The Meadowlands will host many of harness racing’s top two-year-old and aged competitors for the FanDuel Championships and Fall Four stakes during a $2.3 million USD card on Saturday, Nov. 14.

The Fall Four — comprised of the Governor’s Cup, Three Diamonds, Goldsmith Maid and Valley Victory — will be contested by Grand Circuit freshmen, while top open horses will clash in the FanDuel Championships. The entrants to the FanDuel events are determined by horses’ results in select major stakes races throughout the year in their division, with additional invitations extended to winners of other races.

The lightly raced Tactical Moni leads the group for the $150,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Mare Trot (Grade 2) after her second win of the year, a 1:51 triumph in the Breeders Crown. The Marcus Melander trainee improved her seasonal record to two-for-seven in that win, her second straight, and put the division on notice. From post three with Dexter Dunn aboard on Saturday, the Tactical Landing-All Our Moni four-year-old will again look to best Warrawee Michelle, the standings leader after late-season wins in the Miss Versatility final and Dayton Oaks Derby. Last year’s Breeders Crown champion finished second in her repeat attempt, unable to catch Tactical Moni in that Grade 1 event. Trainer Ake Svanstedt has assigned Yannick Gingras to pilot the five-year-old Walner-Sound Check five-year-old, a two-time winner in 10 outings in 2026, from post four. The full field is below.

$150,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Mare Trot (Grade 2)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. R Dutchess - Tim Tetrick - John Butenschoen
2. Bourbonista S - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
3. Tactical Moni - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
4. Warrawee Michelle - Yannick Gingras - Ake Svanstedt
5. Woman Of Passion - Scott Zeron - Carter Pinske
6. Bravo Angel S - Jason Bartlett - Petter Engblom

On To Norway enters the $300,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Trot (Grade 1) on the back of three wins in a row, including his 1:50 score in the Breeders Crown at Scioto Downs for trainer Ron Burke. The four-year-old son of Muscle Massive-One Class Act sharpened with a win on home soil at Harrah’s Hoosier Park on Nov. 7, improving his campaign tally to 13-for-16, and has post two with Ronnie Wrenn Jr. aboard Saturday. 

Super Chapter, leader in the divisional standings for this event and winner of seven of 10 seasonal outings, has post four for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Marcus Melander. The four-year-old Chapter Seven-Lifetime Pursuit stallion is ranked third — one spot behind On To Norway — in the Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll and won the Maple Leaf Trot, Yonkers International Trot and Dayton Trotting Derby before finishing seventh in the Breeders Crown. 

Last year’s winner and Dan Patch Trotter of the Year Lexus Kody was second in FanDuel Championship points thanks to his July win in the JL Cruze and strong efforts in the John Cashman Memorial and Dayton Trotting Derby. The Burke-trained eight-year-old Archangel-Lexus Helios gelding will start from post seven for Yannick Gingras, seeking his fourth win from 16 starts this term. 

Logan Park, shipping down from Woodbine Mohawk Park, comes off a trio of Open wins as the 2024 champion goes for his second victory in this race. Doug McNair will send the three-time O’Brien Award-winning eight-year-old son of Archangel-Rite Outa The Park, 11-for-17 this year, from post three for trainer Rob Fellows. The full field is below.

$300,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Trot (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Aetos Kronos S - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
2. On To Norway - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
3. Logan Park - Doug McNair - Rob Fellows
4. Super Chapter - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
5. French Wine - Jason Bartlett - Nancy Takter
6. Up Your Deo - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
7. Lexus Kody - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
8. Mr Mouton - Todd McCarthy - Ake Svanstedt

Twin B Joe Fresh, winner of the 2024 edition of the FanDuel Championship Open Mare Pace, enters Saturday’s $150,000 USD Grade 2 renewal searching for a fifth straight victory. The 2024 U.S. Horse of the Year captured her second Breeders Crown title last out with a 1:48.1 effort after wins in the Allerage and Dayton Distaff Derby. She has post three for driver Dexter Dunn and trainer Chris Ryder. The six-year-old daughter of Roll With Joe-Fresh Breeze, a seven-time winner from 14 starts this season, will face the Dave Menary-trained Talk Curdy To Me, who tightened with a Fillies and Mares Open score at Mohawk on Nov. 6 after finishing third to Twin B Joe Fresh in the Breeders Crown. The six-year-old daughter of Betterthancheddar-Keepers Destiny, two-for-19 this season, attempts to improve on her place finish in the 2025 edition as she departs from the rail with Jason Bartlett at the lines. The full field is below.

