EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The last big night of action on hard racing’s 2025 calendar – Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night – takes place on Saturday evening (November 15) at the sport’s No. 1 venue, The Meadowlands. In addition, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) TV team will join forces with FOX Sports to bring those races to a national television audience on FOX Sports 2 (FS2), with a three-hour presentation starting at 8 p.m.
“Everything is ready for another big night of racing at The Big M,” said Jason Settlemoir, the track’s Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. “The Fall Final Four and FanDuel Championships will spotlight some of the biggest names in sports while showcasing some of the best rivalries the game offers. The icing on the cake is that all of this action will be live from coast to coast on FOX, who have proven to be a great partner as we continue to grow our audience.”
“Saturday night’s great race card at The Meadowlands wraps up FOX Sports’ harness racing coverage for the season,” Sr. said. Director of TV Broadcast Operations for NYRA Eric Donovan. “With so many Breeders Crown champions returning for one final start in 2025, we couldn’t think of a better way to end the year. We thank all our Standardbred partners and look forward to more great racing in 2026 at The Meadowlands and beyond.”
Saturday’s presentation will be anchored in NYRA’s studio at Aqueduct Racetrack by Chris Griffin and Paul Verderosa, with the tandem of Jessica Otten and Gabe Prewitt providing on-site commentary, selections and interviews.
Here’s a look at the eight races, with prize money 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 MM’s Dream – arguably the best three horses in the division – will compete in a shortened field of five horses.
- Race 5 – $175,000 FanDuel Open Mare Pace: With Twin B Joe Fresh sidelined, another standout from Chris Ryder’s stable, Miki and Minnie, is going for her 13the This year, win in 15 attempts as a three-year-old and take on older foes. She will compete against Breeders Crown winner Always B Naughty.
- Race 6 – $462,000 Goldsmith Maid for 2-year-old fillies: Despite finishing third in the Breeders Crown as a 6-5 favorite, Nezuko Kamado S remains the player 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 sport’s fastest mile in 2025, Ervin Hanover will look to push his season earnings past the $1 million mark with a win. After the race, Abuckabett Hanover, last year’s top-rated senior pacer, will retire during a winner’s circle ceremony.
- Race 8 – $357,000 Three Diamonds for 2-year-old fillies: Superstar Loua Dipa, who will take home division honors on Saturday regardless of how things go, will likely score another victory for trainer Ron Burke, who has an inside track on receiving the Dan Patch Trainer of the Year Award.
- Race 9 – $334,000 Governor’s Cup for 2-Year-Old Stallions and Geldings: 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 evening? Probably. Can Periculum, Melander’s early season sensation, can take on Burke’s Dayton Derby and International Trot winner Lexus Kody and challenge him for division honors. For any chance he would have to.
- Race 11 – $421,000 Valley Victory for 2-year-old colts and geldings: Spencer Hanover caused a minor upset in the Breeders Crown and expects 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 site for The Big M’s live simulcast presentation this weekend.
Rallis, the frequent host of Woodbine Mohawk Park’s live broadcast, will sit alongside The Big M’s regular host Dave Little on set on Thursdays and Fridays, while Giwner will serve as co-host on Saturdays.
All three personalities will offer selections and strategies when playing the pair of 50-cent Pick-4s offered on Saturday’s program. In addition, the trio will be seen conducting interviews with winning connections in the evening on the star-studded Saturday show.
Gary DiLeo will provide the analysis and selections on the FanDuel Television (FDTV) feed, unearthing interviews with winning connections on Thursday and Friday before FDTV’s own Ashley Mailloux is on site Saturday evening.
A GREAT WAY TO PLAY: Every night The Meadowlands offers a great menu of popular bets with a 15 percent takeaway.
