The Grand Circuit closes on Saturday, November 14, and the Meadowlands saves its eight biggest finals for last. First, four Fall Final Four races decide the 2-year-old crowns. Meanwhile, four FanDuel Championships bring the best older trotters and pacers together one more time. Three of last month’s Breeders Crown winners also line up again. So Meadowlands Championship Night 2026 gives us a full evening of top-level harness racing, and the fields are now drawn.
Meadowlands Championship Night 2026 at a Glance
First post is 6:20pm ET on a 14-race card. The eight stakes then run back to back as Races 4 to 11. FS2 also shows the action live from 9pm to 11pm ET. Every race goes over one mile, and the Fall Final Four finals come last, so the 2-year-olds close the night.
The Meadowlands entries page showed no morning lines when we checked. For that reason, we have left odds out for now. Instead, check the MyWinners app or the program on race day for the latest prices. And for the rest of the weekend, our horse racing this weekend preview covers the Claiming Crown, Belmont and Woodbine.
What Is the Fall Final Four?
The Fall Final Four is the Meadowlands’ season-ending series for 2-year-olds. It also has one final for each gait and sex. So colts and fillies both get a trotting and a pacing championship. All four count as Grade 1 races, and they close a freshman season that started back in the summer.
Valley Victory: 2-Year-Old Colt Trot (Race 8)
Only six colts and geldings go to post in the Valley Victory. It is a small field, but the purse still comes to $383,830. In fact, Marcus Melander sends out two of them, Command Center from post 1 and Gustav Vasa from post 4. Command Center is our starting point, because he has the rail in a small field. He also has Dexter Dunn, who leads the Grand Circuit driver standings. Meanwhile, Ake Svanstedt’s Bentley Blue Chip draws post 3, while Linda Toscano’s New Hope starts from post 2.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Command Center | Dexter Dunn drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 2. New Hope | Joe Bongiorno drives, while Linda Toscano trains |
| 3. Bentley Blue Chip | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ake Svanstedt trains |
| 4. Gustav Vasa | Brett Beckwith drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 5. Once Upon Lindy | Yannick Gingras drives, while Domenico Cecere trains |
| 6. Seven Pledges | Jason Bartlett drives, while Andrew Harris trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. Valley Victory, Race 8, $383,830.
Goldsmith Maid: 2-Year-Old Filly Trot (Race 9)
The Goldsmith Maid is the deepest of the four juvenile finals. Here, 11 fillies chase a $386,830 purse. Birr Castle draws post 2 for Marcus Melander after she won the Breeders Crown 2-Year-Old Filly Trot last month. Melander also has Two Day Hangover in post 6 and Athena’s Girl in post 11.
Two Day Hangover set a track record at Harrah’s Philadelphia in August. That day she won her Pennsylvania Sire Stakes division in 1:53.3. Fast. In fact, Birr Castle had tied the old mark in the other division, so these stablemates have been close all year. Nancy Takter also saddles two, Matchadelite in post 8 and Rio De Janeiro in post 9.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Climatic Hanover | Todd McCarthy drives, while Lucas Wallin trains |
| 2. Birr Castle | Scott Zeron drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 3. Mrs Rattigan | Scott Zeron drives, while Tom Fanning trains |
| 4. Kountry Plunge | Ake Svanstedt drives and also trains |
| 5. Hl Kapara | Tim Tetrick drives, while Harry Landy trains |
| 6. Two Day Hangover | Dexter Dunn drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 7. Nevis Peak | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 8. Matchadelite | Scott Zeron drives, while Nancy Takter trains |
| 9. Rio De Janeiro | Joe Bongiorno drives, while Nancy Takter trains |
| 10. Diana Hanover | Tim Tetrick drives, while Nifty Norman trains |
| 11. Athena's Girl | Dexter Dunn drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. Goldsmith Maid, Race 9, $386,830.