$150,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Mare Pace (Grade 2)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Talk Curdy To Me - Jason Bartlett - Dave Menary
2. Skywalker Sea - Austin Hanners - Todd Luther
3. Twin B Joe Fresh - Dexter Dunn - Chris Ryder
4. Champagne Room - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
5. Always B Naughty - Austin Hanners - Todd Luther
6. Louies Girl N - Jason Bartlett - Petter Engblom
7. Rocket Deo - Tim Tetrick - Brett Pelling
8. Rodeo Drive Deo - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke

The $300,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Pace (Grade 1) features Potomac Pace winner Women Layer, standings leader Prince Hal Hanover and defending dual divisional champion Ervin Hanover. Women Layer enters as arguably the sharpest horse in the race following a hard-luck third in the Breeders Crown and a 1:48 win in the Potomac Pace at Rosecroft Raceway on Nov. 8. The five-year-old Sweet Lou-Loreenas Ruffian gelding has nine wins from 21 appearances this year for trainer Virgil Morgan Jr. and will be steered by Yannick Gingras from post five. 

Prince Hal Hanover has accrued a record of six-for-20 this season with key wins in the Allerage on Oct. 10 and Charles Juravinski Memorial Cup in May, along with top-three efforts in the Canadian Pacing Derby, Dan Patch Stakes, Graduate Series final and Battle of Lake Erie. Todd McCarthy will accompany the four-year-old Dr. Ian Moore-trained son of Captaintreacherous-Percy Bluechip from post three in what is reported to be his final career start in advance of stallion duty in 2027.

Ervin Hanover, winner of the Dave Brower Memorial in 1:46.3 at The Meadowlands in July, also took the Mohawk Gold Cup and all four of his open-level contests at Mohawk this season for a six-for-12 card. The Menary-trained six-year-old son of Captaintreacherous-Eloquent Grace will be driven by Dexter Dunn from post three. The full field is below.

$300,000 USD FanDuel Championship Open Pace (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Oakwood Ardan Ir - Andrew McCarthy - Robert Cleary
2. Bythemissal - Todd McCarthy - Ron Burke
3. Prince Hal Hanover - Todd McCarthy - Dr. Ian Moore
4. Ken Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Roland Mallar
5. Women Layer - Yannick Gingras - Virgil Morgan Jr.
6. Ervin Hanover - Dexter Dunn - Dave Menary
7. Calicojack Hanover - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
8. Coaches Corner - Jason Bartlett - Petter Engblom
9. Clever Cody - Luke Ebersole - Francois Lecomte
10. Swingtown - Jason Bartlett - Ron Burke
AE1. Surreal Ideal - Jordan Stratton - Vernon Beachy
AE2. Voukefalas - Jordan Stratton - Michael Russo

Bentley Blue Chip remains at his home base of The Meadowlands for the $383,830 USD Valley Victory (Grade 1) for two-year-old male trotters after a 1:52.2 score in the Kindergarten Series final on Oct. 31. The Ake Svanstedt-trained Walner-Dunk The Donato colt has three wins in nine starts and heads into the showdown paired with Yannick Gingras from post three. Once Upon Lindy will represent Massachusetts as the son of International Moni-Origin Story arrives at the Big M off a sweep of the Massachusetts Breeders Stakes. Domenico Cecere trains the colt, a four-time winner in eight starts, who has post five and driver Gingras also listed. The full field is below.

$383,830 USD Valley Victory (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Command Center - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
2. New Hope - Joe Bongiorno - Linda Toscano
3. Bentley Blue Chip - Yannick Gingras - Ake Svanstedt
4. Gustav Vasa - Brett Beckwith - Marcus Melander
5. Once Upon Lindy - Yannick Gingras - Domenico Cecere
6. Seven Pledges - Jason Bartlett - Andrew Harris

Breeders Crown champion Birr Castle leads the 11-horse field for the $386,830 USD Goldsmith Maid (Grade 1) for rookie trotting fillies. The millionaire daughter of Captain Corey-Melania has six wins in nine outings, including the Jim Doherty Memorial and her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes final, for trainer Marcus Melander. Scott Zeron has the drive from post two. She takes on stablemate Athenas Girl (PP11, Dexter Dunn), a daughter of Walner-Fashion Athena who has three wins in nine outings. The filly won the Peaceful Way Stakes in August and was third in the Doherty and second in the Kindergarten Series final for this group. That race was won by HL Kapara (PP5, Tim Tetrick), who scored in a New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund race on Nov. 7 to improve to three-for-10. Harry Landy sends out the Chapter Seven-Sels Choice filly. 