Here’s a look at the betting options on offer on Thursday’s 10-race card:
- Races 1-5: 20 cents Pick-5
- Races 3-9: 20 cents Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout per night)
- Races 4-9: 20 cents Pick-6
- Races 6-9: 50 cents Pick-4
- Race 10: 10 cents Pentafecta (Hi-5) without jackpot
Here is an overview of the betting options offered on the 14-race Friday and Saturday programmes:
- Races 1-5: 20 cents Pick-5
- Races 3-9: 20 cents Survivor Pick-7 (mandatory payout per night)
- Races 6-9: 50 Cent Early Pick-4 ($50,000 Guaranteed Pool)
- Races 8-13: 20 cents Pick-6
- Races 10-13: Late 50-cent Pick 4 ($50,000 guaranteed pool)
- Race 14: 10 cents Pentafecta (Hi-5) without jackpot
ONE LAST CHANCE: The 10e and the final installment of the 2025 Meadowlands $1,000 Monthly Handicapping Contest takes place on Friday, November 21.
So far, the 18 handicappers who finished in the top two of the leaderboard at the end of the first nine competitions have qualified for an end-of-year invitational competition, which offers a total prize pool of $10,000, with $5,000 going to the winner.
Competition format:
- Participants must be on site to participate
- Participants must purchase a $100 gambling card to participate
- Participants must enter a minimum of five Meadowlands races
- There is no minimum or maximum bet per race
- Participants can play any bet(s) in The Meadowlands live betting menu
- Participants keep all pari-mutuel winnings
- Participants can participate as often as they want
- The top two finishers earn a spot in the $10,000 end-of-year competition
Remaining competition schedule:
- Friday, November 21 (last chance to qualify for the December “finals”)
- The $10,000 invitational final is on Saturday, December 13. Cash prizes will go to the top five winners that night on a $5,000-$2,000-$1,500-$1,000-$500 basis.
Players who have qualified for the December competition are Nick Montemurro and Gary Scogna (January’s top two finishers); 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).
The full competition rules can be found here.
To participate, players must be 18 years or older to bet on racing. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, you can get help at 1-800-GAMBLER.
THE SCHEDULE: The Meadowlands will host live action three days a week for the remainder of 2025.
Racing takes place every Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a post time of 6:20 PM
There are two exceptions. There are no races on Thursdays on Thanksgiving Day (November 27) and Christmas Day (December 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 Speelweidelands.comand then click the ‘news’ dropdown to watch the past performances completely free.
A SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT: Everything about Meadowlands is available via
Stay in touch with the Big M talent duo Little (@DaveLittleBigM) and Warkentin (@kenvoiceover).
It’s party time: It’s the 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 in a location that offers a unique experience you won’t find anywhere else.
The event spaces are complemented by a wide range of beverage and dining options, ensuring your holiday event is perfectly tailored to your preferences.
Enjoy the luxury of the Skybox Suites, which are private rooms that offer both stadium style and table seating options. With movable walls, parties of up to 200 people can enjoy a buffet dinner and unobstructed views of the racing action, making your event truly special.
Located on the ground floor of the circuit, Trackside offers an expansive space 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 viewing parties and game day gatherings.
The second floor Lounge offers the best of both worlds: it’s ideal for watching live racing action and enjoying premium viewing on the sportsbook’s huge HD TVs. With its horseshoe-shaped bar and mix of lounge, high tops and seated dining, it is a versatile venue, perfect for a holiday mix or cocktail hour, and can accommodate a variety of event styles.
Book a private tour with Andrea Lokshin today by emailing her at alokshin@playmeadowlands.com or calling her at 201-842-5013. You can also view our spaces and take a 360 degree tour by visiting https://playmeadowlands.com/party/.
JETS, 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 look for a third straight win on Thursday night (Nov. 13) when they travel to New England for an 8:15 PM matchup with the Patriots.
The oddsmakers think the Jets are in for a tough night as they are a 12½-point underdog in the game with an under/over of 43½ points.
Harness racing and the NFL? Yes!
For those wanting action during the football game, all they have to do is head over to FanDuel Sportsbook, the #1 betting facility of its kind in North America. Located in the grandstand of The Meadowlands, it has huge TV screens and self-service betting terminals, allowing fans to watch and gamble in comfort while enjoying delicious food and drink.
On Sunday (November 16), the New York Giants will host the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium in a 1:00 PM kickoff.
The Packers are a 7-point favorite in the game with an under/over of 42½ points.
Whatever the sport, get the latest odds here.
For full race entries, click here: American Trotting Entries
Through Dave Kleinfor The Meadowlands
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