East Rutherford, NJ — Hambletonian Day handle was up 13 percent over a year ago as a total of $6,487,839 was pushed through the windows on Saturday’s (Aug. 7) 16-race card at The Meadowlands.

The $6.4 million established a 2021 best at The Big M, as did the per-race average of $405,489. Wagering was steady throughout the course of the day, as six races saw the $400,000 betting barrier busted.

Not surprisingly, the top two single-race totals were recorded on the Hambletonian Oaks ($486,594) and Hambletonian ($866,013).

Over the 63 programs that made up the Championship Meeting (or, more accurately, Winter-Spring-Championship Meeting), a total of $208,050,187 was wagered on Meadowlands races, an average per card of $3,302,383.

Dexter Dunn accepts the honor as top Meadowlands driver from track chief operating officer and general manager Jason Settlemoir Saturday afternoon at The Big M. Hugh Ducey photo.

DUNN, CULLIPHER CLAIM TITLES: Dexter Dunn and Jeff Cullipher walked away with driver and trainer dash-win honors at The Championship Meeting, which concluded Hambletonian Day.

After driving four winners, Dunn finished the meeting with 125 victories, 40 more than runner-up Andy McCarthy.

The 31-year-old Dunn also won the money-earnings crown with a total of $2,776,912, approximately $400,000 more than second-place finisher Tim Tetrick.

Cullipher won once on Hambo Day to finish the meet with 54 victories, six more than Ron Burke, who saw his Championship Meeting dash-win crown streak snapped at nine.

Burke was the top money-earning trainer with $1,883,853. Nancy Takter was second with $1,500,171.

A QUICK TATTOO: Tattoo Artist cut out incredible fractions of :25, :52 and 1:18.3 on the way to a 1:47.1 lifetime-best score in the fourth race $50,000 Preferred for pacers, which was in honor of The Big M’s late, great, former racing secretary Joe DeFrank. It was the fastest mile on the Hambo Day card.

The 4-year-old son of He’s Watching and Stylish Artist was driven by Tetrick and is trained by Chris Ryder. He now has 16 wins from 36 career starts and lifetime earnings of $790,367.

A LITTLE MORE: Dunn’s four winners led the driver colony. Tetrick was next with three. Nifty Norman was the top conditioner with four winner’s circle visitors.

Live racing returns to The Big M on Sept. 3.