, playing in their sixth finals in the last eight years, are a 4-point favorite who are -172 on the money line, take on the Boston Celtics, who are in search of their 18^th NBA title. The under/over is 213½.

For the series, the Warriors are the -160 favorite while the Celtics are +135.

Finally, for the hockey lover, the New York Rangers, in search of their first Stanley Cup championship in 28 years, take a 1-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals into Game 2 of their matchup with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday at 8 p.m.

For up-to-date lines on any sports 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.

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/

WINE IS FINE: On Saturday, June 25, come out to The Meadowlands for the “Summer Wine Festival”.

The event is rain or shine. General admission tickets get you four hours of tasting (from 5:30-9:30 p.m.). Those with VIP tickets get to go in one hour earlier.

For complete information and ticket pricing, go to https://playmeadowlands.com/event/2022-meadowlands-racetrack-wine-fest/

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 5. 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.

LIVE RACING SCHEDULE: Racing at The Big M is conducted on a Friday-Saturday basis and has a first-race post time of 6:20 p.m.

The track’s live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show kicks off nightly at 5:47 p.m.

Friday night, check out the pregame show when Edison Hatter will sit alongside Dave Brower on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set. Then, during the evening, Hatter and Brower will provide a brief analysis of every race with an extended look at the $50,000 guaranteed 50-cent Pick-4.

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.