With the Championship Meet nearing its end, The Meadowlands will be a flurry of activity for the next two weeks, culminating with the 100th edition of the biggest event the sport of harness racing offers, the $1-million Hambletonian, on Saturday, Aug. 2 ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- July 24, 2025 -- With the Championship Meet nearing its end, The Meadowlands will be a flurry of activity for the next two weeks, culminating with the 100th edition of the biggest event the sport of harness racing offers, the $1-million Hambletonian, on Saturday, Aug. 2.
“It’s been over 40 years that the Hambletonian has been part of the scene at The Meadowlands,” said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “The race and the track are now linked and are synonymous with the greatest day in harness racing.”
Eliminations for the seven-figure Hambo for 3-year-old trotters and $500,000 Hambo Oaks for 3-year-old trotting fillies take place this Saturday (July 26). There was no shortage of horses at the entry box as 21 dropped in for the Hambletonian and 23 for the Oaks. Each event will have three eliminations with the three first-place finishers plus the highest-earning fourth-place finisher qualifying for the finals.
Goodtimes winner Emoticon Legacy and Stanley Dancer division winners Super Chapter and Go Dog Go are among the Hambletonian entrants, along with winter book Hambo favorite Maryland, who has yet to record a win this year despite racing well in all three of his seasonal starts, which resulted in second-place finishes.
Lady Landia (second to Oaks-ineligible Yo Tillie in a division of the Del Miller) and What A Bid Hanover (a Del Miller division winner) are a pair of standouts for trainer Ake Svanstedt in the Oaks. Conversano, third to What A Bid Hanover in the Miller, opened the year with five wins in six starts, including victories in the Reynolds and New Jersey Sire Stakes final, and is a big-time threat from the Juan Cano barn.
WATCH THE DRAW LIVE: The post-position draws for the Hambletonian and Hambletonian Oaks will take place on Tuesday (July 29) at Chateau Grande in East Brunswick, NJ.
The luncheon begins at 2 p.m. and all are welcome to attend for free.
Carson Kressley and Jessica Otten will host the event with Ken Warkentin providing interviews.
The draws for The Hambo and Oaks will start at 3 p.m. For those who cannot be there, the event will stream on Meadowlands Facebook Live and the Meadowlands YouTube channel.
HAMBO DAY STAKES: Hambletonian Day is the strongest program of the year in the sport.
Need proof?
This is the list of the stakes events that will be contested that day (with estimated purses):
· $1,000,000 Hambletonian
· $500,000 Hambletonian Oaks
· $260,000 Cane Pace
· $100,000 Shady Daisy
· $300,000 John Cashman Memorial
· $150,000 Dr. John Steele Memorial
· $275,000 Sam McKee Memorial
· $175,000 Lady Liberty
· $240,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes final (2-year-old colt and gelding trot)
· $240,000 New Jersey Siren Stakes final (2-year-old filly trot)
POST TIME FOR THE BIG ONES: Hambletonian Day will feature a 16-race card. The first race will get underway at noon. Post time for the Hambletonian (Race 12) is 4:47 p.m. The Hambletonian Oaks (Race 10) will head to the gate at 3:37 p.m.
NEED TO KNOW BASIS: What follows is a list of things fans attending the Hambletonian need to know before attending the races:
· Gates open at 10 a.m.
· Admission is $5; all paying adults will receive a Hambletonian baseball cap
· There will be a cigar roller on the Paddock Level
· Food trucks will be on the East Apron and throughout the Backyard
· Kiddie rides will be available from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
· Hambletonian Hat contest: 1:40 p.m. (after race 5; will be judged by TV personality Kressley)
· Best-dressed contest: 2:05 p.m. (after race 6; will be judged by influencer Caitlyn Warakomski)
· Interviews with Kressley, New York Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman, Big M Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Gural, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hambletonian Society John Campbell and Editor of DRF Harness Derick Giwner will be conducted during the course of the card
· Hambletonian drivers’ parade: 4:05 p.m.
· Last-race post time: 6:48 p.m.
HAMBLETONIAN DAY TV: In addition to coverage on FOX 5 from 3-6 p.m. of the 100th Hambletonian, there are other ways to view what happens on the biggest day in harness racing.
They are:
· CBS Sports Network: Sunday, Aug. 3, 3 p.m. (replay)
· PrimeTime Racing: All day coverage of Hambletonian Day
· Racetrack Television Network: (rtn.tv) Free streaming of The Meadowlands In-house show
from playmeadowlands.com
· Meadowlands Facebook page: All day coverage
· Meadowlands YouTube channel: All day coverage
· HarnessRacing.com Preview Show: Hosted by Wendy Ross; live on Vimeo at 11 a.m.
