MEADOWLANDS RACETRACK, FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK, AND THIS WEEKEND’S BREEDERS CROWN CHAMPIONSHIP BRING MUCH NEEDED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO NORTHERN NEW JERSEY
Partnerships between Breeders Crown, Meadowlands Racetrack, American Dream,
and the Meadowlands Chamber Bring Premiere Harness Race Championship to NJ
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., OCTOBER 28, 2021 – The Meadowlands Racetrack and FanDuel Sportsbook continue to dominate New Jersey’s Sports Betting Industry and will host another world-class sporting event this weekend. Accounting for almost half of all sports wagering in the state last month, the Meadowlands Racetrack will host the Breeders Crown Finals for the first time in five years bringing even more sports wagering to New Jersey’s number one sportsbook.
This year the Breeders Crown partnered with American Dream as the ‘Hometown Sponsor’ in a regional collaboration facilitated by the Meadowlands Chamber to again establish the region’s ability to host some of the most sought-after events in all of entertainment. The Breeders Crown Harness Racing Series was established by the Hambletonian Society in 1984 and alternates between different racetracks every year. Live coverage of the final championship races will be broadcast on Fox Sports 2 and SportsNet New York on Saturday, October 30th.
“We’ve hosted the Super Bowl, Wrestle Mania, and this year we host the Army Navy Game, and in 2026 we have the FIFA World Cup,” said Meadowlands Chamber President and CEO Jim Kirkos. “Just like the Hambletonian, the Breeders Crown is on that same level – people come from all over the country for this prestigious event. The saying is true – it all comes down to the Breeders Crown in harness racing. The winner of the main event jumps to the top of the list for horse of the year.”
The Meadowlands Chamber is also honoring New Jersey’s Harness Racing Industry and American Dream at its annual Legacy Awards dinner on Thursday night for their economic contributions to the region. Hall of Fame Harness Driver John Campbell will accept the award on behalf of the Hambletonian Society, the New Jersey Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, the Meadowlands Racetrack, and the New Jersey Sires Stakes Program.
“Events like this not only bring money to the area – but they also bring in jobs. And that’s exactly what our region needs right now. Without the Hambletonian Society, the Racetrack, and American Dream, we couldn’t even begin to think about the economic recovery from the pandemic,” said Kirkos. “Breeders Crown is truly a special event – and while the Meadowlands hosted it many times before, this year could be the most important. It will show our true resilience to all the adversity we’ve faced in the last year and a half and demonstrate our commitment to recovery for everyone in North New Jersey.”
This year’s Breeders Crown has a total purse size of $7.8 million. Last weekend was the first stage if 19 elimination races. Friday’s championship races start at 6:20pm leading up to the main event on Saturday with the first races beginning at noon.
· Oct. 28th Freshman Night Race Purses are $600,000 for each of the four races. Racing begins at 6:20pm
· Oct. 29th Finals Race Purses range from $300,000 to $650,000 starting at 12pm for a total of eight races
About the Breeders Crown:
The Breeders Crown Series was created in 1984 by the Hambletonian Society, one of the most influential sponsors of Standardbred racing. The 37-year-old series has typically crowned champions in every division for trotters and pacers and has been the deciding factor in Horse of the Year honors since its inception. More than $209 million in purse money has been disbursed over 430 events. Originally conceived and executed as a traveling series, the Crown has been hosted by racetracks across North America and been raced as single night or multiple events.
