BIG M TO HOST, FOX TO TELEVISE, FINAL BIG CARD OF 2025

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- November 13, 2025 -- The final big night of stakes action on harness racing’s 2025 calendar – Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night – takes place Saturday (Nov. 15) night at the sport’s No. 1 venue, The Meadowlands. In addition, the TV team at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) will combine forces with FOX Sports to bring those races to a national television audience on FOX Sports 2 (FS2), with a three-hour presentation that gets underway at 8 p.m.

“Everything is in alignment for another huge night of stakes racing at The Big M,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “The Fall Final Four and FanDuel Championships will showcase some of the biggest names in the sport while putting on display some of the best rivalries the game offers. The cherry on top is that all of this action will be shown live coast-to-coast on FOX, who have proven to be a tremendous partner as we continue to grow our audience.”

“Saturday night’s terrific card of racing at The Meadowlands concludes FOX Sports’ coverage of harness racing for the season,” said Sr. Director of TV Broadcast Operations for NYRA Eric Donovan. “With so many Breeders Crown champions returning for a final start in 2025, we couldn’t think of a better way to cap the year. We thank all of our Standardbred partners and look forward to more great racing in 2026 at The Meadowlands and beyond.”

Saturday’s presentation will be anchored at NYRA’s studio at Aqueduct Racetrack by Chris Griffin and Paul Verderosa with the tandem of Jessica Otten and Gabe Prewitt on-site providing commentary, selections and interviews.

Here is a rundown of the eight races, which have purses totaling $2.6 million:

·         Race 3 – $175,000 FanDuel Open Mare Trot: Breeders Crown winner Warrawee Michelle, Hambletonian Maturity champion Elista Hanover and Dayton Derby winner M-M’s Dream – arguably the best three horses in the division – will go at it in an abbreviated five-horse field.

·         Race 5 – $175,000 FanDuel Open Mare Pace: With Twin B Joe Fresh sidelined, another standout from the Chris Ryder barn, Miki And Minnie, will go for her 13^th win in 15 tries this year as a 3-year-old taking on older foes. She will face Breeders Crown winner Always B Naughty.

·         Race 6 – $462,000 Goldsmith Maid for 2-year-old filly trotters: Despite finishing third in the Breeders Crown as the 6-5 favorite, Nezuko Kamado S remains the one to beat for trainer Marcus Melander.

·         Race 7 – $350,000 FanDuel Open Pace: Fresh off his electric 1:46.2 win in the Breeders Crown, the fastest mile in the sport during 2025, Ervin Hanover will look to push his seasonal earnings past the $1-million mark with a victory. After the race, Abuckabett Hanover, last year’s top-rated older pacer, will be retired in a winner’s circle ceremony.

·         Race 8 – $357,000 Three Diamonds for 2-year-old filly pacers: Superstar Loua Dipa, who will cruise to divisional honors regardless of how things go Saturday, is likely to chalk up another stakes win for trainer Ron Burke, who has the inside track on receiving the Dan Patch Trainer of the Year Award.

·         Race 9 – $334,000 Governor’s Cup for 2-year colt and gelding pacers: New York Sire Stakes champion Fragment brings his gaudy $582,566 bankroll to The Meadowlands hoping to prove he can compete at the game’s highest level after finishing sixth in the Metro and seventh in the Breeders Crown.

·         Race 10 – $350,000 FanDuel Open Trot: Does this race offer the most interesting matchup of the night?

Probably. Can Periculum, the early-season sensation from Melander, take down Lexus Kody, the Dayton Derby and International Trot winner from Burke, and nose that one out for divisional honors. He would have to for any chance.

·         Race 11 – $421,000 Valley Victory for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters: Spencer Hanover pulled off a mild upset in the Breeders Crown, and looks for another big win for Melander. Diabolic Hill was a close second in the Crown for trainer Annie Stoebe.

RALLIS, GIWNER ON SET: John Rallis, the outstanding columnist and associate editor at Trot Magazine, and Derick Giwner, the editor at DRF Harness, will be on the scene this weekend on The Big M’s live simulcast presentation.

Rallis, the often-host of Woodbine Mohawk Park’s live broadcast, will sit alongside The Big M’s regular host, Dave Little, on set on Thursday and Friday, while Giwner will step into the co-host role on Saturday.

All three personalities will offer selections as well as strategies playing the pair of 50-cent Pick-4s that are offered on the Saturday program. In addition, the trio will be seen during the evening conducting interviews with winning connections on the star-studded Saturday show.

Gary DiLeo will handle analysis and selections on the FanDuel Television (FDTV) feed as well as tracking down interviews with winning connections on Thursday and Friday before FDTV’s own Ashley Mailloux will be on the scene Saturday night.

A GREAT WAY TO PLAY: Every night, The Meadowlands offers a marvelous menu of popular wagers that offer a low 15 percent takeout.

