FALL FINAL FOUR, FANDUEL FOSTERED FABULOUS FINISH TO BIG M STAKES SEASON
Despite rainy and chilly conditions, the final big Grand Circuit night of racing at The Meadowlands on Saturday (Nov. 15) had everything: big stars, big purses, big betting and bang-bang finishes ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- November 20, 2025 -- Despite rainy and chilly conditions, the final big Grand Circuit night of racing at The Meadowlands on Saturday (Nov. 15) had everything: big stars, big purses, big betting and bang-bang finishes. In addition, on a night when public choices usually shine bright, some of the game’s biggest stars – who were small-priced favorites – were extinguished.
Here is a wrap-up of Fall Final Final/FanDuel Championships Night, when eight stakes events were contested for purses totaling $2.6 million:
· Race 3 – $175,000 FanDuel Open Mare Trot: Yannick Gingras guided M-M’s Dream to a wire-to-wire win in 1:51.4. The victory likely will lead to the Ron Burke trainee garnering divisional honors, as her two major rivals finished third (Warrawee Michelle) and fifth (Elista Hanover, the 4-5 favorite, who broke), respectively, in the abbreviated five-horse field.
· Race 5 – $175,000 FanDuel Open Mare Pace: The Chris Ryder-trained 3-year-old Miki And Minnie, the 3-5 favorite, took on older foes and performed brilliantly, putting forth what was probably the most impressive performance of the night. She shrugged off a stiff around-the-far turn challenge from Breeders Crown champion Always B Naughty, before powering clear of that one – and all of the other ones – by 3½ lengths in 1:49.2.
· Race 6 – $462,000 Goldsmith Maid for 2-year-old filly trotters: Gingras kept the Ake Svanstedt-trained All Time Trot S close to the action throughout, grabbed the lead late, and then held off a late-charging 9-5 favorite Nezuko Kamado S, who went a tough trip from post nine. The winning time was 1:54.
· Race 7 – $350,000 FanDuel Open Pace: Ervin Hanover, the 4-5 favorite in search of a fourth consecutive stakes win, came up short after going a rough trip first-over. Maximus Miki recorded his fifth major win of the season after sitting a pocket trip behind early-season sensation Ken Hanover. ‘Maximus’, a Tom Cancelliere trainee, stopped the clock in a lifetime-best 1:47.3.
· Race 8 – $357,000 Three Diamonds for 2-year-old filly pacers: In the evening’s most shocking development, 1-9 public choice Loua Dipa saw her five-race winning streak end at the hands of She’s A Bulldog, who grabbed the top while parked coming off the far turn before going on to a 1¾-length score in 1:51.1. The daughter of Bulldog Hanover-Band Stand, who is trained by Burke, picked a perfect time to notch her first lifetime win.
· Race 9 – $334,000 Governor’s Cup for 2-year colt and gelding pacers: Gentleman’s Club recorded a 13-1 surprise for trainer Aaron Lambert making two moves to the lead before the three-eighths in a lifetime-best equaling 1:50.2. The Ohio Sire Stakes regular is a son of Downbytheseaside-See You At Peelers. Fragment, the 2-5 favorite, went a brutal parked-out trip and finished sixth.
· Race 10 – $350,000 FanDuel Open Trot: Miki And Minnie may have been the most impressive performer of the night, or was she? Some will say it was Lexus Kody, who was beyond superb once again, winning for the fifth time this year for a purse of $200,000 or more. The Burke student took over at the half and strolled to a 2¼-length destruction in 1:51. Periculum, the even-money favorite, was his usual solid, late-closing self, but finished a never-a-threat-to-the-winner second.
· Race 11 – $421,000 Valley Victory for 2-year-old colt and gelding trotters: The final major event of the year at The Meadowlands was one of the most exciting. The Annie Stoebe-trained Diabolic Hill had the lead in deep stretch over Breeders Crown champion Spencer Hanover, only to see that one strain to grab a narrow edge. Nearing the wire, ‘Diabolic’ had a final surge to claim a head win in 1:53.3, giving chalk players just their second win from the eight stakes events.
