The penultimate weekend of racing at the Meadowlands for the 2015 Championship Meet will end with a baker's dozen of high quality, competitive races. Many of this Saturday's races have strong implications toward next week's Hambletonian Day card.
The Hambletonian Oaks eliminations are featured as the sixth and seventh races with two balanced fields of eight sophomore filly trotters vying for the ten berths available in next Saturday's $500,000 final.
There is a pair of $50,000 TVG Opens, one for each gait. Both are competitive and important races. Many of those horses will compete next Saturday in high-dollar stakes finals (the $301,500 John Cashman Memorial for trotters and $215,400 US Pacing Championship for the pacers) so they're looking for a good prep as well as boosting their point totals toward November's TVG finals.
There's also a solid Open Mare Pace with many of those set to return for the $251,250 Lady Liberty final next week.
The wagering choices are highlighted by guaranteed pools in several horizontal wagers, the Jackpot Hi-5 at just shy of $220,000 and the no Jackpot Hi-5 at the industry low 8 per cent take-out which has been well received by horseplayers thus far.
With Triple Crown winning Thoroughbred American Pharoah racing before a capacity crowd at Monmouth Park on Sunday, August 2, the Meadowlands offers a chance to ‘Bet the Haskell without the Hassle’ and join us in the comfort of the new grandstand. All amenities will be made available to the fans and horseplayers.
The Championship Meet comes to a close with Hambletonian Day next Saturday, August 8 at the Meadowlands.
(Meadowlands)