Last Saturday (March 24) was a big one at the Meadowlands Racetrack, as, for the second time this year, handle on the live program reached the magical $3 million mark.

Total play was $3,086,823 on the 12-race program – a number surpassed only once earlier in the meeting, when betting reached $3,454,633 on March 3.

In addition, the track saw big action on its Pick-4 and Pick-5 bets.

“Three million dollars is a huge number for a night-time track,” said Jason Settlemoir, the track’s chief operating officer and general manager. “And $127,239 in the Pick-4 pool? That’s a Thoroughbred number. Obviously, we are very happy with the public response to our product and the new Meadowlands facility.

“There was more than $1.3 million wagered on all horse racing Saturday at the Meadowlands and that is an extremely big number as well. We are expecting another great Saturday this week with the $10 million Dubai World Cup and the $1 million Florida Derby. In addition, they’ll be the mandatory payout on the Gulfstream Rainbow 6. All of this leads up to the Final Four games in Victory sports bar and our live program Saturday night. The atmosphere in the building should be incredible.”

Last Saturday’s wild wagering represented a half-million dollar increase in play over the corresponding card from a year earlier, and the per-race average of $257,235 was up over $44,000 from the year before.

The Pick-4 pool smashed the previous best by more than $25,000, while the Pick-5 pool of $72,123 represented a 2018 non-carryover best.

The average pool sizes for Saturday’s card are as follows: Win, $44,961; Exacta, $67,964; Trifecta, $55,774; Superfecta, $40,518. On Race 8, which begins the Pick-4 sequence, a total of $363,411 was bet.

Free program pages for the Pick-4 (Races 8 through 11) are available on the Meadowlands’ website (playmeadowlands.com) and in the handicapping section at ustrotting.com.

To accommodate those who wish to watch and wager on the early races from Dubai on Saturday, the doors at the ‘Big M’ will open at 8:30 a.m.

GIANT FRIDAY CARRYOVER: They’ll be plenty of opportunities for players to make money on the Friday card as well, but none as enticing as when the 11th race 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five and its $161,463 carryover are in the spotlight. Post time on Friday and Saturday is 7:15 p.m.

(With files from the Meadowlands)