East Rutherford, NJ — In 1995, when in his first go-round as a member of the Meadowlands’ TV team, Dave Little paired up with his wife, Debbie, to do a segment called ‘The Dueling Littles’, where the married then-New York tabloid harness handicappers went head-to-head for household bragging rights.
It was Debbie who came out as the more prolific picker.
Now, 30 years later, it may not be a competition, but the partnership, which reached 36 years of marriage on Wednesday (Sept. 10), is as strong as ever, as the duo will once again appear together on the “Racing from The Meadowlands” live simulcast show on Friday (Sept. 12). The pregame show gets underway at 5:45 p.m. with the first race heading to the gate at 6:20 p.m.
“It’s been quite some time since I’ve done live television,” said Debbie, the associate editor and ‘Meadowlands Matters’ columnist at Harness Racing Update (HRU). “I’m looking forward to doing the show. I handicapped many a harness race while at The New York Post for nearly 27 years and look forward to trying to pick as many winners as I can.”
She then said, with a laugh: “Hopefully, more than my husband does.”
Debbie was inducted into the Communicators Hall of Fame in early July, making the Littles the only married couple to be enshrined there together. Debbie wrote about harness racing and tabbed winners at The Post from 1993-2020 before getting her gig at HRU.
CARRYOVER CRAZY: There will be two carryovers waiting for players after the popular puzzles went unhit last Saturday night.
There were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick-6, creating a carryover of $3,727 for Friday’s card. The wager spans races eight through 13.
In addition, nobody had a ticket that read 4-9-3-2-7 on the 14th race 10-cent Hi-5 (Pentafecta), meaning that wager will have a carryover of $18,290 heading into Friday’s finale.
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN: This Friday and Saturday (Sept. 12-13) mark the final two live harness racing programs at The Big M for a while.
Harness will take a four-week break while Monmouth Park conducts a Thoroughbred turf meeting at the mile oval. The nine turf programs are scheduled for Sept. 19, 20, 26, 27; Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11 and 17.
Harness racing returns on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Post time for harness racing is 6:20 p.m., while the Thoroughbreds get underway at 7 p.m.
WHO’S DOING THE SHOW? This weekend, Ken Warkentin and Dave Little will be in their normal spots, serving as track announcer and TV host, respectively.
Winner’s Circle host Gary DiLeo will be doing double duty, as he will add selections and commentary for FanDuel Television (FDTV) to his plate on Friday and Saturday. He will also handle interviews from the back paddock.
Finally, Peter Kleinhans, last heard at The Big M calling the races on Aug. 15, will sit alongside Little and serve as co-host of the Saturday show.
BACK TO SCHOOL: The Friday night card features seven $25,000 leg four dashes of the Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait.
The fifth leg of the competition takes place Oct. 24 before the $125,000 (est.) finals are contested on Nov. 1.
RECORD BREAKER: Shane Tritton was by far the big cheese of the trainer colony on Saturday’s (Sept. 6) program, becoming the first conditioner this year to win four races on a Meadowlands card.
HISTORY MAKER: Shane’s wife, Lauren, had another historic night at the races. On August 23, she became the first female driver in history to win three races on a Meadowlands program. Saturday night, Lauren raised that bar by piloting four to victory lane, three of them trained by her husband.
CORGIS RESCHEDULED: The Meadowlands’ first-ever Corgi Cup, which was postponed due to bad weather on Saturday (Sept. 6), has been rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18.
This family friendly event features Corgis competing at the track between the live harness races. It’s a night of fun, laughs, music, doggies and harness racing.
Special thanks to Spot & Tango – an innovative pet wellness brand on a mission to revolutionize the dog food industry. They will provide our contestants with some free UnKibble dog food samples and free poop bags.
In addition to the pooch activity, fans can enjoy a variety of activities. They can party with DJ Alx, indulge in great food and cocktails from the track’s Backyard BBQ & Grill, along with homemade ice cream from Clyde’s. They can also visit the Doggieroadtrippin booth and grab some dog treats from Groomington Eats – the best dog-treat food truck around.
Backyard doors open at 5 p.m., with the first dog race at 6 p.m. and the first harness race at 6:20 p.m.
A GREAT WAY TO PLAY: Every night, The Meadowlands offers a marvelous menu of popular wagers that offer a low 15 percent takeout.
Here is the rundown of what will be offered this weekend:
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5
· Races 3-9: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)
· Races 6-9: Early 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Races 8-13: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 10-13: Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Race 14: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)
WHAT? THEY’RE FREE? 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.
A SOCIAL SETTING: 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 talent duo of Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).
IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE…….: Looking to book a corporate event or private party? The Meadowlands has unlimited event possibilities. The redesigned Gallery with multiple TVs, private bar and balcony overlooking the FanDuel Sportsbook is perfect for game days, watch parties and more.
To book your private party, email alokshin@playmeadowlands.com.
FABULOUS FOOTBALL IN FANDUEL: Meadowlands regulars know that if they want action on professional and college sports, all they have to do is head for the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is the No. 1 facility of its kind in North America.
It couldn’t be easier to access, as it’s located inside the grandstand at The Big M.
The book has massive TV screens and self-service betting terminals, which enable fans to watch and wager in comfort while having some great food and drink.
Week 2 of the National Football League kicks off Thursday (Sept. 11) night as the Washington Commanders head to the frozen tundra of Green Bay to take on the Packers in an 8:20 p.m. kickoff.
The Pack are a 3½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 48½ points.
During the course of the weekend, there will be an endless menu of Major League Baseball, college football and NFL games on which patrons can watch and wager.
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.