There are many factors that go into the current resurgence that is taking place at The Meadowlands: a race office that provides what horsepeople want, which leads to what bettors want, and a governor and state legislature that provided a jolt of much-needed revenue to remain a top harness racetrack and fuel an entire industry in the Garden State.

As a result, business at The Meadowlands has been nothing short of sensational thus far during 2023.

“Our race office has done a tremendous job of carding full fields,” said Jason Settlemoir, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager at The Meadowlands. “They are the key to our betting success. Full 10-horse fields are what our fan base craves. This weekend [Feb. 3-4] is another example of the good work our race office does. Twenty-four of our 28 races this weekend – if there are no scratches – will have 10 horses. Three have nine. The one race that has less than nine has eight, and that’s our Saturday feature, which has some seriously talented horses in it. We are looking forward to what should be another big weekend of action.”

The competitive racing at The Meadowlands leads to less predictability. Less predictability means fewer winning favourites, which is what Big M fans count on.

During January, Meadowlands’ favourites clicked 35 per cent of the time, the lowest winning rate in the game. The median percentage of winning favourites for the industry was 44.

For some perspective, Gulfstream Park, the most popular venue in Thoroughbred racing during January, also saw favourites win just 35 per cent of the time.

During the month of January, things were jumping at The Big M’s betting windows as all eight evening cards (the normal schedule is Friday-Saturday evenings, but during January, there were also two Sunday afternoon cards) saw betting break the $3-million barrier.

A remarkable improvement over the first month of 2022, which had six programs and zero $3-million nights.

Average nightly handle on Fridays during January of this year was $3.15 million. A year ago, that figure was $2.58 million.

Saturdays have seen more of the same. This year, an average of $3.39 million has been pushed through the windows as compared to last year’s $2.57 million.

It’s taken a total of eight Friday-Saturday programs for the Big M to register eight $3-million nights this year. During 2022, it wasn’t until May 6 that wagering went past the $3-million mark for the eighth time, the 32nd program of the year.

“Things are going well,” said Settlemoir. “And we very much appreciate our loyal fans, but none of this would have been possible without the help of Gov. [Phil] Murphy and the members of the New Jersey Legislature, who saw fit to help us at The Meadowlands – not to mention the entire horse racing industry in New Jersey – with a yearly appropriation that has helped maintain our purses at a high level. That’s played a big part in keeping our horsemen excited about supporting our entry box, something that you’ve got to have to be successful in this business.”

Ever since the first appropriation was put into the racing game in 2019, things have been on an upward trend, especially in the breeding business, where the New Jersey Sire Stakes (NJSS) series is now competitive on a national scale on the trotting side while the pacers continue their climb toward the top.

The NJSS will now contest the four finals for two-year-olds during Hambletonian Weekend (Aug. 4-5) for purses totalling an estimated $960,000, with the rich New Jersey Classic – the brainchild of Big M President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gural – to follow soon thereafter, which will feature eight finals that will go for an estimated $1.7 million.

It’s easy to chart handle success, but the effect of the appropriation reaches further when one considers where the sport was in New Jersey when it was first introduced as compared to now.

“The tremendous betting numbers that The Meadowlands has put up this January is certainly reason for optimism throughout harness racing,” said John Campbell, Hambletonian Society President and Chief Executive Officer. “The handle at The Hambletonian, Meadowlands Pace and Breeders Crown was up significantly in 2022. The handle at The Meadowlands and Woodbine Mohawk [Park] was very strong, and that trend is continuing into the new year.

“Batavia Downs had an all-time record handle this week. I attended the Prix d’Amerique this past weekend in Paris. They had a huge crowd and a Euro handle of over $30 million. All of this is reason for optimism as we move through 2023 and it shows that the betting public will respond to competitive harness racing.”

Live racing at The Meadowlands will take place every Friday and Saturday for the next 27 consecutive weeks. Post time is 6:20 p.m., except for the last day of the meeting, Hambletonian Day, Saturday, Aug. 5, when the first race heads to the gate at noon.

The live “Racing from The Meadowlands” simulcast show takes place every racing night. Join Dave Little and Jessica Otten as they will provide news, notes, selections and commentary on the night’s featured races every racing night beginning at 5:45 p.m.

As always, free past performances for every race of every Meadowlands card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com.

Upcoming Meadowlands Promotions

BRING YOUR SWEETHEART: Bring your significant other for a night out at the races during Valentine’s Day Weekend, Feb. 10-11. There will be a special lavish dinner offered in Pink Restaurant, perfect for a couple’s night out, for just $49.95 per person. Diners will enjoy a complimentary glass of sparkling champagne, and in addition, there will be a red rose for the ladies.For reservations, call 201-THE-BIGM.

WIN A NEW TV FOR THE GAME: On Saturday, Feb. 11, fans can come out to The Meadowlands and win one of five high-definition TVs just in time to watch professional football’s championship game. What will be up for grabs are two 55-inch TVS, two 60-inch TVs and one 70-inch TV. The winners will be drawn after Races 2, 4, 6 and 9. Fans must complete an online registration form to be eligible to win. 

SEE THE BIG GAME IN “THE BOOK”: The National Football League’s championship game takes place Sunday, Feb. 12, and one of the best places to watch and wager on the event is the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is located inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands.

The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. and the Philadelphia Eagles are a 1½-point favourite over the Kansas City Chiefs. The game has an under/over of 50½, and for those who prefer the money line, the Eagles are -118 while the Chiefs are +100.

There are several attractive options for patrons who’d like to spend the day at The Big M betting and watching the game, beginning with Option 1, which, for $60, is a view party from The Gallery with former New York Giants standout Amani Toomer and PIX-11 sportscaster Marc Malusis. The $60 – which includes tax and tip – includes a game-day buffet of wings, hot dogs, burgers, fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and chicken fingers. Toomer and Malusis will conduct a Q&A 30 minutes before the start of the game. There will also be Giants swag giveaways.

Option 2, which costs $50, gets you a good seat for the game, and your pricing acts as credit towards food purchases.

(With files from Meadowlands)