The return of the Breeders Crown to The Meadowlands was a rousing success as the total wager of $7,372,478 for the weekend of October 29-30 established a new Meadowlands record for the series (in the two-day format) that originated in 1984, and exceeded the previous mark by nearly $1 million, which was set the last time the series stopped here in 2016.

No track in history has hosted more Breeders Crown finals than The Big M, which now has carded 103.

The betting bonanza began when wagering topped the $3 million mark at the mile oval for the first time since Hambletonian Day after $3,251,099 was pushed through the windows on the Friday night 13-race card. Play on the Breeders Crown events was especially vigorous, as a total of $1,396,843 was put in play on the four races, an average of $349,210 per dash.

Wagering on the eight Saturday finals was spirited throughout the day, as at least $316,162 was bet on each of the 'Crown' races. The largest single-race total was the $457,657 pushed through the windows on the dramatic showdown between Perfect Sting and Charlie May in the three-year-old colts and geldings pace.

Total wagering on the eight 'Crown' races was $2,972,101, good for an average of $371,512 per dash.

Including the five overnight events, total betting on the 13-race program was $4,121,379, an all-time high for a single card in the history of the 'Crown' when at The Big M.

“What more can you say about the loyal fans that support Standardbred racing?” said Jason Settlemoir, Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. “On short notice, with the post moved up six hours, the players wagered over $4.1 million. The final Saturday afternoon handle was almost 20 per cent higher than the Saturday evening Breeders Crown handle at The Meadowlands in 2016. That’s a seismic increase and a wonderful culmination to a sensational weekend of exciting Breeders Crown races. Business was robust, with every one of the 12 Breeders Crown events handling more than $300,000.”

The year-end championship series was televised on two separate networks for a total of six hours. There was 3.5 hours of coverage on Fox Sports 2’s (FS2) national feed, plus, there was a 2.5-hour telecast on the regional network SportsNet New York (SNY), which is the home of the New York Mets.

The Breeders Crown races, which brought a combination of winning favourites and surprises, only served to muddy the waters in the race for U.S. Horse of the Year. Lyons Sentinel and Allywag Hanover, the two horses who arguably had the inside track on the trophy heading into last weekend, both tasted defeat while Test Of Faith and Niki Hill were super-impressive when scoring as popular post-time choices.

In addition, the winners of the four events for three-year-olds will get invitations to the TVG Finals and get a chance to take on older foes and bolster their resumes for a possible shot at Horse of the Year honours. The four winners were Perfect Sting (male pace), Jujubee (male trot), Test Of Faith (female pace) and Bella Bellini (female trot).

Fall Final Four/TVG Finals Night, which is the last major stakes card of the year and takes place on November 20 at The Big M, will go a long way toward determining who will take home Horse of the Year honours.

“Breeders Crown Weekend at The Meadowlands was a tremendous success,” said John Campbell, Hambletonian Society President and Chief Executive Officer. “The response from the horse[people] and the competitiveness of the racing made for some of the most exciting races of the year. The betting handle was exceptionally strong, producing $7.3 million over the two nights. This all reflects the strength and popularity of the Breeders Crown brand.”

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)