East Rutherford, NJ – Head for The Meadowlands on Saturday (June 6) night to watch some wieners compete in The Backyard while you bet on winners on the track.
While you’re at it, have a hot dog – make that a wiener of another variety – at the Café.
One week after the Corgi Cup, dog lovers will be returning to The Big M for the 8th annual Wiener Dog Derby. It’s a family friendly event where admission and parking are free.
It’s a fun night out, watching the cute dachshunds go up against each other with one competitor at the end of the night walking away with the $500 first prize for being the top dog.
Kids and adults alike will love watching the races up close in The Backyard, which is located in mid-stretch, where fans cannot only catch the dog races, but all of the harness action as well.
“With top-notch harness racing, simulcast racing and the FanDuel Sportsbook, naturally, we want our customers to come enjoy a night of wagering on both the horses and professional sports,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “But we are Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment. Offering the Corgi races last week and the wiener dogs this week gives us a chance to have parents bring their young children to the track and enjoy a night of big fun.
“We had a huge crowd last week and are expecting another one this Saturday. We encourage kids of all ages to enjoy a night of fun watching the little dogs race. Plenty of great food will be available on what forecasters are saying will be a great night of summer weather. Patrons should always check out our website (playmeadowlands.com) to see what events our promotions department are offering during the next several months.”
The first Wiener Dog Derby dash takes place at 6 p.m. The opening harness race heads to the gate at 6:35 p.m.
These are the approximate Wiener Dog Derby post times:
1. 6 p.m.
2. 6:10 p.m.
3. 6:20 p.m.
4. 6:30 p.m.
5. 7 p.m.
6. 7:20 p.m.
7. 7:45 p.m.
8. 8:10 p.m.
9. 9:06 p.m.
10. 9:30 p.m.
11. The 10 winners return for the final at 9:45 p.m.
There is $1,700 in total prize money as the winners of each qualifier (races 1 through 10) will get a $100 betting voucher and a doggie goodie bag. The winner of the final will take home a $500 betting voucher and goodie bag.
There will be 100 dogs vying for the title, with 10 dogs in the 10 qualifiers, which will be run both before and in between the live harness races.
The only dogs permitted in the track and in each race are dachshunds, and all must be currently licensed and up to date on all shots, including rabies vaccination.
Only canines registered to participate are allowed at the track. No canine “viewers” allowed.
SUPER SIMULCASTS: In addition to a fantastic live Meadowlands Saturday card that is chock full of outstanding wagering opportunities, there will be simulcast racing from both the Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds sure to interest those who love action.
The third jewel of Thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown will be doled out at Saratoga Race Course in the 158th edition of The Belmont Stakes. Renegade, the second-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, is the 2-1 morning-line favorite for trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Chief Wallabee is next at 3-1 for Bill Mott and Junior Alvarado. Derby winner Golden Tempo is the third choice at 9-2 for Cherie DeVaux and Jose Oritz.
The first of 14 races at Saratoga gets underway at 11 a.m., so come early to The Big M and claim your spot. The Belmont Stakes is race 13 on the program and has a post time of 7:04 p.m.
At Woodbine Mohawk Park, harness fans will get their fix by checking out the sport’s No. 1 attraction, Beau Jangles, as he puts his lifetime record of 15 wins from 15 starts on the line in one of two eliminations for the C$1 million Pepsi North America Cup (G1). The final takes place on Saturday, June 13.
“Beau” is the 4-5 morning-line favorite in the second elim (race 9), and heads what is a top-heavy dash where five of the eight horses in the field are the top five horses in Dave Little’s weekly Road to The Meadowlands Pace Presented by Genova Burns LLC Top 10 poll.
The top-ranked horse, of course, is Beau Jangles. Nos. 2 through 5 in the poll are: Odds On Mr Mamba (7-2), Brandon Blvd (3-1), Gentleman’s Club (15-1) and Melillo (10-1). Ubrute, who is No. 7, is listed at 20-1.
There is one piece of big news with regard to the Cup. Dexter Dunn will drive Brandon Blvd. So, Odds On Mr Mamba will be handled by five-time defending O’Brien Driver of the Year James MacDonald.
The first elimination is race 7 and also has several Meadowlands Pace poll members. Al Papi, No. 8, is the 7-2 second choice in the field of eight while No. 10 Azrael Blue Chip is 8-1.
DIAMOND DAVE: Followers of Dave Little cashed plenty of tickets Saturday (May 30) evening, featuring some attractive payouts.
The Big M TV veteran gave out the Early Pick-4, which paid $193, but Little suggested a $1 base-bet ticket (total investment, $36), which resulted in his fans cashing in for $386. He then completed a Pick-4 sweep, by giving out the version that spans races 10 through 13, cashing in for $70.70 after another $1 base bet (investment, $36).
Finally, his biggest hit came when he touted a 9-1 winner in the 13th race (Marcus Seelster, $20.40) and a 14-1 chance in the 14th (Lunatic Fringe, $30.20). “Little’s Late Double” returned $149, but if you played along with the regular simulcast show host, you cashed in big, for a total of $447, after he mapped out a $6 base-bet play (investment, $36).
THE SCHEDULE: Live harness racing at The Meadowlands will be conducted on a Friday-Saturday basis through Sept. 12 with a first-race post time of 6:35 p.m.
There are several exceptions to those rules.
On July 4, there is a stakes-packed program that includes two Graduate finals as well as eliminations for the Meadowlands Pace. Post time is 6 p.m. At the conclusion of the card, the track will have a fabulous fireworks show.
The 101st edition of the $1 million Hambletonian (G1) is on Aug. 8. That card begins at noon.
Finally, there will be three cards that take place on a Thursday. Those programs are on June 11, July 2 and Aug. 6.
There are additional changes to the schedule with the World Cup soccer tournament coming to town. There will be no live racing on Saturday, June 13, and Saturday, June 27, which created the need for the additional Thursdays on June 11 and July 2.
Finally, The Big M will be closed for simulcasting on the following dates, when World Cup matches will be played at New Jersey New York Stadium (aka MetLife Stadium):
· Tuesday, June 16
· Monday, June 22
· Thursday, June 25
· Tuesday, June 30
· Sunday, July 5
· Sunday, July 19
“We are hoping that our regular customers don’t mind some inconvenience when the World Cup is in town,” said Settlemoir of the competition that begins June 11 and concludes July 19. “But the fact is, those days play out like Football Sundays when the Jets or Giants are playing home games. The difference is, there is no parking on site. We are open on days when there is soccer to any rideshare customers on property. On those days, patrons can get their action in the FanDuel Sportsbook.”
THE SPECTACULAR SEVEN: Here is the lineup of wagers that will be offered on this weekend’s 15-race programs. They all offer a low 15 percent takeout.
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Early Pick-5
· Races 3-8: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 6-9: 50-cent Early Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Race 7: 10-cent Early Pentafecta (Hi-5)
· Races 8-12: 20-cent Late Pick-5
· Races 10-13: 50-cent Late Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Race 15: 10-cent Late 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 “news” dropdown to get the past performances at absolutely no cost.
CHECK OUT FACEBOOK AND X: Check out The Meadowlands on Facebook (@meadowlandsracetrack) for race replays, interviews, carryover updates, promotional videos and much more. Everything Meadowlands is also 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).
BET AT FANDUEL: Meadowlands regulars who love to plunk down a bet or two on professional sports, know all they have to do is head for the FanDuel Sportsbook, the No. 1 betting facility of its type in North America. It couldn’t be easier to do, as it’s located inside the grandstand at The Big M. There are 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.