“It was a great night of racing,” said Meadowlands’ Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “And despite a challenging night from a weather perspective, handle was up more than $100,000 over the same program from last year.
“It was a perfect evening of competition to show to a national television audience on FOX Sports 2 (FS2). Our partnership with the TV crew at the New York Racing Association (NYRA), who put the show together, has been a great one for all concerned parties.
“All of us at The Meadowlands want to thank the owners, trainers, drivers, grooms and employees for putting on such a good show, and, a special tip of the cap to our equine athletes, who are what this is all about. Of course, I also want to thank our faithful fans, who always show up, especially on the big nights.”
FALL FINAL FABULOUS: A 20-cent Pick-6 double carryover of $9,241 motivated players to pour $59,479 of “new money” into the pot on the Saturday card, and after Dance Partner scored in the 12th race at odds of 30-1, that set up three patrons to cash in for $19,929.72 after even-money favorite Like A Shadow scored in the 13th.
Gingras and Burke led the driver and trainer colonies, respectively, with four winners each. They teamed up to win three times on the program.
All-source handle on the 14-race program totaled $3,443,597, which represented an increase of $116,217 over the corresponding card from 2024.
LARRY FOX, DEBBIE LITTLE ON THE MIC, ON SET: Larry Fox, a Manhattan lawyer and sports agent who has been serving as a race caller at The Big M for qualifiers and baby races for the last two years, will get his chance to call an entire parimutuel card when he picks up the binoculars Thursday night.
Fox will then sit alongside Dave Little and serve as the co-host on the Friday simulcast show.
Ken Warkentin will host the TV presentation Thursday night, pairing up with Little just like from 1995-99, when the duo did the show together on a regular basis on Wednesday evenings.
Harness Racing Update’s Debbie Little will join her husband, Dave, for the Saturday simulcast presentation, marking the third time in the last two months the former New York tabloid handicapping duo have paired up on Big M TV after a 30-year layoff.
Handling back-paddock interviews and FanDuel TV (FDTV) commentary and selections will be Joe Romanelli and Gary DiLeo. Romanelli will be on the job Thursday and Saturday while DiLeo will handle Friday.
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 nine-race card:
· Races 1-5: 20-cent Pick-5
· Races 2-8: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout nightly)
· Races 4-9: 20-cent Pick-6
· Races 6-9: 50-cent Pick-4
· Race 9: 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)
FINAL CHANCE TO GET IN: The 10th 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 Preziotti 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.
SUNDAY HORSES AND FOOTBALL: With no NFL game at MetLife Stadium this weekend, The Meadowlands will be open for horse race simulcasting on Sunday (Nov. 23).
Doors open for simulcasting at 11 a.m.
Fans can also watch and wager on the full slate of football games at the FanDuel Sportsbook.
Doors open at “The Book” at 8 a.m.
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/.
FOOTBALL IS FABULOUS IN FANDUEL: Meadowlands regulars who love to also plunk down a bet or two on sports, know all they have to do is head for the FanDuel Sportsbook, the No. 1 betting facility of its type in North America.
It couldn’t be easier to do, as it’s located inside the grandstand at The Meadowlands. There are massive TV screens and self-service betting terminals, which enable fans to watch and wager in comfort while having some great food and drink.
Week 12 of the National Football League’s season begins on Thursday (Nov. 20), when the defending league MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills travel to Houston for an 8:15 p.m. game with the Texans.
The Bills are a 5½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 43½ points.
For those who like prop bets, if you think Allen will throw for 250 yards or more, you can get +164 (8/5). More than 300? The odds jump to +520 (5/1).
On Sunday (Nov. 23), the New York Jets head for Baltimore for a 1 p.m. kickoff with the Ravens.
Baltimore is a 13½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 44½ points.
The New York Giants will travel to Detroit for a 1 p.m. matchup with the Lions, where the home team is a 10½-point favorite in the game that has an under/over of 49½ 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.
