from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department

East Rutherford, NJ — Live racing returns to The Meadowlands on Thursday evening (Dec. 22) and brings with it a $25,874.24 carryover buoying the Pick-5 sequence, which spans the first five races of the program.

It is not unrealistic to expect the total to exceed six figures with new play added to the pool.

Get the jump on handicapping the carryover with free program pages courtesy of The Meadowlands and TrackMaster.

The entry box was overflowing for the Thursday and Friday card with right at 500 entries, affording Racing Secretary Pete Koch and his staff the chance to put together a deep and competitive 12-race puzzler.

New shooters, 22-year-old Drew Monti (just in from Batavia Downs) and 23-year-old Tyler Smith (a top Hoosier Park driver), join a very young and hungry driver’s colony featuring east coast based gunslingers like Marcus Miller, Joe Bongiorno and Vinny Ginsburg.

Brett Miller won an all-time Meadowlands record tying eight races last Friday and will join John Campbell, Andy Miller, Steve Smith and Jimmy Marohn Jr. representing the established core.

Speaking of drivers, the opener and first leg of the aforementioned Pick-5 is the GSY Amateur Series Winter Final where 10 of the best in the division face off for a $12,500 purse. Hannah Miller’s star has shone brightly in amateur competition over the past few seasons and she has a live mount here in Mark Ford’s Dream Rocker.

Looking ahead, now’s the time to make those dinner reservations for the gala New Year’s Eve celebration in the track’s tiered dining room Pink featuring a special buffet and fireworks after the races.

Racing again is confined to Thursday and Friday this week with Saturday being Christmas Eve. Next week it’s three live racing days in Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Post time is 7:15 p.m.