If the Hambletonian Eve card is any indication, it is going to be a great Hambletonian Day at The Meadowlands.

Once again, The Meadowlands posted increases across the board. First, the total handle of $2,605,779 marked an increase of 33 per cent from the night before The Hambletonian last year. Next, the attendance showed an increase of 34 per cent. Last but not least, the live handle was up $106,518 over 2012 or 43 per cent, the largest live handle increase of the meet. All signs are pointing to a huge Hambletonian Day.

Tonight, The Meadowlands played host to the Townsend Ackerman and Duenna stakes for three-year-old trotting colts and fillies, respectively, that did not declare for the Hambo or Oaks on Saturday.

The Ackerman featured a pair of $50,000 divisions for the colts with Valley Of Sin and Exemplar both emerging as winning favourites.

Trainer John Butenschoen added the trotting hopples to Valley Of Sin for this race and the Yankee Glide colt came from far back to win in 1:55.1 for Corey Callahan. VIP Internet Stables and Harmony Oaks Racing Stable own the winner.

Exemplar is a lightly raced Andover Hall gelding who has found his form recently for trainer Per Henriksen. Now a winner in three of his last four, Exemplar equalled his career-best of 1:54.3 for John Campbell, forwardly placed throughout his first Meadowlands start. Andrea Lea Racing Stables of Lakefield Gore, Que. and Asa Farm of Norwood, Ont. share ownership.

The fillies raced for $30,000 in each division and both went faster than their male counterparts with Lady Broadway and Cupcake both being driven to 1:53.4 personal records by Ron Pierce.

Lady Broadway ground her way up to the leader in mid-stretch and rolled on by late for the win. She is a Broadway Hall filly trained by Chris Oakes for his wife Susan, Hauser Brothers Racing and Conrad Zurich.

Cupcake, by Glidemaster, rallied from just off the lead for Pierce to score. Don Swick trains her for his longtime patron, Bill Peshina's Royal Wire Products.

Two-year-old trotters competed in the Kindergarten Series, which began with big ticket yearling purchase Trixton trotting to a 1:57.3 victory. The Muscle Hill colt, now two-for-two in his career after garnering a $360,000 bid at the Lexington Select Sale, was driven by Yannick Gingras for trainer Jimmy Takter and owners Christina Takter and Brixton Medical Ab.

Takter also won Kindergarten divisions with filly Yoga (1:57.4) and colt Dave Briggs (1:58.1). Trotting miss Goddess was the fastest winner in 1:56.1 for trainer Paul Kelley while the Linda Toscano-trained filly Chocolate Crisp and colt Toss Cartwright, conditioned by Chuck Sylvester, won the other divisions in matching times of 1:58.

Tomorrow is closing day of the 2013 meet and it is one of the greatest days in harness racing. The Meadowlands Racetrack proudly presents the $1.2 million Hambletonian as the marquis event of a blockbuster 15-race program with total purses over $3.6 million. Gates open at 10 a.m. and first post is 11:50 a.m.

To view Friday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Friday Results - Meadowlands Racetrack.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)