There will be a typical January chill in the air this weekend, but weather figures to be no problem for the Meadowlands Racetrack’s Friday and Saturday (Jan. 25-26) programs.
Post time for each of the cards will be at 7:15 p.m.
The Big M’s signature wager – the 50-Cent Pick 4 – figures to take plenty of action both nights. The wager has a low 15 per cent takeout and sports a guaranteed $50,000 pool. Free program pages are available at ustrotting.com and playmeadowlands.com.
Fans of the Early 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five will have a $29,081 carryover to shoot for in Friday’s fifth race.
MILLERS SWEEP FEATURES: The father-son, trainer-driver team of Erv and Marcus Miller won both featured events – the Preferred Handicaps for trotters and pacers – and horsemen and track regulars otherwise made it through a rough Saturday night of inclement weather unscathed over the course of an eventful two days (Jan. 18-19) last weekend at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
Trolley defeated arch-rival Muscle Diamond in 1:53.1 in the featured trot on Friday, winning the event for a third time in four tries before the Millers completed their ‘Weekend Double’ Saturday with Geez Joe, who held off nemesis K Ryan Bluechip by a nose in 1:50.2 in the marquee pacing event.
Saturday’s weather forecasts saw tracks opt to cancel their live action, but Meadowlands management – armed with a more favourable forecast that morning – hosted the track’s 14-race card. There were 21 scratches on the program, but wagering remained strong at over $2.3 million, and the ‘Big M’ saw over $5 million pushed through the windows over the course of the two-card race week.
“We are extremely appreciative of what our horsemen, staff and fans had to do to make Saturday night’s card a success,” said track chief operating officer and general manager Jason Settlemoir, “and we were so pleased that the weather did not turn out to be as bad as what was forecast earlier in the week.”
TACO TUESDAY? NO. TACO FRIDAY? YES!: On Friday (Jan. 25), the Big M’s ‘Pink’ restaurant will host a fiesta in the form of a buffet that will include all Mexican favourites. The cost is $29.95. To make reservations, call 201-THE-BIGM.
CALLING ALL CHILI COOKS: The Meadowlands’ fourth-annual home-style chili and salsa cookoff will take places this Saturday (Jan. 26). Contestants will be shooting for a first prize of $1,000 and a spot in the International Chili Society’s World Championship in Reno, Nevada.
There is a $500 prize for the second-place finisher and $250 for third.
For those who would like to participate, head to chilicookoff.com/register.
There is also a separate side contest for homemade salsa that carries a $500 first prize.
For complete details, head to playmeadowlands.com/event_detail.aspx?id=13416.
SUPER SIMULCAST: A pair of huge events from Gulfstream Park will headline the Big M’s Saturday (Jan. 26) simulcast menu.
The $7,000,000 Pegasus World Cup Turf is has been carded as Race 11 and has a post time of 4:51 p.m. The Bill-Mott trained Yoshida is the 5-2 morning line favourite with jockey Jose Ortiz.
The Pegasus World Cup sports a $9,000,000 purse and has been carded as Race 12 at 5:36 p.m. Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Accelerate will start at 9-5 for trainer John Stadler and jockey Joel Rosario.
RAMS-PATRIOTS COUNTDOWN: Football’s biggest game, which will pit the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots, takes place on Sunday, Feb. 3, at 6:30 p.m.
Get your action not only on the point spread and under/over, but also try your luck on a wall full of prop bets at the Big M’s FanDuel Sports Book, where you can watch the game live.
(With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack)