For fans craving action, The Meadowlands is where it’s at this four-day weekend (March 28-31) with live racing featuring big fields, a pair of big-time Kentucky Derby preps, the NCAA Men’s College Basketball “Sweet 16” and Opening Day for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- March 28, 2024 -- For fans craving action, The Meadowlands is where it’s at this four-day weekend (March 28-31) with live racing featuring big fields, a pair of big-time Kentucky Derby preps, the NCAA Men’s College Basketball “Sweet 16” and Opening Day for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets.
The No. 1 harness track in the world will offer live racing on Friday and Saturday night. Each card has 14 races and will begin at 6:20 p.m.
The Big M is coming off another $3-million Saturday night, as nearly $3.2 million was pushed through the windows. During 2024, there have been 19 programs when betting has bettered the $3-million barrier from just 23 race dates.
Players can, as usual, rest assured they are putting their money into by far the biggest pools in harness racing as full fields will once again be the rule, as average field size over the 28-race race week is an impressive 9.4.
DERBY PREPS: As the day draws closer to the Kentucky Derby, there are a pair of prep races taking place this Saturday (March 30) that Meadowlands’ patrons can watch and wager on in the track’s expansive simulcast area.
The Florida Derby (at Gulfstream Park) and Arkansas Derby (Oaklawn Park) will be in the spotlight as 3-year-olds try to earn berths in the “Run for the Roses”, which, this year, has a record purse of $5 million. The 150th edition of The Kentucky Derby takes place at historic Churchill Downs on May 4.
The Florida Derby has a post time of 6:42 p.m. and is the 14th and final race on a program that gets underway at 11:30 a.m.
The Arkansas Derby will get in the gate at 7:47 p.m. and is race 12 on a 13-race card that kicks off at 1:05 p.m.
Next week, on Saturday, April 6, the last three major Derby Preps will take place as the Wood Memorial (Aqueduct), Santa Anita Derby (Santa Anita) and Bluegrass (Keeneland) will take center stage.
SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: The stars will be out on the live card Saturday at The Big M, starting with a 15-year-old wonder horse.
Mariner Seelster, permitted to race only because horses beyond the age of 14 are eligible to perform in fair or amateur dashes in New Jersey, will go for his fifth consecutive victory in the opener, a Meadowlands Amateur Driving Club 2 event on the pace.
Before the races begin, 2023 Dan Patch Amateur Driver of the Year John Calabrese will be Dave Little’s guest on the track’s pregame show “In the Sulky” segment, which begins shortly after the broadcast begins at 5:45 p.m.
During the card, Andy McCarthy is sure to have plenty of punters interested in how he’s doing.
His dominance on Saturdays has been scintillating all year long.
McCarthy guided four winners last Saturday (March 23) at the mile oval, including the feature, with Betterinpinehurst.
There have been 11 Saturday race cards conducted during 2024 at The Meadowlands, and McCarthy has at least one win on each one. He’s won at least three dashes seven times, at least four on three occasions and became just the second driver this year at The Big M to win five times, which he accomplished on Feb. 24.
CHECK OUT THE SHOW: The Big M’s live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show takes place before every live race card from the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set.
The broadcast begins at 5:45 p.m. on both Friday and Saturday, before racing kicks off at 6:20 p.m.
This weekend, Little will be hosting both shows. On Friday, joining The Big M TV veteran on the set will be John Rallis before Anthony Stabile sits in the chair on Saturday.
HANDICAPPING CONTEST POSTPONED: Due to the heavy rainstorm that hit the metropolitan area last Saturday, the live money handicapping contest at The Meadowlands was postponed and will now be held on Saturday, April 6.
There is no entry fee for players and the prize pool is a guaranteed $5,000, which will be fully funded by The Big M. The night of the contest, players must register/check-in at the Clubhouse Lobby by 6:20 p.m., and a $100 betting card – cash only – must be purchased to participate, as this is a live money/wagering contest. Entry includes a program.
The contest format:
· Contestants must bet a minimum of 10 Meadowlands races
· $10 minimum bet per race; no maximum bet
· Win, Place, Show and/or Exacta wagers only
· One horse per race
· Unlimited entries allowed per person
· Players keep all pari-mutuel winnings
Prize board:
· 1st: $2,000
· 2nd: $1,250
· 3rd: $1,000
· 4th: $500
· 5th: $250
For complete contest rules and regulations, go here
HOOPS DU JOUR: There once were 68, but now, the number of teams remaining in the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament is a “Sweet 16”, and fans of college hoops who are fans of betting on college hoops, can come to the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is located inside the grandstand at The Big M, to watch and wager on every slam dunk, fast-break basket and blocked shot.
There will be four games on both Thursday (March 28) and Friday (March 29). When those games have concluded, the “Elite Eight” will have two games on both Saturday (March 30) and Sunday (March 31).
All four No. 1 seeds are still alive to win the title. On Thursday, the UConn Huskies (-11½, under/over 137½), in search of a second consecutive national title, take on San Diego State at 7:39 p.m. before North Carolina (-4½, 173½) faces Alabama at 9:39 p.m.
