by Evan Pattak, for The Meadows

Washington, PA — Beginning Monday (April 2), players will have the opportunity to share in two rich guaranteed pools that the track will offer with each card.

On that date, The Meadows will increase the total-pool guarantee for its Pick 4 wager from $5,000 to $7,500, and it will introduce a $5,000 total-pool guarantee for its Pick-5 wager. The guarantees are offered in association with the United States Trotting Association (USTA) Strategic Wagering Initiative. Pick-5 past performances will be available, at no charge, on the USTA’s Website, www.ustrotting.com.

Actually, on April 2, players will enjoy an even bigger bonus, as the Pick-4 guarantee for that card already had been hiked to $12,500 after Saturday’s wager was uncovered. Once the Pick-4 is hit and the jackpot paid out, the $7,500 daily guarantee will kick in.

The Pick-4 usually spans races 4-7 while the Pick-5 includes the day’s last five races. Minimum wager for the Pick-4 and Pick-5 is 50-cents. Since Pennsylvania law requires a minimum per-race wager of $2, a player wagering at the 50-cent level must bet at least four tickets.

The Meadows typically races each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, post time 1:05 p.m. each day.