It’s unlikely the horsemen will be headless, so be not afraid to make your way to The Meadowlands this Halloween weekend and check out some frighteningly good stakes racing, sports action and entertainment, with the Kindergarten Series on track, the Breeders Crown simulcast, the World Series and the Jets-Giants game in the FanDuel Sportsbook, plus a promotion that will leave you asking: Is this the real thing?
“With spectacular weather being forecast for this weekend, we are expecting big business at The Meadowlands, where fans of live racing, simulcast racing, sports betting or a great night of exceptional entertainment can find exactly what they are looking for," said Jason Settlemoir, Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager.
Friday night’s live Big M card features seven $20,000 leg-five divisions of the Kindergarten Series for two-year-olds of each sex and gait. The dashes are the last chance for horses to earn enough points to be eligible for the Kindergarten’s big-money finals and consolations on Saturday, Nov. 4, which have estimated total purses of $1 million.
The mile oval’s simulcast area will be howling with excitement this weekend, as the $7.2 million Breeders Crown, which takes place at Indiana’s Hoosier Park, will be watched and wagered on by Meadowlands’ patrons who are screaming to see the very best in the sport go head-to-head.
On Friday, the four two-year-old divisional finals will each have purses of $700,000. The lineup has the Filly Trot (post time, 9:28 p.m.), Colt Pace (9:55 p.m.), Filly Pace (10:21 p.m.) and Colt Trot (10:50 p.m.).
On Saturday, there will be eight championship finals, with the $400,000 Open Mare Trot (8:41 p.m.), $600,000 Three-Year-Old Filly Trot (9:02 p.m.), $600,000 Three-Year-Old Filly Pace (9:28 p.m.), $672,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Trot (9:55 p.m.), $400,000 Open Mare Pace (10:21 p.m.), $600,000 Three-Year-Old Colt Pace (10:50 p.m.), $600,000 Open Trot (11:14 p.m.) and $600,000 Open Pace (11:36 p.m.) to be contested.
If you can’t get out of the house when the finals take place, Fox Sports 2 (FS2) will present a live broadcast from 9-11 p.m. on Oct. 27 and 9 p.m.-midnight on Oct. 28. Eleven of the 12 Crown events will be shown live. Meadowlands TV’s Jessica Otten and the Red Mile’s Gabe Prewitt will provide the commentary.
Like to mix in a little sports action while betting the horses? The Meadowlands has you covered.
Inside the grandstand at the track is the FanDuel Sportsbook, where patrons can bet on the first game of the World Series, which will take place on Friday when the American League Champion Texas Rangers host the National League pennant-winning Arizona Diamondbacks at 8 p.m.
The Meadowlands is the place to be if you like to play the ponies or bet on sports, but it is also a destination for a great night of entertainment.
On Saturday, take a cruise down the “River of Dreams,” the Billy Joel/American Elton seven-piece tribute show. The evening will provide an exciting and engaging live musical tour through the piano legends’ greatest hits and more. And just in time for Halloween, the show is a true tribute in both sound and appearance. It will be hard to tell them apart from the real thing. Admission to the event is just $35.
On Sunday, get ready for the Jets-Giants game by getting up early and heading to The Meadowlands for ESPN New York’s “The Battle for New York” New York Game Day live remote from 7-11 a.m. Amani Toomer, Anita Marks and Mike Tannenbaum will be onsite hosting in the second-floor Lounge near the windows with ESPN sponsor Wendy’s on hand doling out treats in the form of swag in both the Clubhouse Lobby and Lounge.
The Meadowlands will race every Friday and Saturday through the end of the year, with two exceptions. There will be no live racing on Friday, Nov. 24, while there will be live action on Thursday, Dec. 7. Post time for every program is 6:20 p.m.
Every live racing night, tune in at 5:45 p.m. for the track’s live simulcast “Racing from The Meadowlands” pre-game show, with 30 minutes of harness news, analysis and staff selections to get you ready for the night. This weekend, with Otten at the Breeders Crown, Peter Kleinhans (Friday) and Mike Bozich (Saturday) will sit alongside host Dave Little on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set.
Free past performances for every race of every Meadowlands card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com.
But wait, there's more. In November, The Big M stakes schedule hits the gas pedal.
The pistons start pumping on Saturday, Nov. 4 when an estimated $1 million will be up for grabs in the Kindergarten finals and consolations.
Next up, on Saturday, Nov. 11, a total of $240,000 (est.) will be offered on the NJ Home Grown and NJ Garden State.
After eliminations (if necessary) are contested on Saturday, Nov. 18, the “Fall Final Four” and FanDuel Championships will make up a can’t-miss, date-circling-worthy night of competition on Saturday, Nov. 25 when an estimated $2.65 million comprise what is the third-biggest night of the Big M calendar year after Hambletonian Day and Meadowlands Pace Night.
The Fall Final Four is made up of the Governor’s Cup (two-year-old colt and gelding pace), Three Diamonds (two-year-old filly pace), Valley Victory (two-year-old colt and gelding trot) and Goldsmith Maid (two-year-old filly trot). The FanDuel four-pack is comprised of the Open Pace, Open Trot, Open Mare Pace and Open Mare Trot. All eight events figure to have great impact when ballots are cast at year’s end for both divisional honours and Horse of the Year.
Thoroughbred fans love coming to The Big M and watching and wagering on the Triple Crown races, and fans of the “runners” can come on out and catch the year-end industry spectacle in the simulcast area when the 40th edition of the Breeders’ Cup takes place at California’s picturesque Santa Anita Park. There will be five events on Friday, Nov. 3, and nine more on Saturday, Nov. 4. If you’d like to catch all of the action of the Breeders’ Cup in the simulcast areas, great, but if you’d like to have an exceptional dining experience as you watch and wager, check out the special Southern-themed buffet that will be offered.
Call 201-THE-BIGM for reservations. Dining begins at 4:30 p.m. with salads and appetizers before main dishes and sides are offered at 5:30 p.m.
It’s time once again for one of the most popular promotions The Meadowlands offers, as on Saturday, Nov. 4, all chili and salsa chefs who think they have the right stuff can enter the track’s “Chili and Salsa Cook-Off.” So, you’re not a chef? No problem. Free samples will be given for the People’s Choice vote following the 8 p.m. turn-in. The event takes place in the Food Court and outdoor East Apron.
(With files from The Meadowlands)