East Rutherford, NJ – At the conclusion of racing Friday (Nov. 28) night, Mark Herschberger had joined an exclusive Meadowlands club. He had just won six races on the program, becoming just the third driver in 2025 to win a half-dozen times on a single Big M card.
Apparently not satisfied with being in the same exclusive camp as Yannick Gingras and Jason Bartlett, Herschberger won four races on Saturday’s (Nov. 29) program, to become the first driver in 2025 – not to mention recent memory – to take 10 walks down victory lane during the course of a weekend. And while The Big M has been racing three times a week recently, last week there were just two programs contested.
On Friday, Herschberger’s winners were Im The Muscle ($12.20 to win, race three); Miz Captain Cruze ($6, race four); Rock My Universe ($3.60, race seven); Camlachie Chrome ($6.40, race 11); Parody ($9.40, race 13); and Thaneeya ($17.40, race 14). By guiding the last two winners on the card, Herschberger swept the late double, which returned $85.
The driver offered some insights from his Friday night successes.
“Parody? That’s my father-in-law’s horse,” said Herschberger. “We changed his training a little and thought he’d fight a little more to the wire.
“Thaneeya? I don’t know how many times I’ve landed her in the pocket but things did not go all that great. But she responded to the outside trip even though she’s more of a grinder.
“The track was a bit dead that night. Dead, as in Thaneeya’s race, Joe Bongiornro (driving Sweet Sandy) made a big move late there and drew away for a bit, but the way the track was playing, you couldn’t make huge moves and expect for that speed to carry for you.”
On Saturday, the man in the red and black colors guided Haggard ($7.80, race two); LMC Peanuts Watchn ($8.80, race four); Laser Speed ($3, race five); and Divine Right ($3.40, race 11) to victory.
Herschberger made it clear that not overreacting is part of what helps him win races.
“I try not to force anything,” said Herschberger. “If a horse doesn’t leave as hard as you want him to, sit fourth, try not to force it.”
Remarkably, 2025 marks just the second year that Herschberger has been making his mark driving full-time. A year ago, the 30-year-old reinsman won 104 races, 21 of those at The Meadowlands, which was good for 17th in the Big M standings.
This year has seen the pilot’s numbers reach new heights. He has 201 wins, so at season’s end, he will have far more than double the victories than he had a year ago. His 90 wins at The Meadowlands are good for second in the standings, trailing only Brett Beckwith, who has made 110 winner’s circle visits.
Given your success, why did you start so late as compared to just about every other driver?
“Opportunity is the main thing,” said Herschberger. “Going back, I worked for my uncle [Erv Miller] for seven or eight years and that got me into it. The opportunity wasn’t there to be a driver. Fast forward eight years and I put my name out there. I think just being personable and talking to people, and after a race having good feedback is key. Being able to call yourself out (when something goes wrong on the track), trainers appreciate that. I’m not trying to blame the horse. I think that’s been a huge factor.”
Herschberger now finds himself in another club, as one of The Big M’s wintertime “Big 4.” Beckwith, Braxten Boyd and Johnathan Ahle complete the quartet that first caught the eye of Meadowlands patrons last year, and they have continued to cement their names near the top of the mile-track oval’s standings.
“Those guys are phenomenal,” said Herschberger. “They can all make speed, and they all have great heads on them. Brett, Braxten and Johnny, they all keep a level head, even when things aren’t going well on a given night.
“We are all very close. Brett put us all on group chat the other day. Racing in the winter (when the big-name Grand Circuit drivers aren’t around), I think it’s helped us young guys out, opening the door for us to be in the spotlight. Everybody watches The Meadowlands, they all have it on their TVs, it’s the mecca of harness racing. So, if that can be us young guys up there winning races, I think it’s great for the sport.”
THE SCHEDULE: Live action will continue at The Meadowlands on a three-day-a-week basis for the month of December.
Racing will take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a first-race post time of 6:20 p.m. (EST).
There will be one exception. There is no live racing on Christmas Day, Thursday, Dec. 25.
A GREAT WAY TO PLAY: Every night, The Meadowlands offers a marvelous menu of popular wagers that offer a low 15-percent takeout.
Here is the rundown of when these wagers will be offered on Thursday’s 12-race program:
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5
· Races 3-9: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)
· Races 5-8: Early 50-cent Pick-4
· Races 7-12: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 9-12: Late 50-cent Pick 4
· Race 12: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)
Here is the rundown of when these wagers will be offered on the Friday and Saturday 14-race programs this weekend:
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5
· Races 3-9: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)
· Races 6-9: Early 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Races 8-13: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 10-13: Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
· Race 14: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)
JO RO’S NINE JUST FINE: The only person who had a better two days than Joe Romanelli was Herschberger, as ‘Jo Ro’, the Big M’s back-paddock interviewer, selected nine weekend winners.
Romanelli tabbed six winners on Friday (Nov. 28), with Blue Jean Baby ($9.20 to win in race nine) and Parody ($9.40 in the 13th) his biggest winners of the night, while on Saturday, he had three on top, including Trumpster Blues ($9.80 in the ninth).
10,000 REASONS TO PLAY: The invitation-only $10,000 final of the Meadowlands 2025 Handicapping Contest takes place on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The competition is limited to 20 entries, as the top two finishers from the 10 $1,000 editions of the contest that were held since the start of 2025 have qualified to go for the big green, where the winner will walk away with $5,000.
Sean Loebs made a big score on the Late Pick-4 to come from well back to take the 10th and final installment of the monthly “qualifiers” on Friday, Nov. 21.
Loebs finished the night with a bankroll of $1,103.00 to outdistance second-place finisher William Meisel, who used an early score to finish with $536.00.
By finishing 1-2, Loebs and Meisel became the final two qualifiers for the invitation-only challenge.
Loebs also had a top-two finish in March, so he will have two entries in the $10,000 tussle. Joining Loebs with a pair of entries are Gary Scogna, Karen Fossli and Robert Glaser.
Nick Montemurro leads the way with four entries.
The complete list of players from January through October that qualified for the December contest are Montemurro and Scogna (January); Michael Grasso and Montemurro (February); Loebs and Joe Barre (March); Glaser and Jim Bohnarczyk (April); Fossli and Russ Slader (May); Del Kern and Scogna (June); Fossli and Montemurro (July); Emile Issa and Montemurro (August); and Rich Preziotti and Glaser (October).
EMBRACE THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT: It doesn’t take all that much money to make Christmas special for a child in need, and if you’d like to make a kid smile this holiday, participate in the Big M’s Toys for Tots collection drive.
All are welcome to donate new, unwrapped toys for kids in need from Nov. 29 through Dec. 12.
Former New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa will host the U.S. Marine Toys for Tots annual holiday toy drive reception on Friday, Dec. 12. Enunwa will meet and greet guests who help out to make the season bright for children in need.
The Marines and Enunwa will personally deliver the collected toys on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at noon to children at SBH Health System — a safety net hospital in the Bronx.
For additional information, please visit: www.SBHNY.org
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.
A SOCIAL SETTING: Everything Meadowlands is 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).
IT’S PARTY TIME: It’s that time of year to celebrate the holidays, and a great place to enjoy a great time is The Meadowlands.
Discover the unique event spaces at The Big M, perfect for hosting your corporate holiday parties, game-day watch parties and year-end celebrations at a venue that offers a one-of-a-kind experience that you won’t find anywhere else.
Event spaces are complemented by a diverse range of beverage and dining options, ensuring that your holiday event is perfectly catered to your preferences.
Book a private tour today with Andrea Lokshin by emailing her at alokshin@playmeadowlands.com or give her a call at 201-842-5013. You can also view our spaces and take a 360-degree tour by visiting https://playmeadowlands.com/party/.
FOOTBALL IN FANDUEL: Meadowlands regulars who love to plunk down a bet or two on the National Football League, 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 Meadowlands. 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.