Meadowlands drivers needed on Fridays

[stanetelman]

With the current environment sporting skies that are anything but sunny, management at The Meadowlands is hoping to get a jolt of good energy from its horsemen.

“Our handle is down considerably this year, and while we are trying to get casino gaming in the fall, we need our trainers and drivers to help us raise our visibility right now to increase the betting,” said Meadowlands’ Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Jason Settlemoir.

“At The Meadowlands, we provide many opportunities for the better-known trainers and drivers to go for big money on race cards that we offer on Meadowlands Pace Night and Hambletonian Day, not to mention Fall Final Four/FanDuel Championships Night.”

Settlemoir explained that currently, six of the Big M’s leading money-earning drivers from 2025 have been driving at a higher frequency on Saturdays, but would like them to be there on Fridays as well. The six drivers are:
Scott Zeron
Dexter Dunn
Andrew McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Yannick Gingras
Tim Tetrick

“(Track Chairman and Chief Executive Officer) Jeff Gural and I are asking our trainers to list these drivers to participate on the Friday programs, as well as the Saturday cards, and would appreciate that those drivers honor those commitments,” said Settlemoir.

“Having the drivers that our fan base is more familiar with figures to improve handle. With the casino situation still up in the air, we need all of our horsemen to cooperate and help the cause. We don't want to have to use the threat of exclusion but we will if we have to. If everybody gets on the same page, The Meadowlands can flourish while giving these horsemen the opportunity to make a great living at what remains the best facility in the sport.”

[SPARKS SPECIAL]

They should race on Mondays at 1pm . They are not Friday Nite worthy.

[Sweet]

 

@ $160,000 in purses yesterday. 

5% of that is $8,000 up for grabs in the whole card 

Divided by 14 races is $571 up for grabs per race 

$285.50 up for grabs to the winner 

Do they have to donate blood too? 

Y'all crack me up....the historic #1 track in all of the world has the near lowest purses in the USA - that's a paradox! 

[BrokenHeadPole]

     What Settlemoir forgets to mention is that the Friday card is unwatchable and unbettable.  Numbers don't lie. The betting customer doesn't like the product. They are betting less and less.
     The top drivers can't drive in the Amateur races. There were 3 races last night. Then throw in the 74.5  and under Tm races with very low class horses and small purses. (That's 5 more races).   Between these 2 conditions. That's over half the card. 
     Then you have leading trainers saying that thier horses don't get into the Meadowlands because the class does not fill and they have to race elsewhere. And the leading drivers follow the leading trainers. Many have firm commitments to drive the trainer's stable.
    And the night's purses are low. Very low. These top drivers are the best in the game. They are in high demand. There are many bigger races elsewhere with far greater purses. And they will drive where they can make the most money and where the top trainers need them.
     Should be interesting to see how this plays out.
     

[JT]

"We don't want to use the threat of exclusion, but we will if we have to." Jason Settlemoir.
If I was a top driver I'd tell him to kick rocks. Look at that card last night, pathetic.
Empty threat. Like that would ever happen. The 2 or 3 days they actually field a good card i.e Hambo or Pace Day can you imagine Settlemoir telling Dexter or the McCarthy's, or Zeron, sorry ya can't drive here today.
Sad state of affairs for what used to be the mecca of harness racing.

[SIX SHOOTER]

COME TO OHIO OR KENTUCKY PLENTY OF CASH IN PURSES  FUCK THE EAST COAST

[Kirby's Ace]

Get better horses than handle will pick up and drivers will follow the $$$$
 They are on commission bases practically and have no incentive to race for lower amounts

 Stop diluting the product and bitching because nobody wants to drive for less than they actually can at other tracks

If Fridays are not working out try another night  or day with less competitors available

Its not exactly rocket science here. Shpw me the money bro show me the money!

[titans1127]

What did they expect when the drivers they called out have been at Yonkers the last 6-7 weeks for stakes races.

[Kirby's Ace]

This Meadowlands crying reminds me of someone owning a Macy's and then changing it into  Dollar General and then crying because no one wants to pay Goochi prices on my DG handbags!....

 

[Sweet]

This Meadowlands crying reminds me of someone owning a Macy's and then changing it into  Dollar General and then crying because no one wants to pay Goochi prices on my DG handbags!....

 

 

Great analogy! 

The Four Seasons $1 menu 

[Junebug990]

So what they are basically saying is that if the casino doesn't happen they will pull up stakes. I thought the sportsbook money a % was supposed to go to the purses.

[pocketrocketwinner]

Thriving!

[dougie]

The drivers will go where the money is. The Meadowlands field horrible races with a lot of Freehold Raceway leftovers. Settlemoir's threats are unprofessional and classless.

[stanetelman]

The drivers have all the leverage. They are very much in demand and can pick and choose where they want to go.

[Bitter Truth]

M[1] and the LBJ are alike. They think they are still as revered as in the past. They are not.