The winter meet at the Meadowlands has always offered handicappers some of the most attractive wagering opportunities of the season. A look at the numbers so far in 2016 show that this year has provided some of the most competitive races not only in harness racing, but also when compared to the major thoroughbred tracks.
Post-time wagering favourites have won just one-third of the races at the Meadowlands so far in 2016, winning 28 of 85 races contested. That 33-per-cent strike rate, a major factor that determines racing competitiveness, is actually lower than the winning favourite percentage at five of the premier thoroughbred tracks in the country -- Santa Anita, Laurel Park and Fair Grounds (35%), Gulfstream Park (36%), and Aqueduct (38%).
“It is obvious we are getting some thoroughbred players to cross over right now,” said MeadowlandsCEO/GM Jason M. Settlemoir. “33 per cent winning favourites this year compares favourably with all the great thoroughbred tracks. We went head to head with NFL football, Winter Storm Jonas and a billion dollar Powerball drawing and still averaged $3,018,024 per night in total handle and $213,036 in per race handle in January.”
The nightly average handle of more than $3 million makes the Meadowlands the most popular nighttime wagering product of any breed. Additionally, the Meadowlands consistently offers the largest wagering pools and field sizes in harness racing. For example, the average exacta pool is $61,448 and trifecta pool is $45,040. These two factors are major drivers of handle amongst serious horseplayers.
“Our field sizes of 9.68 horses a race, our large exotic pools and our great finishes have demonstrated that competitive harness racing can still captivate the night time gambling audience,” said Settlemoir. “After football concludes in two weeks, we think a segment of players that watch football and play fantasy sports will start watching and playing The Meadowlands.”
Those interested players have easy access to the Meadowlands product thanks to a successful partnership with TVG, known as America’s Horse Racing Network. Racing at the Meadowlands is featured prominently on the television network that is available in more than 30 million homes nationwide and accepts wagers on the Meadowlands via its advance deposit wagering platform.
Free deluxe program pages for the late Pick Four every racing night with an average pool size of $65,034 are complimentary and available courtesy of Track Master at ustrotting.com and playmeadowlands.com.
Live harness racing takes place Friday and Saturday nights with 14-race programs beginning at 6:35 p.m.
(with files from The Meadowlands)
Ok, so a few years ago, I
Ok, so a few years ago, I wrote that giving away free stuff, making the places more attractive to young people, and cutting the amount of racing dates will help the product a ton. I was told I was wrong. I was told we had to fix the classes, and the drug cheats, lower the takeouts and all this and the bettors will come back.
They still catch cheaters at Meadowlands. The classes they went to a are a different direction, but the takeout is still similar. It took changing the core group they go after, to start the ball in motion for Meadowlands. They are now a product worth going to bet, and the people there have a realistic shot at winning money. This can't be said at about 6 tracks in Ontario. Nothing to do between races, no real reason for the twenty-somethings to bother coming out and blowing money, no real chance to make any money because there is under $1,000 bet to WPS and the exotics combined. Meadowlands and WFR have taken a page from the real professional sports, and made the trip to the track an entertainment thing.
This was orchestrated by a few groups, the Meadowlands horseman, the track and the patrons. Strangely enough, when the tracks and the horseman listen to the patrons, everything falls into place. They have room to expand that operation and possibly pick up another night. Right now.... 2 seems to work just fine. Ontario..... on many dates, you have 4-7 tracks running, spreading out the gambling dollar. It's no wonder it's not working here.
By the way........ Meadowlands does this..... WITHOUT slot money.
Wake up Ontario
"The POWER of BROKE: how
"The POWER of BROKE: how empty pockets, a tight budget, and a hunger for success can become your greatest competitive advantage."
Twenty eight races at the Meadowlands tonight and tomorrow (only 2 nights a week, cut throat racing) and only 3 races are over 16 thousand purse! Gamblers don't want artificially inflated purses created by slot money (running for second is lucrative).