from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department

East Rutherford, NJ — The temperatures may have been unseasonably cold, but wagering on the Meadowlands’ popular multi-leg bets was hot during April, with the track’s signature Pick-4 and 20-cent Survivor Pick-10 leading the way.

“Our Pick-4 pool averaged $97,768 during April,” said Jason Settlemoir, the track’s chief operating officer and general manager. “And three times during the course of the month, the pool topped $100,000.

“Our Survivor Pick-10 has hit its stride, with the pools surpassing $20,000 on each of the final three race cards of the month, which included an all-time high of $25,788 on April 21. In addition, for the month, the average Survivor pool was $22,959.”

Wagering on the Pick-5 averaged $56,132 per pool while the total wager per race for the month was $223,029, approximately $5,000 more per race than the corresponding eight race cards from the year before.

Carryover Carries On: This Friday’s ninth and final race will be one of big interest for players as the Late 20-cent Jackpot Super High-Five has a monstrous carryover pool of $208,090.

Derby Day at the Big M: The 144th running of the Kentucky Derby is the marquee simulcast event at the Meadowlands on Saturday. There will be a big crowd on hand at the Big M, so plan to be there early.

Some things to know:

• Gates open at 9:30 a.m.
• Post time for the first of 14 races at Churchill Downs is 10:30 a.m.
• Post time for the Kentucky Derby (race 12) is 6:50 p.m.
• Justify has been installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite in the “Run for the Roses” for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Mike Smith
• The Big M’s Victory sports bar will offer a Derby-themed buffet for $49.95 starting at 11:30 a.m. Call 201-THE-BIG-M for reservations
• There will be a $1,000 Derby Hat Contest. The wearer of the most outrageous lid will walk away with the $500 first prize. Sign up between 2-4:45 p.m. Judging takes place in the Meadowlands winner’s circle at 5 p.m.
• As an added convenience for our wagering public, the Meadowlands will offer a walk-up teller window in Lot M off of Berry’s Creek Road. Derby wagers can be placed beginning at 10 a.m. both Friday (May 4) and Saturday (May 5). Copies of the Kentucky Derby past performances will be available at these walk up teller windows.

Championship Meet starts up: After the Derby, the Meadowlands live harness card gets underway at 7:15 p.m. with a superb 11-race program that features the return of 2017 Horse of the Year Hannelore Hanover, who heads a bulky field of 12 in the $182,500 Arthur J. Cutler Memorial for trotters at a mile and an eighth. The Cutler is the first in a long line of stakes events during the course of the Big M’s Championship Meet, which includes the July 14, $650,000 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace as well as the Aug. 4, $1 million Hambletonian.