from the Meadowlands Publicity Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Ivy Swinger ($14.20, $4.80, $3.00) caught Funny Malentine ($2.80, $2.20) on the wire for a nose victory in the second race, the first of three $25,000 New Jersey Sires Stakes for three-year-old trotting fillies on Wednesday night at the Meadowlands.

Funny Malentine was coasting along with a five length lead in the stretch when David Miller coaxed Ivy Swinger to a :27³ last quarter and guided her to her first victory in 11 career starts. She trotted the mile in 1:56⁴ flat. Forever Joy ($3.20) was third by five and a half lengths.

Ivy Swinger, trained by Jonas Czernyson and leased by Menhammar Stuteri of New Canaan, Connecticut, is a three-year-old daughter of Malabar Man — Jungle Queen. At two, she had a second and two thirds in eight starts. This year, she now has a win and a third in three starts. Her lifetime earnings are now $43,606.

Meadowlands is best bet for Belmont Stakes Day

Souvenir giveaways, prize drawings and unique wagering opportunities make the Meadowlands Racetrack an attractive alternative for racing fans who do not want to brave heavy traffic and long lines to watch Smarty Jones’ bid for the Triple Crown at Belmont Park on Saturday.

The first 8,000 paid admissions will receive a souvenir Smarty Jones photo and 15 guests will win a $100 betting voucher on the Belmont Stakes.

Gates at the Meadowlands will open at 10:30 a.m. Admission to the Grandstand and Clubhouse is just $1 day and night. Seating in the Clubhouse Teletheatre is available for $2; advance reservations are recommended, as seating is limited.

A menu of 24 simulcast tracks, combined with a program of live harness racing, creates non-stop day and night racing action at the Meadowlands. The Meadowlands has moved first race post time to 7:05 p.m. on Saturday to dovetail with the Belmont Stakes. A unique daily double wager will be offered, pairing the Belmont Stakes and the first race at the Meadowlands. Post time for the Belmont Stakes is expected to be 6:44 p.m.

Meadowlands guests will be able to comparison shop for odds on the Belmont Stakes, wagering either through the Belmont pool or one that is based at Monmouth Park.

Terraces at Trackside will be open for dining, starting at 11:30 a.m. A deli menu will be available at Franchises on the Grandstand Mezzanine. Concessions stands will offer a Triple Crown Special — hot dog, pretzel and small soda for $1 each — day and night. The Kahuna Wedge Bar in Paddock Park will serve up drinks and live music by Total Eclipse from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Advance wagering on the entire Belmont Stakes program will be available on Friday, June 4, starting at 12 noon.

2004 Belmont Stakes Day at The Meadowlands at a glance

Friday, June 4, 2004

• 12 noon — Advance wagering begins on the full Belmont Stakes Day card and the Acorn — Belmont Stakes Double

Saturday, June 5, 2004

• 10:30 a.m. — Gates open
• 11:00 a.m. — Wagering available for full Belmont card, the Belmont Stakes – Meadowlands Daily Double (Belmont Stakes with first race at the Meadowlands) and Meadowlands live harness racing card.
• Shop for Odds on the Belmont Stakes through Monmouth Park.
• 24 simulcasting signals — Belmont Park, Philadelphia Park, Delaware Park, Calder, Monmouth Park, Pimlico, Churchill Downs, Arlington, Lone Star Park, Louisiana Downs, Hollywood Park, Bay Meadows, The Meadows, Mountaineer, Northfield Park, Penn National, Evangeline, Charles Town, Mohawk, Yonkers, Hoosier, Cal Expo, Balmoral and Australia.
• $1 admission charge for Grandstand and Clubhouse, day and night.
• $2 Clubhouse Teletheatre; advance reservations for limited available seating.
• Commemorative Smarty Jones photo giveaway to first 8,000 paid admissions.
• Drawings for 15 $100 betting vouchers for the Belmont Stakes.
• Triple Crown Special at all concessions stands, day and night — a hot dog, pretzel and small soda for $3.
• Terraces open with luncheon menu; Franchises with deli menu.
• 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. — Live entertainment by Total Eclipse in the Kahuna Wedge in Paddock Park.
• 6:44 p.m. – Projected post time for the Belmont Stakes.
• 7:05 p.m. – Early Meadowlands post time for first race of the live harness card, which is the second half of the cross-breed daily double with the Belmont Stakes.

Pick 6 and guaranteed Pick 4 move to Thursday this week

The Meadowlands’ $50,000 guaranteed Pick 6 and Pick 4 wagers move to Thursday nights for the remainder of the harness meet, starting June 3.

The weekly Pick 6 wager, which was introduced on March 24 as a Wednesday night feature, produced a record payoff of $41,000 on May 5.

The Pick 4 wager, which carries a $50,000 guarantee one night a week and $75,000 on Saturdays, produced a record $2 payout of $95,264 on March 24.

The switch from Wednesday to Thursday was made in conjunction with the shifting of Cal Expo’s racing dates to Thursday nights and the strength of the Meadowlands’ Thursday cards in the summer months.