The kickoff of the Championship Meet, the Kentucky Derby simulcast and a chance to win a piece of a champion pacer add up to an unbeatable weekend at the Meadowlands Racetrack.
It starts Friday, long before first post at 7:15 p.m. with advance Derby wagering throughout the afternoon.
The night kicks off with a driver autograph session from 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. while the 'Winners at the Wedge' hosted by Gary DiLeo gets underway at 6:30 p.m. with a DJ and an opportunity to meet and greet a driver.
It doesn’t stop there.
There will be a 60-second wagering spree in which four lucky fans place as many $2 exacta bets as they can in a minute. World Free Poker will be underway on the Clubhouse level.
On the track, the first of 28 programs in the Championship Meet sees the return of Somwherovrarainbow, the Dan Patch Award winner last season as the leading two-year-old pacing filly, in the $38,415 John Simpson Memorial.
Saturday is Derby Day and there is no better spot than the Big M to watch and wager on the Run for the Roses.
All paid admissions starting at 9:30 a.m. receive a free 'I survived Derby Day' t-shirt and an entry in the Captaintreacherous Drawing.
In keeping with the Derby tradition of fancy headwear, the Meadowlands will offer a $500 Grand Prize Hat Contest. Signup at the Promotions Table ends at 4:45 p.m. and the judging starts 15 minutes later. Ladies can purchase a hat from Kathy Jeanne’s display table on the Paddock Level.
Entries for the Captaintreacherous Grand Prize Drawing close at 8:00 p.m. The drawing, held after the 10th race, works in reverse order. Names 1 through 17 receive a $100 betting voucher. The 18th name gets a $150 voucher while the 19th selection wins a $250 voucher.
The 20th and final name hits the jackpot: a 1 per cent share of the future earnings of Captaintreacherous, the sensation of last season at two when he won of 8-of-10 starts, including the Big M’s Woodrow Wilson Pace. His career bankroll already stands at $918,253.
He was honoured as harness racing’s Pacer of the Year and will soon be launching his sophomore season.
The winner will share in all future purse money and is not responsible for any expenses.
The Saturday night racing program features a standout field of four-year-old trotters in the $100,000 Meadowlands Maturity.
The Championship Meet runs through August 3 as the Meadowlands features many of the richest and most prestigious stakes in the sport. The Big M serves up the action on Friday and Saturday nights starting with the exception of an afternoon card on Hambletonian Day, the final program of the meet.
(Meadowlands Racetrack)