With the Meadowlands Racetrack’s stakes racing now concluded for 2017, the track’s winter meet will kick off this Friday evening (December 1) with an 11-race overnight card. The track will also offer a 12-race card of racing on Saturday.

Friday’s offering will feature optimum field size and competitive groups. With the recent closing of Pocono and Plainridge, there are horses and drivers coming from every direction, thus making for some real pari-mutuel puzzlers.

Among the drivers on the Friday card is Anthony Napolitano, who took the crown as leading driver of the 2016 winter-spring meet in his first extended stay at the Meadowlands. Napolitano put together an impressive run, as he enjoyed remarkable success over the mile oval without the benefit of a top barn to drive for. As a result, he became a favourite of the longshot players by bringing in an inordinate number of winners at long odds.

Misfortune struck soon after that accomplishment was realized, when Napolitano sustained a serious injury to his back in a racing accident at Pocono Downs at the end of May. The injury kept him out of the sulky for two months and compromised his season.

A winner of nearly 2,500 races in a career that began in 2001, Napolitano recovered gradually and put together another solid season at Pocono in 2017. He has over $2.4 million on his card in 2017.

In terms of this Friday’s racing at the Meadowlands, Napolitano has picked up drives in 10 of the 11 races, including a couple for perennial leading trainer Ron Burke, which can only help his quest to resume ‘Big M’ success.

Another of Napolitano’s live steers will be Lauderdale, who will be participating in the featured seventh race trot. Napolitano steered Lauderdale to a career best 1:53.1 win this spring for trainer Jonas Czernyson. The strapping seven-year-old career winner of over $400,000 is getting class relief and has drawn Post 9 on Friday for owner Millstream Farms.

All of the Meadowlands’ signature guaranteed wagers are in place for Friday, including the Survivor Pick 10, Pick 5 and pair of Pick 4s and the Race 11 Jackpot Hi 5, which will feature a carryover pool that is nearly $25,000.

Post time is 7:15 p.m.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)