The Meadowlands’ biggest stakes races of 2024 will again be televised live on the networks of FOX Sports thanks to a partnership with the television department at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) as part of its “America’s Day at the Races” broadcasts.
“Working with a first-class TV team like the one at the NYRA has been something beneficial to The Meadowlands and all of harness racing,” said Jason Settlemoir, Meadowlands’ Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. “We feel that showing our biggest races to a national audience is something we are convinced is making Thoroughbred fans into harness fans, and that’s something that’s good for both industries.”
There will be nine shows from The Meadowlands during the course of the year and only two of them (as of now) will include coverage of Thoroughbred racing (Aug. 3 and Oct. 18). Jessica Otten of Big M TV and Gabe Prewitt of the Red Mile will be back as the on-camera talent onsite, joining NYRA's Acacia Clement and Paul Verderosa, who will be in the studio. Additional broadcasts from harness venues other than The Meadowlands will be added in the coming weeks.
Here is the tentative schedule for The Big M broadcasts with the marquee event that will be shown. Where not listed, specific networks – Fox, FS1 or FS2 – will be determined:
- May 18: Cutler, 9-11 p.m. (FS2)
- July 6: Graduate finals/Meadowlands Pace eliminations, 8-11 p.m. (FS2)
- July 13: Meadowlands Pace final, 8-11 p.m. (TBD)
- Aug. 3: Hambletonian, 1-7 p.m. (TBD)
- Oct. 18: Breeders Crown eliminations, 1-6 p.m. (TBD)
- Oct. 19: Breeders Crown eliminations, 8-11 p.m. (TBD)
- Oct. 25: Breeders Crown finals, 8-11 p.m. (TBD)
- Oct. 26: Breeders Crown finals, 8-11 p.m. (TBD)
- Nov. 30: Fall Final Four, 8-11 p.m. (TBD)
“As America’s Day at the Races continues to grow and evolve, FOX Sports and NYRA are thrilled to continue our partnership with The Meadowlands in 2024,” said Eric Donovan, NYRA Sr. Director of TV Broadcast Operations. “Jeff Gural and Jason Settlemoir have been instrumental in recognizing the importance of live national television coverage for harness racing and we look forward to presenting marquee events from The Meadowlands, including the 2024 Breeders Crown.”
NYRA and FOX Sports were honoured by the United States Harness Writers Association (USHWA) with the President’s Award as well as the Sam McKee Award for excellence in broadcasting. Both awards recognized overall commitment to the sport of harness racing in 2023, when "America’s Day at the Races" aired more than 70 hours of live coverage and analysis, including the Breeders Crown and Hambletonian.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)