Rich stakes final action coming to Big M

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The final huge weekend of harness racing during 2022 at The Meadowlands will kick off the day after Thanksgiving, Friday (Nov. 25), as 20-cent Pick-6 players will pump plenty of green into the pot that features a double carryover with a total pool guarantee of $100,000, which is offered in conjunction with the United States Trotting Association.

As if that weren’t enough, Saturday’s (Nov. 26) extraordinary racing program will showcase many of the sport’s biggest stars on “Fall Final Four/TVG Championships Night.”

The Pick-6 failed to yield a winning ticket on both Friday (Nov. 18) and Saturday (Nov. 19) last week, resulting in a carryover of $32,429, motivating Big M management to guarantee the six-figure Pick-6 pool. The wager will be offered beginning on race eight and free past performances for all Meadowlands’ races are always available by clicking here.

“Last weekend, our Pick-4 carryover resulted in a total pool of over $300,000,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “So, we know how popular our multi-leg wagers – which have a low 15 percent takeout to begin with – can be when they have carryovers. All of us at The Meadowlands are looking forward to a big weekend, and what better way to get it going than with a big Pick-6 pool.”

When Friday’s 14-race card concludes, it will then be time for the main event.

Saturday’s program will also have 14 races, and the Fall Final Four/TVG Championships Night eight-pack – with purses totaling $2.7 million – will be contested one race after the other:

• Race 4 – $475,400 Goldsmith Maid (2-year-old filly trot): Bond, the Kindergarten and Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion, will try to extend her winning streak to six for trainer-driver Ake Svanstedt.
• Race 5 – $416,200 Valley Victory (2-year-old colt and gelding trot): A fabulous threesome will go at it, as Garden State winner Celebrity Bambino, Peter Haughton Memorial champ Kilmister and Kindergarten valedictorian Volume Eight will try for a victory that could provide a divisional trophy.
• Race 6 – $140,000 TVG Mares Trot: Division leader Bella Bellini will faceoff with Atlanta, the 37-time winner who has earnings of over $3.5 million. At race’s end, Atlanta, the co-fastest female trotter in history with a clocking of 1:49, will be retired in a winner’s circle ceremony.
• Race 7 – $428,400 Three Diamonds (2-year-old filly pace): Kindergarten winner Bellisima Hanover will try to up her winning streak to three in an evenly-matched event.
• Race 8 – $330,000 TVG Open Trot: Cutler Memorial and Breeders Crown winner Ecurie D DK will try to claim divisional honors by taking down the red-hot It’s Academic, who has won the Meadowlands’ overnight feature the last two weeks in a row.
• Race 9 – $158,000 TVG Mares Pace: Defending Horse of the Year, the 4-year-old Test Of Faith, takes on a pair of top notch 3-year-olds, Treacherous Dragon and Niki Hill.
• Race 10 – $345,000 TVG Open Pace: Bulldog Hanover, likely to be the unanimous winner of the Horse of the Year trophy, will look to go out a winner at the track where he established the mark for the fastest mile in the history of the sport of 1:45.4. After the race, ‘Bulldog’ will be retired in a ceremony in The Big M winner’s circle.
• Race 11 – $430,000 Governor’s Cup (2-year-old colt and gelding pace): Stormalong and Combustion were the winners of last week’s eliminations. They take on Breeders Crown champ Ammo in a wide-open race.

VIDEOS AND SWAG: There will be commemorative videos played during both Atlanta’s and Bulldog Hanover’s retirement ceremonies, and for those who come to the track early, they can grab a souvenir mug for both horses who will be heading for the breeding shed. Supplies are limited.

YOU WANNA BET FIVE GRAND? There will be a huge promotion offered on Saturday’s eight stakes’ events. For each race, there will be one winner of a free $5,000 win wager. You must be 18 or older to enter, and there is only one entry per person. You must enter online by clicking here.