· FanDuel TV: Live on-site
BIG M STILL FOXY: For a fifth consecutive year, the TV teams at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and The Meadowlands are combining forces to bring high-caliber harness racing stakes events to a coast-to-coast audience over the networks of FOX Sports as part of NYRA’s “America’s Day at the Races” telecasts.
The next broadcast will be Hambletonian Day, Saturday, Aug. 2, when the 100th edition of the $1-million Hambletonian can be seen in the New York-Metropolitan area on FOX 5 New York from 3-6 p.m.
Here is the schedule for the remaining FOX Sports shows, with the event(s) that will be featured and the time the show will be broadcast. Which FOX network the show can be found on – Fox 5 New York (locally), FS1 or FS2 – will be determined:
· August 2 – Hambletonian 100, 3-6 p.m., FOX 5
· September 5 – New Jersey Classic Series finals, 8-11 p.m., TBA
· November 1 – Kindergarten finals, 8-11 p.m., TBA
· November 15 – Fall Final Four, 8-11 p.m., TBA
FOSSLI WINS AGAIN: Karen Fossli was on target once again in the 2025 Meadowlands Monthly Handicapping Contest on Friday (July 18), taking first place for a second time this year, again walking away with the top nightly prize of $500.
A 20-cent Pick-5 hit of $477 set Fossli up well, as she finished the night with a bankroll of $722.26, so not only did Fossli take home the top cash prize, but also – as per contest rules – took home her profits of $622.26 as well.
Finishing second with a bankroll of $604.50 was Nick Montemurro, who took down the $250 second prize. For Montemurro, it was his third top-two finish this year, so he will have three entries (at least) for the end-of-the-year, invitation-only contest on Dec. 13, which offers prize money totaling $10,000. Fossli and Gary Scogna will have two entries (as of now) apiece in the big-money test, which will be limited to 20 entries.
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:
· Saturday, August 30
· Saturday, October 25
· Friday, November 21
· The $10,000 invitation-only final is on Saturday, December 13
Previous players that have qualified for the December contest are Montemurro and Gary Scogna (the top two finishers from January); Michael Grasso and Montemurro (February); Sean Loebs and Joe Barre (March); Robert Glaser and Jim Bohnarczyk (April); Fossli and Russ Slader (May); and Del Kern and Scogna (June).
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.
THEY ARE FA-REEE! 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.
WHEN IS LIVE RACING? This weekend, live racing at The Big M will be conducted on Friday (July 25) and Saturday (July 26) with a first-race post-time of 6:20 p.m.
Next week, racing on Friday, Aug. 1, begins at 6:20 p.m. Then, on Hambletonian Day, Saturday, Aug. 2, the only card that takes place entirely during the day starts at noon.
CATCH THE SHOW: Check out the live “Racing from The Meadowlands” pregame show this Friday and Saturday when track announcer Ken Warkentin opens up the mic with a scene set and program changes at 5:45 p.m.
At that point, Warkentin will then throw to the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set, where, on Friday night, The Big M’s Dave Little and Jessica Otten will provide news, notes, selections and a look at the night’s featured races.
On Saturday, Giwner will join Little on the outdoor set near the winner’s circle.
John Rallis, who divides his on-camera time between The Big M and Woodbine Mohawk Park when not serving as an editor and columnist at TROT Magazine, will be handling interviews from the back paddock as well as providing commentary and selections on the FanDuel Television (FDTV) feed all weekend long.
PLAY HORSEPLAY, WIN A CAR: The extremely popular Horseplay Car Giveaway is winding its way toward the payoff.
When there is live racing, fans can get involved by picking up a free toy horse to toss. Participants attempt to throw their numbered horse into the window of a moving car. A winner, randomly chosen from all the horses that make it into the vehicle, will receive a $100 betting voucher. The 27 winners will be entered into the Horseplay final drawing on Friday, Aug. 1, for a chance to win a 2025 Toyota GR86.
SOCIALLY SUPERIOR: 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 trio of Otten (@JessicaOtten1), Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).
A GREAT NIGHT OUT: Looking to book a corporate event or private party? The Meadowlands has unlimited event possibilities. The redesigned Gallery with multiple TVs, private bar and balcony overlooking the FanDuel Sportsbook is perfect for game days, watch parties and more.
To book your private party, email alokshin@playmeadowlands.com.
FANDUEL IS NO. 1: Meadowlands regulars know that if they want action on professional and college sports, all they have to do is head for the FanDuel Sportsbook, which is the No. 1 facility of its kind in all of North America.
It couldn’t be easier to access, as it’s located inside the grandstand at The Big M.
The book 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.
Local baseball fans get a day of rest on Thursday (July 24), but they can still get their action.
The most intriguing MLB matchup of the day has the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays traveling to Detroit to take on the ice-cold Tigers in a 6:40 p.m. start.
The Tigers are a -126 favorite in the game that has an under/over of 8½ runs.
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.