Three Diamonds: 2-Year-Old Filly Pace (Race 10)
Nine fillies contest the $300,000 Three Diamonds. Ron Burke’s Cleveland Darby draws post 3, while the entries name Yannick Gingras to drive. Nancy Takter also has Jk Lady Liberty on the rail and Jk Simcha out in post 9. Brett Pelling also sends two, Jk Alwaysbpositive from post 2 and Holy from post 8. Then Shane Tritton’s Too Pink To Pass adds an outside chance from post 7.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Jk Lady Liberty | Scott Zeron drives, while Nancy Takter trains |
| 2. Jk Alwaysbpositive | Tim Tetrick drives, while Brett Pelling trains |
| 3. Cleveland Darby | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 4. Miss Dolce | Joe Bongiorno drives, while Joe Holloway trains |
| 5. Loyal To The End | Andy McCarthy drives, while Noel Daley trains |
| 6. Tempting Flames | Tim Tetrick drives, while Michael Hitchcock trains |
| 7. Too Pink To Pass | Lauren Tritton drives, while Shane Tritton trains |
| 8. Holy | Todd McCarthy drives, while Brett Pelling trains |
| 9. Jk Simcha | Dexter Dunn drives, while Nancy Takter trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. Three Diamonds, Race 10, $300,000.
Governor’s Cup: 2-Year-Old Colt Pace (Race 11)
The Governor’s Cup closes the night with 11 colts and geldings for $300,000. Ron Burke has four runners, led by Totally Tyler on the rail. Then Eastie Boy, Stonebridge Blitz and Blue Eyed Stranger complete his team. Elsewhere, Tony Alagna’s Debonaire draws post 7, while Joe Holloway sends out Scary Terry and Goal Oriented. So this is the hardest of the four finals to call. With four Burke runners spread across the gate and several of them drawn wide, the early pace could get busy, which would suit a horse with a strong finish.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Totally Tyler | Dexter Dunn drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 2. Wishawave | Tim Tetrick drives, while Linda Toscano trains |
| 3. Scary Terry | Joe Bongiorno drives, while Joe Holloway trains |
| 4. Hades | Tim Tetrick drives, while Brett Pelling trains |
| 5. Billy Hill | Austin Hanners drives, while Todd Luther trains |
| 6. Eastie Boy | Ronnie Wrenn drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 7. Debonaire | Dexter Dunn drives, while Tony Alagna trains |
| 8. Seine | Joe Bongiorno drives and also trains |
| 9. Goal Oriented | Andy Miller drives, while Joe Holloway trains |
| 10. Stonebridge Blitz | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 11. Blue Eyed Stranger | Jason Bartlett drives, while Ron Burke trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. Governor's Cup, Race 11, $300,000.
FanDuel Championships for Older Horses
The FanDuel Championships bring the top 3-year-olds and older horses together for the last time this season. In each division, the top declared horse on points draws from posts 1 to 6. After that, the rest of the field takes an open draw. These four finals run earlier, from Race 4 to Race 7.
FanDuel Open Trot (Race 5)
On To Norway is the horse to beat in the $300,000 Open Trot. Ron Burke’s 4-year-old won the $600,000 Breeders Crown Open Trot at Eldorado Scioto Downs on October 24. In fact, his time of 1:50 was the fastest trotting mile ever at that track. He draws post 2 here, while Super Chapter starts from post 4 for Marcus Melander.
Super Chapter is no soft target, though. Dexter Dunn’s mount has won the Yonkers International Trot, the Maple Leaf Trot and the John Cashman Memorial this year, all Grade 1 races. He also leads the Open Trot points, which is why he drew inside post 4. Even so, On To Norway leads their head-to-head three wins to one, and he caught Super Chapter on the far turn in the Breeders Crown. With the Dan Patch award for older male trotters still close, this one carries real weight.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Aetos Kronos S | Scott Zeron drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 2. On To Norway | Ronnie Wrenn drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 3. Logan Park | Doug McNair drives, while Robert Fellows trains |
| 4. Super Chapter | Dexter Dunn drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 5. French Wine | Jason Bartlett drives, while Nancy Takter trains |
| 6. Up Your Deo | Ake Svanstedt drives and also trains |
| 7. Lexus Kody | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 8. Mr Mouton | Todd McCarthy drives, while Ake Svanstedt trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. FanDuel Open Trot, Race 5, $300,000.
