Fresh off a second consecutive $3-million Saturday, wagering at The Meadowlands is starting to gain momentum, just in time for this Friday’s (Nov. 17) program, which will offer not one, but two carryovers certain to tempt and titillate punters with all-sized bankrolls. Post time for the first race is 6:20 p.m.
“The small base bet that these wagers have create an environment where players – whether they are small bettors or someone who bets thousands on a card – all have a shot at making a big score,” said Jason Settlemoir, Meadowlands' Chief Operating Officer and General Manager.
The first carryover that patrons will be shooting for will be in the fourth race when $3,432 will be the starting point in the 20-cent Pick-8. Four races later are when the fireworks figure to explode, when $18,334 will be the starting point for the 20-cent Pick-6.
Settlemoir said the mathematics show why these types of circumstances are extremely appealing to players. Take the Pick-6, for example. In the event there is $100,000 in “new money” wagered on Friday, $15,000 would go back to the track in the form of the low 15 per cent takeout, leaving $85,000. Then, when the $18,334 carryover is added – that money is not subject to the takeout – the pool would be in excess of $103,000, meaning players would be participating in a wager with what he describes as a “negative takeout,” which, simply put, means the total paid to winning tickets will be more than what is wagered.
“Carryovers are what many of our players look forward to,” said Settlemoir. “They appreciate the chance to go for a windfall and we appreciate them for the support they give us at the windows. Our horsemen provide enough horses to create the big fields that players crave and our racing office does a great job of putting together ultra-competitive programs.”
Last weekend backs that up. Over the course of the 28 races conducted on Nov. 10-11, only six favourites visited the winner’s circle (21 per cent). There were nine races where the favourite was odds-on (less than even-money). Four of those were winners (44 per cent), leaving just two winning favourites over the other 19 dashes (10.5 per cent).
After what figures to be a fabulous Friday at the windows, Meadowlands’ management will be hoping for more 24 hours later, on what they hope will be a third straight Saturday to see betting better the $3-million barrier.
The card has much appeal.
Of the 14 races, six are eliminations for the Fall Four stakes for two-year-olds: two for the Goldsmith Maid (filly trot), two for the Governor’s Cup (colt and gelding pace) and one each for the Three Diamonds (filly pace) and Valley Victory (colt and gelding trot).
Those eliminations will finalize which horses get behind the gate for those four finals that will be joined by the four FanDuel Championship events on what will be one of the biggest nights of the harness racing calendar year on Saturday, Nov. 25, when The Big M’s stakes season closes out with a big bang. In total, the eight races that night will go for estimated purses of $2.5 million.
One of the one-mile contests will be of extra special interest to harness fans when the fastest three-year-old in history will presumably take on the top two four-year-olds in training in the FanDuel Pace.
Confederate, the Meadowlands Pace champion whose 1:46.1 clocking at the Red Mile made him the fastest sophomore pacer ever could take on Breeders Crown winner Bythemissal (a winner of four straight) and Tattoo Artist (a winner of seven straight until Bythemissal beat him in the Crown).
Confederate seeks to become the first three-year-old pacer to ever win the FanDuel Pace.
In addition to the four Fall Four events and the FanDuel Pace, are the FanDuel Trot, FanDuel Mare Pace and FanDuel Mare Trot.
Free past performances for every race of every Meadowlands card are available by going to playmeadowlands.com. 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 and there will be live action on Thursday, Dec. 7. Post time for every program is 6:20 p.m.
Longtime New York Daily News football columnist Gary Myers will be at The Meadowlands on Sunday, Nov. 19 signing copies of his book in the second floor Gallery from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Myers, the author of “Once a Giant: A Story of Victory, Tragedy and Life After Football” will be in the house signing books and talking football. Fans can ask questions, get autographs and purchase the book. There will also be drawings for Giants swag. Joining Myers will be Lee Rouson, Leonard Marshall, Sean Landeta and Ottis Anderson, all of whom won Super Bowl titles as members of the Giants.
(With files from the Meadowlands)