Here is the rundown of what wagers will be offered on Thursday’s 10-race card:

·         Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5

·         Races 3-9: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)

·         Races 4-9: 20-cent Pick-6

·         Races 6-9: 50-cent Pick-4

·         Race 10: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)

Here is the rundown of what wagers will be offered on the Friday and Saturday 14-race programs:

·         Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5

·         Races 3-9: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)

·         Races 6-9: Early 50-cent Pick-4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)

·         Races 8-13: 20-cent Pick-6

·         Races 10-13: Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)

·         Race 14: 10-cent non-jackpot Pentafecta (Hi-5)

ONE LAST CHANCE: The 10^th and final installment of the 2025 Meadowlands $1,000 Monthly Handicapping Contest will take place on Friday, Nov. 21.

Thus far, the 18 handicappers that finished in the top two in the standings at the conclusion of the first nine competitions have qualified for an invitation-only, end-of-the-year contest that will offer a total prize pool of $10,000, with $5,000 going to the winner.

Contest format:

·         Contestants must be on-site to participate

·         Contestants must buy a $100 betting card to participate

·         Contestants must bet a minimum of five Meadowlands races

·         There is no minimum or maximum bet per race

·         Contestants can play any wager(s) on The Meadowlands live wagering menu

·         Contestants keep all pari-mutuel winnings

·         Contestants can enter as many times as they wish

·         The top two finishers earn spots in the $10,000 end-of-the-year contest

Remaining contest schedule:

·         Friday, November 21 (last chance to qualify for the December “final”)

·         The $10,000 invitation-only final is on Saturday, December 13. Cash prizes that night will go to the top five finishers on a $5,000-$2,000-$1,500-$1,000-$500 basis.

Players that have qualified for the December contest are Nick Montemurro and Gary Scogna (the top two finishers from January); Michael Grasso and Montemurro (February); Sean Loebs and Joe Barre (March); Glaser and Jim Bohnarczyk (April); Karen Fossli and Russ Slader (May); Del Kern and Scogna (June); Fossli and Montemurro (July); Emile Issa and Montemurro (August); and Rich Prezioti and Glaser (October).

Complete contest rules and regulations can be found here.

To participate, players must be 18 years of age or older to wager on racing. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please get help at 1-800-GAMBLER.

THE SCHEDULE: Live action at The Meadowlands will be conducted on a three-day-a-week basis for the remainder of 2025.

Racing will take place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a post time of 6:20 p.m.

There are two exceptions. There will be no Thursday racing on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25).

GET YOUR FREE PROGRAMS: To show appreciation to its loyal fan base, The Meadowlands offers free program pages for every race of every race card on its website.

Go to playmeadowlands.com, then click on the “news” dropdown to get the past performances at absolutely no cost.

A SOCIAL SETTING: Everything Meadowlands is available by going on X. 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 talent duo of Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).

IT’S PARTY TIME: It’s that time of year to celebrate the holidays, and a great place to enjoy a great time is The Meadowlands.

Discover the unique event spaces at The Big M, perfect for hosting your corporate holiday parties, game-day watch parties and year-end celebrations at a venue that offers a one-of-a-kind experience that you won't find anywhere else.

Event spaces are complemented by a diverse range of beverage and dining options, ensuring that your holiday event is perfectly catered to your preferences.

Indulge in the luxury of the Skybox Suites, which are private rooms that offer both stadium-style and table-seating options. With moveable walls, parties of up to 200 people can enjoy buffet dining and unobstructed views of the racing action, making your event truly special.

Trackside, situated on the ground floor of the track, offers an expansive area ideal for galas, receptions, large corporate events and trade shows.

The Gallery has 16 LED screens and one 220” jumbo screen. It is furnished with a private bar, lounge and table seating and overlooks the FanDuel Sportsbook. The Gallery is ideal for alumni watch parties and game-day gatherings.

The second-floor Lounge offers the best of both worlds – it is ideal for viewing live racing action and enjoying prime viewing of the sportsbook's huge HD TVs. With its horseshoe-shaped bar and a mix of lounge, high tops and seated dining, it's a versatile location perfect for a holiday mixer or cocktail hour, accommodating a variety of event styles.

Book a private tour today with Andrea Lokshin by emailing her at alokshin@playmeadowlands.com or give her a call at 201-842-5013. You can also view our spaces and take a 360-degree tour by visiting https://playmeadowlands.com/party/.

J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS IN FANDUEL: Maybe hiring Aaron Glenn as head coach wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

The suddenly hot New York Jets will be gunning for a third consecutive win Thursday (Nov. 13) night when they travel to New England for an 8:15 p.m. matchup with the Patriots.

The oddsmakers think the Jets are in for a rough night as they are a 12½-point underdog in the game that has an under/over of 43½ points.

Harness racing and the NFL? Yes!

For those who want action on the football game, all they have to do is head for the FanDuel Sportsbook, the No. 1 betting facility of its type in North America. It’s located inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands, and has massive TV screens and self-service betting terminals, which enable fans to watch and wager in comfort while having some great food and drink.

On Sunday (Nov. 16), the New York Giants host the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium in a 1 p.m. kickoff.

The Packers are a 7-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 42½ points.

Whatever the sport, for the latest odds, go here.

The FanDuel Sportsbook is open for business Monday through Friday 10 a.m. – 1 a.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. – 1 a.m.; and Sunday 8 a.m. – midnight.