East Rutherford, NJ – Just in time for the holiday season, The Meadowlands is giving its faithful the gift of more racing, as the mile oval will add six Thursdays to its 2025 schedule, with the first taking place tonight (Nov. 6).
There are 22 programs remaining on The Big M schedule this year. Live action will take place every Friday and Saturday through the end of December with the additional Thursday programs taking place on Nov. 6, 13 and 20, and Dec. 4, 11 and 18. There is no racing on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) or Christmas Day (Dec. 25).
Post time is 6:20 p.m.
This week, the Thursday card will have nine races, Friday’s will have 13 and Saturday’s an even dozen.
On Thursday, there are four $17,500 divisions of the Exit 16W Pop Up Series on the program, and a pair of Megan Scran trainees are worth watching.
In the fourth race for trotters 4-years-old and younger, Bless Me Father comes to town from Prince Edward Island, where the 3-year-old gelded son of Father Patrick-My Angel Heart has won seven of eight starts this year. He will be driven by Scott Zeron from post three and will start out at 4-1 on the morning line.
Scran’s Lastdrivedownmain is 5-2 from post three in the seventh race pace for 2- and 3-year-old males. Once again, Scran’s significant other, Zeron, will be in the bike, as the freshman son of Captain Crunch-Life Of Smiley will look to repeat his performance of Oct. 24, when he blasted his foes at Woodbine Mohawk Park in 1:53 in just his second lifetime start.
Thursday’s card will not only have the Exit 16W to draw in Big M viewers but now has a less crowded stage to deal with since Woodbine Mohawk Park has decided to move its Thursday programs to Sundays, effective immediately.
PICK-6 CARRYOVER: There were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick-6 Saturday (Nov. 1) night, creating a carryover of $7,950 for Thursday’s card. After a sequence that saw winner’s odds of 87-1, 4-1, 3-1, 8-1, 9-1 and 1-5, those with five correct collected $226.32.
Thursday night, the Pick-6 begins in race four.
STURMAN ON SET: Brett Sturman, the outstanding columnist and handicapper for Harness Racing Update, will serve as the co-host on the Big M’s live simulcast presentation this Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The show gets underway at 5:45 p.m. nightly.
Ken Warkentin and Dave Little will perform their usual roles, serving as track announcer and TV host, respectively.
Joe Romanelli will handle the FanDuel TV feed and back-paddock interviews on Thursday and Saturday, while Gary DiLeo will handle those chores on Friday.
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 wagers will be offered on Thursday’s nine-race card:
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5
· Races 2-8: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)
· Races 4-9: 20-cent Pick-6 ($7,950 carryover)
· Races 6-9: 50-cent Pick-4
· Race 9: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)
Here is the rundown of what wagers will be offered on Friday’s 13-race card:
· 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
· Races 8-13: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 10-13: Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Race 13: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)
Here is the rundown of what wagers will be offered on Saturday’s 12-race card:
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5
· Races 3-9: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)
· Races 5-8: Early 50-cent Pick-4
· Races 7-12: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 9-12: Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Race 12: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)
GET YOUR FREE PROGRAMS: 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 “Handicapping” 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 PARTY TIME: It’s that time of year to celebrate the holidays, and a great place to enjoy a great time is The Meadowlands.
Discover the unique event spaces at The Big M, perfect for hosting your corporate holiday parties, game-day watch parties and year-end celebrations at a venue that offers a one-of-a-kind experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
Event spaces are complemented by a diverse range of beverage and dining options, ensuring that your holiday event is perfectly catered to your preferences.
Book a private tour today with Andrea Lokshin by emailing her at alokshin@playmeadowlands.com or give her a call at 201-842-5013. You can also view our spaces and take a 360-degree tour by visiting https://playmeadowlands.com/party/.
SPORTS BETTING: The FanDuel Sportsbook, the No. 1 betting facility in North America, is located inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands, and 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.
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.