The Meadowlands has expanded to 15 races for both Friday and Saturday this week, largely to try and get more horses raced considering many have been idle due to fewer racing opportunities over the reduced holiday schedules.

“Winter is normally a good time for us with some of the closer tracks dark for the next few months,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “Our entry box got great support from horse[people] wanting to get their horses raced, so much so that we are able to present 30 races this first weekend of 2022.”

To get the lengthy cards completed by a reasonable hour will require shortening the time between races. This scenario presents an opportunity to conduct a real time experiment on the effect a significant reduction in the "drag" leading to off time will have on the handle.

The plan for Friday and Saturday is to cut the drag time in half, from eight to four minutes. With the forecast cold, Meadowlands is advising fans to expect the horses to spend less time on the track and be aware of the shortened scores to avoid being shut out.

To accommodate those wagering remotely and the delay included in view the simulcast signal, the “Countdown Clock” will be adjusted to engage at three minutes to off time and the horses will head to the starting gate as it ticks toward zero.

First race post time is listed as 6:20 p.m. and fans should expect the horses to be going behind the starting gate at 6:20. Fans may expect a race approximately every 20 minutes thereafter, with a bit more time added heading into the $50,000 guaranteed Pick 4 wagers.

Based on the effect on handle over this weekend's experiment, Meadowlands management will consider further reducing the drag in the coming weeks.

The action should be sizable to start the year, if the final program of 2021 is any indication. Last Friday (Dec. 31), wagering on the 14-race card totalled $2.97 million, which nudged action for the year just past the $276-million mark for the 92 racing programs, meaning that the mile oval’s average handle per card was a remarkable $3 million.

“We all know how tough 2021 was on all of us,” said Settlemoir. “But we were grateful to be able to conduct our races and be as successful as we were while keeping our horse[people], staff and customers safe. Moving forward, with COVID numbers on the rise, we will be taking some precautions to keep our co-workers and guests safe and healthy for the New Year.”

Until further notice, face masks must be worn by staff and guests, regardless of vaccination status, in the grandstand as well as the FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Meadowlands has launched a brand new, updated website which features extensive racing information, including a capsule of each race and full card free programs, right on the landing page. Complete wagering information and Dave Brower's Race Reviews are also available.

(With files from Meadowlands)