Meadowlands: Harness racing returns Saturday

After a four-week hibernation while the Thoroughbreds took the spotlight, the Standardbreds will be back racing over the mile oval at The Meadowlands on Saturday (Oct. 17) night as the Fall Meeting resumes its march to the end of 2026.

Post time is 6:20 p.m.

Fans of all horse racing will get to sample a buffet of both breeds this weekend, as the final evening of Thoroughbred turf action takes place on Friday (Oct. 16) with a 7 p.m. post time.

“The four weeks of turf racing provided some variety for our regular customers,” said Big M Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir. “But now, it’s time to get back to what we are known for here at The Big M, the best harness racing in the world.”

He makes a good point.

The temperatures will continue to cool down as fall advances toward winter, but the harness action will remain hot through the end of the year.

The pacers and trotters will be in action at The Big M every Friday and Saturday through the end of 2026, with just one exception, as there is no live racing on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25.

In addition, there are three Thursday cards on the calendar: Dec. 3, 10 and 17.

All told, there are 23 nights of live Meadowlands harness racing remaining this year, and each has a post time of 6:20 p.m.

SAVE THE DATES: There are still some dates worth circling on your calendar if you only like to come out to The Big M when the racing is at a sky-high level, starting with Saturday, Oct. 31, when four $125,000 Kindergarten finals for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait are offered on the Halloween Night program.

But that’s not all.

Two weeks later, on Saturday, Nov. 14, the last major stakes card on not just The Meadowlands schedule, but the entire harness racing calendar, takes place when estimated purses of $2.65 million will be up for grabs on Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night.

The eight stakes races that will take place that evening are:

·         $400,000 (est.) Valley Victory (2-year-old colt and gelding trot)

·         $400,000 (est.) Governor’s Cup (2-year-old colt and gelding pace)

·         $400,000 (est.) Goldsmith Maid (2-year-old filly trot)

·         $400,000 (est.) Three Diamonds (2-year-old filly pace)

·         $350,000 (est.) FanDuel Open Pace

·         $350,000 (est.) FanDuel Open Trot

·         $175,000 (est.) FanDuel Fillies and Mares Trot

·         $175,000 (est.) FanDuel Fillies and Mares Pace

(All FanDuel events are for 3-year-olds and up)

The 2026 stakes curtain will then fall when four $70,000 (est.) New Jersey Standardbred Development Fund finals for 2-year-olds of each sex and gait will be contested on Saturday, Nov. 21.

IT’S LIVE ON FOX: The TV teams at The Meadowlands and the New York Racing Association will continue their partnership with two more live broadcasts that will bring high-end Big M stakes action into people’s living rooms from coast-to-coast.

Both Kindergarten Finals Night as well as Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night will be televised as part of the NYRA’s “America’s Day at the Races” series. The Kindergarten races take place on Saturday, Oct. 31, and will be on Fox Sports 2 (FS2) from 8-11 p.m., while the FF4/FDC are on Saturday, Nov. 14, and will be broadcast on FS2 from 9-11 p.m.

-edited release (Dave Little for Meadowlands)