The 2023 racing year at Hollywood Casino at the Meadows will wrap up in December with Wednesday-Friday racing the next few weeks through December 29. Post time remains at 12:45 pm for each of these racing cards. The jam-packed 2024 racing schedule has been released and will see the continuation of Wednesday-Friday racing at the Meadows uninterrupted through the end of March. After taking a week off to start April, racing at the Meadows will return to a four-day race week from Wednesday-Saturday. That schedule will remain in place through the end of September with a few exceptions, including the traditional week off during Little Brown Jug week. The final few months of next year will see the return to Wednesday-Friday racing with a few special Monday programs at the end of December to work around the Holidays. The popular Friday night racing programs will return from the later half of May to the end of September. The Adios, the signature race at the Meadows, will be held on its usual spot on the calendar on Saturday, July 27.
While the year may almost be over, there’s still a lot of great racing and events coming up at the Meadows before the year ends. In particular, fans will certainly want to be on-track on Friday, December 22nd for the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association’s special Christmas giveaway. Free Meadows racing swag will be available while supplies last and fans that purchase a live racing program on the 22nd will also receive a $5 racing better voucher. Fans can visit www.meadowsharnessracing.com for more information on upcoming promotions, the entire live racing schedule, free racing programs for each live race day, and much more.
The racing action this week at the Meadows will wrap up with the 13-race Friday, December 15 card that includes some intriguing claiming races. The second race sees a pair of horses that finished first and second last week against similar return, but both for different barns. #1 VAN DIESEL was the winner of last week’s race and will now enter the Scott Betts barn off of the claim this week. Meanwhile, #3 BOOZIN N CRUISIN finished second last week against VAN DIESEL and will now enter the Cain Mackenzie barn as one of two horses that he’s claimed recently since returning to the Meadows from Maine. In their rematch this week, I have to side with VAN DIESEL again as he retains Dave Palone, draws the inside post, and took care of business pretty well on front end last week on the ship in from Harrah’s Philly.
Friday’s sixth race will see another interesting claiming story regarding #2 GAMBLING ADDICTION. The horse has been knocking on the door against these type of claimers, but the more interesting story is that he has been claimed five consecutive weeks now. In the past month alone, he has been a part of five different barns. This week, the Steven Walters barn will get their turn with GAMBLING ADDICTION and it would appear there’s a strong chance he could be claimed once again out of this race. He last won three weeks ago here at the Meadows, but he does have a solid pair of seconds in his last two tries. Assuming he can once again quickly adjust to his new surroundings off the claim, he looks to have a strong chance in this one from a good post as Justin Walters picks up the drive after Dave Palone had driven the previous three starts. As always, best of luck with your wagers this week and beyond at the Meadows, hopefully I’ve tipped you towards a couple of winners on this Friday’s card, and we’ll find out together whether or not the strong claiming action will continue on in December at the Meadows.