THE SCHEDULE: Racing at The Big M will be conducted on a Friday-Saturday basis through the end of the year, with a first-race post time of 6:20 p.m. There are several exceptions on the schedule, as there will be no live racing on Dec. 23-24, and there is one Thursday night card on the sked, which will take place Dec. 1.

Every live racing night, the “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show begins at 5:45 p.m. with news, notes and previews of the upcoming card.

WHERE TO BET: It’s always best to experience Meadowlands races live at the track, but if you can’t make it out to the mile oval, you’d be hard-pressed to find a simulcast parlor in a racetrack or an off-track wagering facility that did not offer the No. 1 harness product in the world.

Another way to watch and wager on the action is through tvg.com (the Television Games Network), where one can place a wager on Big M action and watch the races in the same place.

FREE PROGRAMS: Free past performances for every race for every Meadowlands program are available 48 hours before a given card. To access the no-cost official program pages, click here.

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

On race nights, stay in touch with Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1), Dave Little (@DaveLittleBigM), Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover) and Edison Hatter (@Edison_1999_).

UPPING THE ANTE: The Meadowlands offers plenty of value to the bettor with six wagers nightly that offer low 15 percent take outs, plus two that offer a guaranteed pool of $50,000. As a bonus for Saturday night’s high-octane program, both Pick-4s will have an increased pool guarantee of $75,000, which means that this weekend, Big M players will be swimming in multi-leg pools that will offer $350,000 in guaranteed green when you add in Friday’s Pick-6 promise:

Friday’s menu:

• Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5
• Race 3: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7
• Race 6: 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 8: 20-cent Pick-6 ($100,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 10: 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 14: 10-cent Hi-5

Saturday’s menu:

• Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5
• Race 4: 20-cent Pick-6
• Race 6: 50-cent Pick-4 ($75,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 8: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7
• Race 10: 50-cent Pick-4 ($75,000 guaranteed pool)
• Race 14: 10-cent Hi-5

6 WINES, 6 COURSES: On Saturday, Dec. 3, come to The Meadowlands and enjoy a six-course wine-tasting dinner for just $79.95.

Call 201-THE-BIGM for reservations.

For complete details, click here.

USA, USA, USA! The U.S. soccer team will play its second World Cup match on Friday (Nov. 25) at 2 p.m. when they take on England, who is a -175 favorite to win. The U.S. is +500 and the odds on a tie are +300.

Watch and wager on the action in the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is located inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands.

The tournament runs through Dec. 18 when the championship match takes place.

There will be special hours when the book will be available for fans to get their action. From Nov. 24-26, 7:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; Nov. 27, 7:30 a.m.-midnight; Nov. 28, 7:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; Nov. 29-Dec. 2, 9:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; Dec. 5, 6 and 9, 9:30 a.m.-1 a.m.

FOOTBALL, NOT FÚTBOL: Fans of American football will have plenty of opportunity to get their action in “The Book”.

On Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 24), there are three games that bettors can play, and based on when their turkey is served, they can make their bets before or after dinner.

The 12:30 p.m. game has the Buffalo Bills (-9½) traveling to Detroit to take on the Lions. The under/over is 54½.

At 4:30 p.m., the New York Giants travel to Dallas to play the Cowboys (-9½) in a game where the under/over is 45½.

The New England Patriots travel to Minnesota to play the Vikings (-2½) in a night game that will begin at 8:20 p.m. The under/over is 42½.

On Sunday (Nov. 27), the New York Jets (-4½) host the Chicago Bears in a game that has an under/over of 40½.

WHAT A RIVALRY: On Saturday, one of college football’s best rivalries takes center stage with a noon kickoff as the third-ranked Michigan Wolverines travel to Columbus, OH to take on No. 2 Ohio State. The Buckeyes are a 7½-point favorite and the under/over is 56½. The winner of the game will stamp their ticket to the College Football Playoff.

For complete Friday race entries, click here.

For complete Saturday race entries, click here.

From The Meadowlands