On Friday, Purdue (-5½, 154½) matches up with Gonzaga at 7:39 p.m. before Houston (-4½, 133½) faces Duke at 9:39 p.m.
The “Final Four” games take place on April 6 with the championship scheduled for April 8.
HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES: Saturday, April 6, is another day with plenty going on at The Big M.
In addition to great racing, the Final Four and the last of the major Kentucky Derby major preps, Peter Grandich will be at the track that night sponsoring another “Hockey Night at The Meadowlands”.
Two-Time Stanley Cup Champion – one of those with the New Jersey Devils – Grant Marshall, Philadelphia Flyers fan favorite Chris Therien and New York Rangers great Ron Greschner will be there meeting fans, signing autographs and taking photos.
They will be in the Clubhouse Lobby from 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. For those seeking autographs, there is a two-item limit per person.
DRIVE OF THE WEEK: On Friday night, Dave Miller was named the second recipient of the track’s weekly “Drive of the Week” award for his handling of Buddy Earl, who won on Saturday, March 16, after superbly timed piloting from the 2023 Dan Patch Driver of the Year.
Want to get involved?
Each Monday, following the weekend of racing, The Meadowlands will post a poll on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) asking fans to vote for their favorite drive of the past weekend. The poll will run for 24 hours, allowing one vote per X handle.
Meadowlands TV and management will select at least two outstanding drives from the weekend to include in the poll. Fans can suggest a drive to be included in the poll via X. If that drive is included in the poll, the fan will receive a $25 betting voucher valid at The Meadowlands (for those 18+, random drawing used if multiple fans suggest the same drive).
The winning drive will be announced every Tuesday afternoon and the winning driver will receive a $500 donation to the charity of their choice, courtesy of Jeff Gural and the Meadowlands.
ONE WEEK TO SURVIVE: Yes, spring is here, but the track’s Winter Meet Survival Challenge, powered by 123Racing, still has one week to go, and when the contest concludes, cash prizes and Meadowlands swag will go to those at or near the top of the leaderboard in the free online competition.
TrackMaster is providing Platinum Past Performances for each night of the contest. The game covers the Winter Meet and concludes on Saturday, March 30.
The contest began Jan. 5 with 2,327 participants, and thus far, almost 2,100 of those have been eliminated, leaving 228 in the hunt for the top prize.
Currently, the top three in the standings are OnTheEngine ($529.40), Berto ($525.80) and Racetrack Ruler ($509.80).
There is also a prize for who picks the most winners. There is a tie atop the leaderboard as both sperry and Loislitt have 29. There is a three-way for second, as LuckyLarry, joejets and realThomasKearney each have 28.
The winner will be determined by the highest total bankroll at the end of the Challenge based on a $2 across-the-board wager on selections for three designated races on each program.
The prize board:
· The grand prize is $750 plus a Meadowlands swag package
· The second-place prize is $500 plus a Meadowlands swag package
· The third-place prize is $250 plus a Meadowlands swag package
· Most Winners: $200 plus a Meadowlands swag package
· Highest monthly bankroll: $100 (one winner in each month)
FREE PROGRAMS EVERY NIGHT: Past performances for every race of every Meadowlands card are available free of charge. All one has to do is go to playmeadowlands.com to access the information.
“X” MARKS THE SPOT: Everything Meadowlands is available by going on X (formerly known as Twitter). You can check in with the Big M team for early changes, racing information and staff selections by going to @themeadowlands or #playbigm.
Stay in touch with The Big M team of Jessica Otten (@JessicaOtten1), Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Ken Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).
THE GREAT EIGHT: The Meadowlands provides eight opportunities for the player to make a score trying their luck betting in pools with a low 15 percent takeout. The lineup of The Big M’s “Great Eight” is as follows (all wagers – with the exception of the Pick-7 – are carryover eligible):
· Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5
· Race 2: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7
· Race 4: 20-cent Pick-8
· Race 6: 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guarantee)
· Race 7: 20-cent High-5
· Race 8: 20-cent Pick-6
· Race 10: 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guarantee)
· Race 11: 20-cent High-5
WITHERITE’S RACE REVIEWS: Race reviews and selections by The Meadowlands’ morning-line odds maker and program analyst James Witherite are available 48 hours before a given race card. To access, simply go to playmeadowlands.com, go to the “handicapping” tab, then click “race reviews”.
THE WAIT IS OVER: There are two words that baseball fans might like even more than “Play Ball!”. How about “Opening Day”?
The New York Yankees kick off their season on Thursday (March 28) when they take on their arch rivals, the Houston Astros, in a 4:11 p.m. game. The Astros are -152 to come away with the victory in the game that has an under/over of 8½ runs.
The New York Mets-Milwaukee Brewers game was originally scheduled for Thursday, but due to gloomy weather, that game will now take place on Friday (March 29). The oddsmakers can’t decide on a favorite in the game as both teams are -108. The under/over is 7½.
Whatever the sport, for the latest odds, go here
The FanDuel Sportsbook is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-1 a.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-1 a.m.; and Sunday 8 a.m.-midnight. For cash-at-counter customers, the hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m.-11 p.m.
