Live racing will return to the Meadowlands Racetrack on Thursday evening (December 22) and will bring with it a $25,874.24 carryover which will buoy the Pick-5 sequence that spans the first five races of the program.

It is not unrealistic to expect the total Pick-5 pool to exceed six figures with new play added. Get the jump on handicapping the carryover with free program pages courtesy of The Meadowlands and Trackmaster.

The Meadowlands entry box was overflowing for the Thursday and Friday card with 500 entries, which has afforded racing secretary Pete Koch and his staff the chance to put together a deep and competitive 12-race puzzler.

New shooters 22-year-old Drew Monti (just in from Batavia Downs) and 23-year-old Tyler Smith (a top Hoosier Park driver) will join a very young and hungry driving colony that features east coast-based gunslingers like Marcus Miller, Joe Bongiorno and Vinny Ginsburg.

Brett Miller tied an all-time Meadowlands record last Friday, as he won eight races on a single card of racing. He will join John Campbell, Andy Miller, Steve Smith and Jimmy Marohn Jr. representing the established core.

Speaking of drivers, the opener and first leg of the aforementioned Pick 5 is the GSY Amateur Series Winter Final, where 10 of the best in the division will face off for a $12,500 purse. Hannah Miller's star has shone brightly in amateur completion over the past few seasons, and she has a live mount in the dash in Mark Ford's Dream Rocker.

Looking ahead, now's the time to make those dinner reservations for the gala New Year's Eve celebration in the track's tiered dining room Pink featuring a special buffet and fireworks after the races.

Racing again is confined to Thursday and Friday this week, with Saturday Christmas Eve. Next week there will be three live racing days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).

First-race post time is 7:15 p.m.

(Meadowlands Racetrack)