With so much focus on Sunday's Mother's Day 12:40 p.m. matinee card, let this serve as a reminder that the Meadowlands Racetrack will not have live racing on Friday, May 6. This week's racing will be confined to Saturday, May 7 at 7:15 p.m. along with the above mentioned Sunday afternoon races.
The higher class pacing races have been carded for Sunday resulting in Saturday's offering being largely youth-centric, featuring a $20,000 short series final and a pair of overnight divisions, all for NW 2 pacers.
The final (Race 6) of the quick turnaround two-week series for young pacers logically showcases several fashionably-bred three-year-olds that didn't get much done as freshmen.
Chief among these is Western Fame, a Brittany Farms homebred who made three starts late in the year at age two with little to show for it. The Western Ideal colt did enough, however, to hold the interest of trainer Jimmy Takter and is now paying dividends with two wins and a second in his three seasonal outings. He flashed speed and talent in easy 1:53 win last week for driver Jimmy Marohn, Jr. who has the assignment back this week from Post 2.
The big deal Saturday is of course the 142nd running of the Kentucky Derby. If you can't attend the race live, being at the Meadowlands is the next best thing. Joined by a grandstand full of fans, you'll be able to place your bets then watch all of the action on the giant screens TVs in Victory Sports Bar or outside on the Jumbotron.
There are a number of Derby related promotions on Saturday, including a wagering contest, a hat contest, a Derby themed buffet in Victory Sports Bar (trackside dining room Pink opens early at 5:00 p.m.), the opening of Victory Rooftop Terrace (weather permitting) and you may enter to win a trip to the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico. Saturday also marks the return of the popular Horse Play promotion.
Meadowlands gates will open at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and Churchill Downs gets underway with the first race at 10:30. The Kentucky Derby has an estimated post time of 6:34 p.m.
It's all happening at the Meadowlands on racing's biggest day.
Wagering Update
With the change to the regular Meadowlands schedule by racing on Sunday afternoon, the regular guarantees in the Pick-5 and two Pick-4 wagers will not be in place. The jackpot amounts in the Super High Five wagers will remain.
(Meadowlands)