Various sports professionals will make special appearances at Meadowlands Racetrack this weekend.
She’s a harness racing trainer of stakes-caliber trotters and a business woman with her own apparel line, but that’s not enough for Annie Stoebe, who will add “television co-host” to her resume this weekend, when she sits alongside Dave Little on the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set and offers her insights, opinions and selections on The Meadowlands’ live simulcast show this Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29.
The broadcast begins nightly at 5:45 p.m. when there is live racing. Post time for the first race is 6:20 p.m.
Stoebe said she touched base with Meadowlands Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gural as well as Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir, both of whom liked the idea of her doing the show.
“It was a little bit of them and [Big M winner’s circle host] Gary [DiLeo] pitched in and we just kind of all talked about it and it just snowballed from there,” said Stoebe. “[Co-hosting] is different, but I’m always up for trying something new and I figured, why not, this is a great opportunity.”
“We are in the midst of having a different co-host every week as compared to the past, when we had two people on set doing a majority of the shows,” said Settlemoir. “This format allows people from different walks of the industry to be on our show and share their perspectives.
“Journalists are great and they are the backbone of who we use to do the show with Dave, but to get the opinions of a trainer like Annie is something we feel is something our fan base might find interesting, because we certainly do.”
Stoebe, whose two stable stars are Diabolic Hill and Elista Hanover, doesn’t appear too intimidated by the fact that a majority of the gig calls for handicapping the races.
“I’ll make some extra money,” said Stoebe with a laugh. “I’ll do my studying.”
In addition to training Standardbreds, Stoebe also has a line of apparel that she’s hawking that includes tank tops, t-shirts and baseball caps.
“There are links on all of my social media,” said Stoebe. “There is also a Shopify store, which is where all of those links will take you.”
Diabolic Hill was one of the top two-year-old male trotters of 2025, winning half of his 10 starts and banking just over $700,000. On Nov. 15, in his last start of the season, the son of Muscle Hill-Crysti Dream won the Valley Victory Stakes at The Big M, getting some revenge on Breeders Crown champion Spencer Hanover, who defeated ‘Diabolic’ in the Crown at Woodbine Mohawk Park.
Does the trainer have Hambletonian dreams?
“I had dreams from the second I saw him in the paddock,” said Stoebe. “But after the Valley Victory, we are definitely looking forward to next year.”
Diabolic Hill, Elista Hanover, an apparel line and handicapping and commenting on two racing programs... all of these things will be discussed at length this weekend. And Stoebe is ready for the challenge.
“I was asked and jumped on the opportunity,” said Stoebe. “I can’t wait to co-host.”
On Friday, Peter Grandich and Company will return to Meadowlands Racetrack for the annual “Turkey Trot.”
Peter Grandich, a New Jersey horse owner and businessman, previously held the event at Freehold Raceway.
This year’s “Turkey Trot” has been scheduled as the fifth race and Grandich will present a blanket to the winning connections.
Former New York Giants linebacker Jessie Armstead will also be in attendance on Friday night, thanks to Grandich’s generosity. Armstead played 11 seasons in the National Football League and was a three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro-Bowl selection. He is also a member of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame, helping the Hurricanes win four national championships.
Armstead will sign autographs and meet fans from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Clubhouse before doing a TV interview and co-presenting the race five “Turkey Trot.”
Meadowlands Racetrack will also kicks off its annual Toys for Tots collection drive partnership with retired New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa on Friday. All are welcome to donate new, unwrapped toys through Friday, Dec. 12.
The United States Marines Toys for Tots and Quincy Enunwa will personally deliver the collected toys on Tuesday, Dec. 16 at noon to children at SBH Health System — a Safety Net Hospital in the Bronx, New York City.
There will be a change in the live racing schedule at The Meadowlands this week as there will be no racing on the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.
Since the start of November, racing has taken place on a three-day-a-week basis (Thursday, Friday and Saturday). There is one other exception to the schedule for the remainder of 2025 with no Thursday racing on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
While there is no live racing at The Big M on Thursday, there will be simulcasting offered until the conclusion of the program at the Fair Grounds. Doors open at 11 a.m.
(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack; photo of trainer Annie Stoebe during a Nov. 22 appearance with host Dave Little on the Meadowlands simulcast show)