Friday's thirteen-race program and Saturday's fourteen-race program each begin at the special early post time of 5:30 p.m. to avoid traffic congestion with Taylor Swift concert goers at MetLife Stadium next door to the racetrack.
The Sire Stakes include two divisions for both the male and female trotters plus single divisions for both male and female pacers.
Round one winner Boston Red Rocks heads the fourth race for pacing colts and geldings. The colt by Rocknroll Hanover won last week's opening round by two lengths over Katies Rocker, who is also back in Friday's race. Boston Red Rocks, who is owned by Peter Blood and Rick Berks, scored in 1:53.2 for trainer Steve Elliott.
Southwind Frank turned in perhaps the most impressive round one performance by a trotter with his 1:56.3 win, sprinting home in 26.3 to prevail by a head over the highly regarded Brooklyn Hill. Those well-bred sons of Muscle Hill drew in separate divisions on Friday.
Race eleven features the pacing fillies and is headlined by Rock My Girl, a 1:53.3 opening round winner. She is shared in ownership by West Wins Stable, Adriano Sorella, and Ron Broadstone. John Campbell drives for trainer Casie Coleman.
Fans are invited to follow along with the online conversation leading up to the Crawford Farms Meadowlands Pace by using #Pace15 on social media.
This past Saturday night, one lucky player cashed the jackpot Super Hi-Five in the last race at The Meadowlands for over $173,000. The wager was placed through TVG by a bettor in Virginia. It was the second time this meet that a person took home over six figures on the Jackpot Super Hi-Five Wager.
Given that there are only ten racing dates remaining in the 2015 Championship Meet, rather than begin a new jackpot pool with only one month to build that pool, The Meadowlands has made some changes to its wagering format.
Beginning this Friday, July 10th, the carryover pool for the fifth race Jackpot Super Hi-5, which presently sits at $175,601.70, has been moved from the fifth race to the last race. Therefore, those customers looking to wager into the Jackpot Hi-Five Carryover pool can do so in the last race each racing card going forward. The pool will have a mandatory payout on Hambletonian Day, Saturday, August 8th. The wager carries a $.20 cent minimum and consists of an eight-percent (8%) takeout rate. If there is one winner, the entire jackpot pool pays out. If there is more than one winner, the wager pays out 75-percent (75%) of the net pool of new money, with 25-percent (25%) added to the jackpot carryover pool for the next live harness racing date.
Second, the fifth race will continue to offer a Super Hi-Five each night, but there will be no jackpot carryover pool. The pool will pay out each and every night and it will still carry an industry-low eight-percent (8%) takeout rate. It will be offered at the $.20 cent minimum as well.
Lastly, the next two Saturday nights of racing, Meadowlands Pace elimination night and Meadowlands Pace night, will offer 14-races and will carry three pick four wagers, with the newest edition covering races 11 through 14 with a takeout of just 15-percent. The late night pick four pool will carry a $25,000 Guarantee and will be offered at the $.50 cent minimum.
Meadowlands Pace Night will see increases for the guaranteed pools on The Meadowlands multi-race mainstay wagers. The Pick 5, covering races one through five and the Early Pick Four, covering races three through six, will carry $50,000 Guaranteed Pools. The Late Pick Four Pool, covering races seven through ten, will carry a $100,000 Guaranteed Pool.
Post Time for both this Friday (July 10) and Saturday (July 11) is 5:30 P.M. The early post time is due to a Talyor Swift concert at MetLife Stadium which is scheduled to begin at 7:00 P.M. A race was added to each program due to the early post and customers will have a little more time in between in each race as well. Despite the racing cards beginning nearly two hours earlier than usual, the racing programs will conclude around 10:30 P.M., which will allow customers attending the races at The Meadowlands to exit without traffic congestions as the Taylor Swift concert is scheduled to conclude at 11:30 P.M.
Post time will return to 7:15 P.M. the following weekend, Friday, July 17th and Meadowlands Pace Night, Saturday July 18th.
Dining Options Reminder for Meadowlands Pace
Just a reminder that dining reservations for Meadowlands Pace Night should be made as soon as possible as space is very limited. Dining options consist of Victory Sports Bar, Pink, Trotters and the West Deck.
Victory will offer it's regular dining menu, which can be found at http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/uploadedFiles/SpringVictoryMenu1.pdf.
Pink will offer a $39.95 Pre-Fixe Menu which can be accessed at http://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/uploadedFiles/2015pace%20buffet%20menu_pink.pdf.
Trotters will offer a $39.95 buffet for members-only as Meadowlands Pace night is one of the blackout dates on the calendar for Trotters.
The West Deck will offer a $34.95 buffet and its menu can be found athttp://www.meadowlandsracetrack.com/uploadedFiles/2015pace%20buffet%20menuwestdeck.pdf.
Each menu includes the necessary contact information for those looking to make reservations.
Please note that Post Time for both this Friday (July 10) and Saturday (July 11) is 5:30 P.M, while Meadowlands Pace Night will begin at the usual time of 7:15 P.M.
Darin Zoccali