Washington, PA – Here is this week’s Meadows Monday Memo.
SPECIAL POST, GUARANTEED POOL WEDNESDAY
The Meadows’ racing week will kick off on Wednesday (April 29), but just not at the usual time. First post on Wednesday will be at 5:10 p.m. (EDT), a one-time special evening, midweek 10-race card. The Pick-5, which will take place in races 6-10, will have a $5,000 guaranteed pool after bettors failed to hit the Pick-5 on Friday.
CHAMPIONSHIP MEET STARTS SATURDAY
Hollywood Casino at The Meadows will officially kick off its “Championship Meet” this Saturday, with the start of stakes season coinciding with Derby Day. Sophomore male pacers will be featured in the first leg of Pennsylvania Sire Stakes and PA Stallion Series, the first chance for horses to earn points toward the late-summer championships. First race post for Saturday will be 10:30 a.m.
DERBY DAY ACTIVITIES
The action won’t just be taking place on the racetrack on Saturday, as the local racing community celebrates Derby Day. Food trucks and a DJ will keep fans busy between races, and the annual Derby Hat Contest, which features $1,000 in total prizes, will take place at the conclusion of the live racing card, in between live racing and the Kentucky Derby itself. There will also be a $500 handicapping contest for on-track fans. The Meadows Standardbred Owners Association has partnered with Hollywood Casino at The Meadows to present the afternoon’s activities.
FIVE QUALIFIERS SET FOR TUESDAY
A total of five qualifying races will be held Tuesday morning (April 28) at The Meadows. The action will be shown live at 11 a.m. on the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association’s Facebook page.
TOP TROTTERS FEATURED ON THURSDAY
Thursday afternoon’s feature race will be the $19,000 Open Handicap Trot, carded at Race 5 out of 10 on the day. Oh Look Magic, trained by Ron Burke, was assigned the outside post in the field of seven, and shows nothing but victories on his card going back eight races to Feb. 4. The 6-year-old son of Lookslikeachpndale has won 9 of 11 starts this year and hasn’t been worse than second in 2026. Last year, he banked over $257,000 in 32 starts, and is already at $175,500 this season in just over one-third as many races.