New York standout Kountry Plunge puts her undefeated record to the test, aiming to improve to eight-for-eight for trainer Ake Svanstedt. The daughter of Chapter Seven-Plunge Blue Chip took a mark of 1:53.2 in her win in the Big Apple final at Vernon Downs on Oct. 9 and captured her New York Sire Stakes final in September. Svanstedt will oversee his trainee’s trip from the four-hole. The full field is below.

$386,830 USD Goldsmith Maid (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Climatic Hanover - Todd McCarthy - Lucas Wallin
2. Birr Castle - Scott Zeron - Marcus Melander
3. Mrs Rattigan - Scott Zeron - Tom Fanning
4. Kountry Plunge - Ake Svanstedt - Ake Svanstedt
5. HL Kapara - Tim Tetrick - Harry Landy
6. Two Day Hangover - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander
7. Nevis Peak - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
8. Matchadelite - Scott Zeron - Nancy Takter
9. Rio De Janeiro - Joe Bongiorno - Nancy Takter
10. Diana Hanover - Tim Tetrick - Nifty Norman
11. Athenas Girl - Dexter Dunn - Marcus Melander

Two-year-old pacing distaffs will meet in the $300,000 USD Three Diamonds (Grade 1). Jk Lady Liberty looks to rebound for trainer Nancy Takter after the Captain Crunch-Jk Shesalady filly finished 10th in the Breeders Crown. The Pennsylvania champion with a five-for-eight record tightened with a qualifier on Nov. 7 at The Meadowlands, finishing second by a head in 1:52.4 to Totally Tyler, who is set to compete in the Governor’s Cup. Scott Zeron has the Saturday assignment from the rail. 

Ohio champion Cleveland Darby goes from post three with Yannick Gingras aboard for Ron Burke. The daughter of Downbytheseaside-Loreenas Ruffian is six-for-11, having raced exclusively in her home state until October, when she was a close fourth in the International Stallion Stakes at The Red Mile and third in the Breeders Crown at Scioto. The group also has Kindergarten Series winner Miss Dolce (PP4, Joe Bongiorno) and Holy (PP8, Todd McCarthy), who has caught fire late in the year with wins in the Bluegrass Stakes and International Stallion Stakes. The full field is below.

$300,000 USD Three Diamonds (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Jk Lady Liberty - Scott Zeron - Nancy Takter
2. Jk Alwaysbpositive - Tim Tetrick - Brett Pelling
3. Cleveland Darby - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
4. Miss Dolce - Joe Bongiorno - Joe Holloway
5. Loyal To The End - Andrew McCarthy - Noel Daley
6. Tempting Flames - Tim Tetrick - Mike Hitchcock
7. Too Pink To Pass - Lauren Tritton - Shane Tritton
8. Holy - Todd McCarthy - Brett Pelling
9. Jk Simcha - Dexter Dunn - Nancy Takter

The $300,000 USD Governor’s Cup (Grade 1), for rookie pacing colts and geldings, features Metro Pace champion Eastie Boy coming off a 1:50.1 triumph in the Matron Stakes at Bally’s Dover on Nov. 5. The Sweet Lou-Rockin Racer colt, a competitor in the Pennsylvania program for trainer Ron Burke, scored a 1:49.2 victory in the Metro as part of his five-for-12 record. He drew post six for Saturday’s event and will be driven by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. He is joined by three fellow Burke Brigade members: Ontario champion Totally Tyler (PP1, Dexter Dunn), Matron runner-up and International Stallion and Bluegrass Stakes winner Stonebridge Blitz (PP10, Yannick Gingras) and Blue Eyed Stranger (PP11, Jason Bartlett). The full field is below.

$300,000 USD Governor's Cup (Grade 1)
Post - Horse - Listed Driver - Trainer
1. Totally Tyler - Dexter Dunn - Ron Burke
2. Wishawave - Tim Tetrick - Linda Toscano
3. Scary Terry - Joe Bongiorno - Joe Holloway
4. Hades - Tim Tetrick - Brett Pelling
5. Billy Hill - Austin Hanners - Todd Luther
6. Eastie Boy - Ronnie Wrenn Jr. - Ron Burke
7. Debonaire - Dexter Dunn - Tony Alagna
8. Seine - Joe Bongiorno - Joe Bongiorno
9. Goal Oriented - Andy Miller - Joe Holloway
10. Stonebridge Blitz - Yannick Gingras - Ron Burke
11. Blue Eyed Stranger - Jason Bartlett - Ron Burke

Post time for the 14-race card on Saturday is set for 6:20 p.m. The FanDuel Championships are programmed as Races 4-7, followed by the Fall Four stakes from Races 8-11.

(Standardbred Canada)