Meadowlands: Fall meet gets underway Friday

Live racing returns to The Meadowlands after a three-week post-Hambletonian break with 12-race programs that begin at 6:20 p.m. this Friday (Sept. 3) and Saturday (Sept. 4).

The Fall Meeting will consist of 29 programs that will be contested on Fridays and Saturdays, with two exceptions. The Big M has added a pair of Thursday nights to the live menu, one on Dec. 2 and the other on Dec. 9.

There will be racing throughout September before the track takes another three-week hiatus. After that, live action will resume on Oct. 22 and continue straight through until the end of the year, except for Christmas Week, when there is no racing on Dec. 24 and 25.

The Fall Meeting has plenty of dates worthy of calendar circling.

To begin with, the Breeders Crown will make its return to the mile oval after a five-year absence. A total of $6 million will be doled out as the Crown will -- as usual -- go a long way towards determining divisional champions, as well as harness racing's Horse of the Year.

► Get a 5% REBATE on all exotic wagers in September at The Meadowlands!

Eliminations for the Crown will take place Oct. 22 and 23. One week later, the four finals for 2-year-olds will be contested on Oct. 29, while the championship races for 3-year-olds as well as the older horses are slated for Oct. 30.

The Kindergarten Series for 2-year-olds of both sexes and gaits will have legs two (Sept. 10), three (Sept. 17), four (Sept. 24) and five (Nov. 6) before the finals and consolations will be contested on Nov. 13 for total purses that are estimated at $700,000.

But that's not all.

The Meadowlands' final big card of the year is always one worth seeing, as on Nov. 20 the track will host its yearly "Fall Final Four/TVG Finals Night". That card features four events for 2-year-olds -- the Goldsmith Maid, Three Diamonds, Valley Victory and Governor's Cup -- worth an estimated $1.6 million. The four TVG Finals -- the Mare Trot, Mare Pace, Open Trot and Open Pace -- which carry estimated purses totaling $1 million, can provide some necessary results for Horse of the Year voters who might still be undecided.

"The Meadowlands is extremely proud to host the Breeders Crown," said track Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. "The five-week stretch of championship racing at the Meadowlands, starting with the Breeders Crown and ending with the Final Four and TVG Finals will likely determine Horse of the Year, and, possibly, every divisional champion of 2021."

FRIDAY AT THE BIG M: The Reynolds Stakes and Miss Versatility are the featured action on the Friday card at The Meadowlands. The Reynolds offers five divisions worth a total of approximately $320,000, while the $40,000 sixth leg of the Miss Versatility stars When Dovescry, who won her last appearance in the series in 1:50 4/5 while upsetting Atlanta.

50 GRAND GUARANTEED: Each live racing night, the 50-cent Pick-4 will have a guaranteed pool of $50,000. This weekend, the P4 begins in race nine.

LOW TAKEOUTS, BIG PAYOUTS: Here are the popular Meadowlands' wagers that offer a low 15 percent takeout on a nightly basis:

* Race 1: 20-cent Pick-5

* Race 3: 20-cent Survivor Pick-7

* Race 6: 20-cent Pick-6

* Race 9: 50-cent Pick-4

* Race 12: 10-cent Hi-5/Pentafecta

-edited release (Meadowlands)