‘Big M’ Officials Pleased With Wagering

As the weather warms and perennials reappear, hope springs eternal, and nowhere in harness racing is that more evident than at the Mecca of the sport, the Meadowlands Racetrack.

The ‘Big M’ is closing out winter on a roll and hopes to continue that momentum with spring due to arrive this coming Wednesday (March 20).

Wagering at the mile oval exceeded $3 million for the fourth time in 2019 last Saturday (March 9), as $3,175,007 was put in play, which marked the fourth time this year that betting exceeded that magical mark. At this time a year ago, the $3-million plateau had been reached only once.

“We’ve been able to put up big handle numbers thanks to our horsemen, who have supported our entry box,” said track chief operating officer and general manager Jason Settlemoir. “Our fans like betting into big fields, which, in part, is due to the increased purses we have been able to offer thanks to the governor and legislators. Purses are due for another bump up in April, so New Jersey is a great place to race. All of us at the Meadowlands are optimistic that the best is yet to come.”

With the track’s ‘Championship Meeting’ about a month away, featuring races like the July 13 Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace and the granddaddy of them all, the August 3 Hambletonian, things are indeed blooming at the mile oval.

TWO TRACKS, PICK-4: Harness racing’s two biggest tracks are combining forces for what they hope is the sport’s next big thing, the Can-Am Pick-4. The wager consists of two races at the Meadowlands and two at Woodbine Mohawk Park. It will offer a 20-Cent minimum and a low 15 per cent takeout.

Thoroughbred racing has seen success with bets like the Stronach 5 and NYRA Cross Country, and the Meadowlands and Woodbine Entertainment hope to create some added interest in both tracks with harness racing’s version of a multi-track, multi-leg wager when the bet debuts on Friday, March 22. The CAP4 will be offered on Friday nights.

JUMP INTO THE POOL: On Saturday’s card, some notable pools included the Exacta ($98,542) and Trifecta ($72,185) in the first race, the Superfecta ($41,183) in the fourth, and, as usual the popular 50-Cent Pick-4 ($100,470), which reached six figures for a fifth straight time in the eighth.

Twice on the program, single-race wagering topped $339,000. Those races were the first (leg one of the 50-Cent Pick-5) and eighth (leg one of the Pick-4).

Fans of the 20-Cent Jackpot Super High-Five have a pair of sizable carryovers to shoot for when racing resumes Friday at 7:15 p.m. In the fifth race, $63,647 awaits, while the 14th race pot will start out at $25,576.

On the driving end of things, it was business as usual for two of the game’s greats last weekend, as Yannick Gingras had seven wins and Tim Tetrick six.

Ron Burke and Jeff Cullipher were the top trainers with three victories apiece.

GREEN WITH ENVY: On Friday (March 15), celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at the Big M by filling out the entry form in the live program (or by visiting the track level Players Club desk) and entering the track’s ‘Go Green For Greenbacks’ drawings.