Washington, PA — This is the Meadows’ final four-card/week schedule until April. We are racing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon this week, 12:45 p.m. post each day.

Beginning Jan. 4, we move to our winter schedule, three days per week, Wednesday-Friday afternoons at 12:45 p.m.

CARRYOVER
The 20-cent Pick-5 for Tuesday (Dec. 27) will carry over $8,165 into the Jackpot pool. Please note that this is the final week of the race meet, so there can be no carryovers after Friday (Dec. 30). The final Pick-5, Super Hi-5, Superfecta and Pick-4 on Friday’s card will be must-pays.

14-YEAR-OLDS
The Meadows has had two 14-year-old horses racing regularly throughout the season, Ursis Des Caillons, trained by Justin Pirillo, and Nathan Feelsgood, trained by Peter Stratton. Both face mandatory retirement at the end of the year.

Ursis Des Caillons is set to race on Wednesday (Dec. 28), leaving from post four in the sixth race. The French-bred trotter will make the 220th start of his career.

Nathan Feelsgood was supposed to make the 362nd start of his long career this past Friday, but the races were canceled due to weather. He will likely be entered for this Friday (Dec. 30). Posts will be drawn Tuesday (Dec. 27).

STAT LEADERS
With 419 wins entering the week, Dave Palone will capture yet another driving championship at The Meadows this year. His streak is now more than 30 years long. Aaron Merriman is second with 232 wins, while Hunter Myers has now tied Mike Wilder for third at 183. Wilder is wintering in Florida, so Myers needs just one victory this week to take sole possession of third place. Brady Brown, with 166 wins, completes the top five.

Among trainers, Ron Burke has 225 wins to lead the pack, while Scott Betts has had the best season of his career, with 109 local training wins. Randy Bendis is third at 72, while Dirk Simpson, who has been on a roll in recent weeks, sits in fourth with 67. Tim Twaddle (61) rounds out the top five.

WAGERING FORMAT TO CHANGE IN 2023 (repeated from last week’s notes)
When the 2023 racing season begins on Wednesday (Jan. 4), The Meadows will implement several changes to its wagering format. Among the changes:
• Superfecta will increase from 10-cents to 20-cents
• If the Superfecta is not hit, there will no longer be a consolation payoff. Entire net pool will carry over to the next race
• Pick-4 will remain a 50-cent bet, but if it is not hit, there will no longer be a consolation payoff. Entire net pool will carry over to the next Pick-4.
• Pick-5, formerly a Jackpot pool, will now be a “straight” pool with no Jackpot. If it is not hit, 70 percent of the net pool will carry over to the next day’s Pick-5.
• Super Hi-5 changes from a 20-cent to a 50-cent wager and will no longer be a Jackpot pool. There will no longer be a consolation payout. If it is not hit, the entire net pool will carry over to the next Super Hi-5.
• There will now be three Super Hi-5 wagers each day, up from one.