While the Breeders Crown is now in the rearview mirror, the 2024 stakes action is anything but concluded at The Meadowlands, as just two weeks after hosting the 12 Crown events, The Big M is back this Saturday, Nov. 9 with four Kindergarten Classic finals for two-year-olds of each sex and gait with purses totalling $730,200 USD.

Beyond that, the mile oval will then have one more monster night at the races before settling in for five months of winter action when the Fall Four stakes and FanDuel Championships take place on Saturday, Nov. 30.

“We are in the midst of a great run here at The Meadowlands,” said Jason Settlemoir, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager at Meadowlands Racetrack. “We came back from our five-week layoff with two weeks of Breeders Crown action, then, last week and this, the Kindergarten, and then, we’ll dole out over $2.5 million [USD] in purses on Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night three weeks from Saturday. It is a great time for all harness fans to be watching and wagering on our races, as many of them will determine [Dan Patch] divisional honours.”

While there are many talented colts and fillies racing on Saturday, one megastar will be making his final start of the season in the Kindergarten colt and gelding trot: Maryland.

Maryland is the third-ranked horse in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Top 10 Poll, behind only U.S. Horse of the Year favourite Twin B Joe Fresh and the generational talent Jiggy Jog S, who retired earlier this year due to injury after winning all six of her seasonal outings.

A son of Chapter Seven-Crucial, Maryland is the top money-earning trotter in the sport this year with a bankroll of $1.561 million. He’s won five of eight starts this season, with four of those wins coming in the division’s biggest dashes: the Breeders Crown, Mohawk Million, Peter Haughton Memorial and William Wellwood Memorial.

Owned by Courant Inc., PCW Racing, Holly Lane Stud East and Sstewartrthorn Stable, Maryland, the early favourite for the 2025 Hambletonian, is trained by Marcus Melander and has been driven in all of his starts this year by Dexter Dunn.

The following are the fields for the four Kindergarten Classic finals for two-year-olds that take place on Saturday at The Meadowlands, with post position, horse, driver, trainer and morning-line odds (including late driver changes).

$243,400 USD Filly Trot (Race 6)
Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds
1. R Dutchess – Jody Jamieson – John Butenschoen – 9-2
2. Sonmar Pond – Yannick Gingras – Domenico Cecere – 8-1
3. Global Heritage – Andrew McCarthy – Domenico Cecere – 10-1
4. Voguish – Todd McCarthy – Andrew Harris – 7-2
5. Margareta Hanover – Mattias Melander – Marcus Melander – 10-1
6. Myonlylove – Dave Miller – Linda Toscano – 10-1
7. Jersey Slide – Tim Tetrick – Jim Campbell – 15-1
8. Champagne Problems – Dexter Dunn – Nancy Takter – 3-5
9. My Honor – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 12-1 
10. R Charm – Scott Zeron – Linda Toscano – 15-1
AE1. Soulsistrgenius NO – Philip Scott Sonsteby – Philip Scott Sonsteby

$165,000 USD Filly Pace (Race 7)
Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds
1. Youllfindout – George Brennan – Nik Drennan – 15-1
2. Duration – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 7-2
3. Chakra – Anibal Borjas – Tony Alagna – 12-1
4. Champagne Room – Andrew McCarthy – Noel Daley – 5-2
5. Shes A Streaker – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 10-1
6. Rodeo Drive Deo – Dave Miller – Ron Burke – 2-1
7. Simply Perfect – Dexter Dunn – Tony Alagna – 8-1
8. Ronstadt – Scott Zeron – Tony Alagna – 15-1

$173,300 USD Colt & Gelding Trot (Race 8)
Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds
1. Frank Leahy – Andrew McCarthy – Ron Burke – 15-1
2. Maryland – Dexter Dunn – Marcus Melander – 3-5
3. Monserrate – Dave Miller – Andrew Harris – 7-2
4. Cheers Hanover – Yannick Gingras – Ron Burke – 10-1
5. Durante Hanover – Todd McCarthy – Jim Oscarsson – 10-1
6. Portobarosso As NL – Andy Miller – Julie Miller – 8-1
7. Gap Kronos S – Ake Svanstedt – Ake Svanstedt – 6-1
8. Safe Talk – Tim Tetrick – Ron Burke – 15-1
9. Uno – Anibal Borjas – Tony Alagna – 15-1
10. Tactical Dynasty – Scott Zeron – Ron Burke – 12-1
AE1. Yannick G Kemp – Scott Zeron – Nifty Norman
AE2. Net Weight – Johnathan Ahle – Noel Daley

$148,500 USD Colt & Gelding Pace (Race 10)
Post – Horse – Driver – Trainer – Morning Line Odds
1. Attaboychet – Anibal Borjas – Tony Alagna – 10-1
2. Tom Horn – Dave Miller – Ron Burke – 10-1
3. Get Wings – Andrew McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 15-1
4. Seaworthy Hanover – Dexter Dunn – Jake Leamon – 4-1
5. Steamboat Springs – Yannick Gingras – Jennifer Bongiorno – 10-1
6. Papis Pistol – Andy Miller – Sam De Pinto – 8-5
7. Furneaux – Patrick Ryder – Chris Ryder – 15-1
8. Manolete – Scott Zeron – Bruce Saunders – 5-2
9. World Beater – Todd McCarthy – Tony Alagna – 15-1
10. Namaste Hanover – Corey Callahan – Christopher Choate – 12-1
AE1. Luminary – Andrew McCarthy – Tony Alagna
AE2. Captain Optimistic – Dexter Dunn – Nancy Takter 

Racing continues at The Meadowlands on Friday and Saturday. Post time is 6:20 p.m., with the live pre-game show at 5:45 p.m. There were no winning tickets sold on the 20-cent Pick-6 last Saturday, creating a carryover of $7,689 for Friday’s program.

Also on Saturday, The Meadowlands will host a fun Drag Show with five of the most fabulous Queens courtesy of Drag Queen Entertainment. Doors open at 6 p.m. The show runs 7-9 p.m. in Trackside on the ground floor and features impersonations, comedy and plenty of dancing divas. Visit playmeadowlands.com for more information and tickets.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)