from the Meadowlands Media Relations Department

East Rutherford, NJ — The Meadowlands presents another weekend of racing with a pair of 14-race cards on tap at 6:35 p.m. both Friday and Saturday (Feb. 19 and 20) nights.

The Meadowlands goes into the weekend looking to continue the current streak of five consecutive $3 million-plus handle nights. Friday’s program offers more of the exciting, competitive racing that has marked the winter meet thus far with big fields, low takeout and guaranteed pools creating some big shots for the horseplayer. The last race Super Hi-5 Jackpot is now at the doorstep of a $100,000 carryover.

Free program pages are available for the $50,000 guaranteed Late Pick-4 and live paddock chatter right from the “Horse’s Mouth” is always just a click away via the Meadowlands twitter feed.

Trotters take center stage in the ninth race, the $25,000 Open Handicap. There’s an interesting new shooter leaving from the rail this week in Rock Of Cashel. This Ontario-bred labored in anonymity as a youngster north of the border but blossomed when he arrived state-side and landed in Mark Harder’s barn.

Racing primarily over the half-mile oval at Yonkers, Rock Of Cashel earned more than $128,000 for owners Joseph Jannuzzelli and Jeffrey Ruch last season. After two consecutive breaks at Yonkers in the new year, Harder brought him to the Meadowlands to qualify over the mile track, resulting in a big effort with a :27 final quarter. Last week against conditioned types, Rock Of Cashel trotted the race of his life, winning in a career best 1:53.2 by a widening seven lengths.

That win earned him a promotion to the top class, where he will start from the rail against many of the best trotters currently racing. While Corey Callahan drove Rock Of Cashel to last week’s victory, he opted off for Friday’s race and Brett Miller inherits the live steer.

Off the track, Victory Sports Bar will host the first Men Of Playgirl Review at The Meadowlands. Tickets are $25 in advance and the boys pledge to whip their audience into a frenzy.

Even bigger news is the National Handicapping Championship qualifier on Saturday night. The top three finishers qualify for the rich NHC final in Las Vegas next year.

Post time to 7:15 p.m. in mid-March

Meadowlands faithful should take note that beginning on March 18 post time will be moved to 7:15 p.m. This move is in anticipation to carding fewer races once other tracks in the surrounding area reopen for their 2016 live seasons.