During a year where much has been made of the big betting numbers being put up at The Meadowlands, last weekend (March 3-4) cleared handle hurdles not reached in at least the last decade at the mile oval.

After wagering was an industry 2023-best $4.5 million on the Friday night card, betting remained robust on Saturday, as $4,062,855 was put in play on the 14-race program. The per race average wager was $322,789 on Friday and $290,203 on Saturday.

Back-to-back $4-million nights, has it ever happened since Meadowlands President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gural saved the track from possible extinction in 2011? No.

The weekend total of $8.5 million is noteworthy since only twice since the start of 2021 has the $8-million weekend plateau been reached, and those were both Hambletonian weekends.

Betting has now gone past the $3-million mark on all 17 Friday and Saturday night programs during 2023. A year ago, $3-million-plus was wagered 23 times over a total of 85 race cards.

A look at the top six tracks in terms of handle on Friday shows how The Meadowlands stacks up against the best in Thoroughbred racing. The Big M is the most prolific track in terms of betting handle at night, regardless of whether the subject is harness or Thoroughbred racing.

The Friday, March 3 handle leaders were: 1, Gulfstream, $8,287,706; 2, Aqueduct, $6,413,237; 3, Oaklawn, $6,126,396; 4, Santa Anita, $5,388,598; 5, Meadowlands, $4,519,050; 6, Tampa Bay, $4,209,878.

Competitive racing makes for higher handles, and five of the tracks listed above have favourites win at a rate between 33 and 35 per cent. The only exception being Tampa Bay (41 per cent).

The two 50-cent Pick-4 bets at The Big M on Friday averaged just over $142,000, while the lone 20-cent Pick-5 took in a 2023-high $100,913. Exacta betting totalled $1.25 million on the night, almost $90,000 per race, while the Trifecta pools averaged just under $70,000.

“The competitive nature of the races contested over the mile track has led to The Meadowlands continuing to do big business this year,” said Jason Settlemoir, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager at The Meadowlands. “The loyal support of horseplayers – as well as horsemen who continue to fill the entry box – resulted in an eye-popping $8.5-million weekend.

“With full 10-horse fields, all doubts about The Meadowlands’ ability to create the type of competitive racing that can fascinate Thoroughbred players and sports bettors to cross over and wager on the world leader in Standardbred racing have been removed.”

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)