FanDuel Open Pace (Race 7)
The $300,000 Open Pace has a full field of 10, plus two also-eligibles. However, Dandy Ideal, the Breeders Crown Open Pace winner, is not in the field. As a result, this race looks more open than the others. Ron Burke still runs three, Bythemissal from post 2, Calicojack Hanover from post 7 and Swingtown from post 10. Meanwhile, David Menary’s Ervin Hanover draws post 6 with Dexter Dunn.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Oakwood Ardan Ir | Andy McCarthy drives, while Robert Cleary trains |
| 2. Bythemissal | Todd McCarthy drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 3. Prince Hal Hanover | Todd McCarthy drives, while Ian Moore trains |
| 4. Ken Hanover | Tim Tetrick drives, while Roland Mallar trains |
| 5. Women Layer | Yannick Gingras drives, while Virgil Morgan trains |
| 6. Ervin Hanover | Dexter Dunn drives, while David Menary trains |
| 7. Calicojack Hanover | Ronnie Wrenn drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 8. Coaches Corner | Jason Bartlett drives, while Petter Engblom trains |
| 9. Clever Cody | Luke Ebersole drives, while Francois Lecomte trains |
| 10. Swingtown | Jason Bartlett drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| AE1. Surreal Ideal | Jordan Stratton drives, while Vernon Beachy trains |
| AE2. Voukefalas | Jordan Stratton drives, while Michael Russo trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. FanDuel Open Pace, Race 7, $300,000. AE means also-eligible.
FanDuel Mare Trot (Race 4)
Tactical Moni opens the stakes as the clear form pick in a field of six. Marcus Melander’s mare won the $563,380 Breeders Crown Mare Trot in 1:51 last month. Now she draws post 3, and Dexter Dunn takes the drive on the entries. Stablemate Bourbonista S starts from post 2, while Ake Svanstedt’s Warrawee Michelle draws post 4. The purse is $150,000, so it is the smallest of the night. Quality still runs deep.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. R Dutchess | Tim Tetrick drives, while John Butenschoen trains |
| 2. Bourbonista S | Scott Zeron drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 3. Tactical Moni | Dexter Dunn drives, while Marcus Melander trains |
| 4. Warrawee Michelle | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ake Svanstedt trains |
| 5. Woman Of Passion | Scott Zeron drives, while Carter Pinske trains |
| 6. Bravo Angel S | Jason Bartlett drives, while Petter Engblom trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. FanDuel Mare Trot, Race 4, $150,000.
FanDuel Mare Pace (Race 6)
Twin B Joe Fresh brings the biggest record into the $150,000 Mare Pace. Chris Ryder’s mare was the 2024 Dan Patch Horse of the Year. She then won the 2026 Breeders Crown Mare Pace last month, two years after winning the same race. Here she draws post 3, so Dexter Dunn gets another strong drive. Todd Luther has two in Skywalker Sea and Always B Naughty, while Ron Burke runs Champagne Room and Rodeo Drive Deo.
| Post and Horse | Driver and Trainer |
|---|---|
| 1. Talk Curdy To Me | Jason Bartlett drives, while David Menary trains |
| 2. Skywalker Sea | Austin Hanners drives, while Todd Luther trains |
| 3. Twin B Joe Fresh | Dexter Dunn drives, while Chris Ryder trains |
| 4. Champagne Room | Ronnie Wrenn drives, while Ron Burke trains |
| 5. Always B Naughty | Austin Hanners drives, while Todd Luther trains |
| 6. Louies Girl N | Jason Bartlett drives, while Petter Engblom trains |
| 7. Rocket Deo | Tim Tetrick drives, while Brett Pelling trains |
| 8. Rodeo Drive Deo | Yannick Gingras drives, while Ron Burke trains |
Drivers and posts come from the Meadowlands entries page at the draw, so check for program changes before you bet. FanDuel Mare Pace, Race 6, $150,000.
Our Picks for Meadowlands Championship Night
Our strongest call comes in the Open Trot. So we side with On To Norway from post 2. He has beaten Super Chapter in three of their four meetings, so we see no reason to oppose him here. We also stick with the Breeders Crown winners in both mare finals, Tactical Moni and Twin B Joe Fresh.
The juvenile finals look tougher, though. In the Goldsmith Maid, we take Birr Castle on top, with Two Day Hangover as the stablemate who can turn the tables. Then Command Center gets our vote in the Valley Victory. For the two pacing finals, we would rather spread our bets. That goes double, of course, for an 11-runner Governor’s Cup.
Drivers, Posts and Program Changes
Several drivers appear on more than one horse at the draw. So expect some changes once the program comes out. For example, the entries list Scott Zeron on three fillies in the Goldsmith Maid. They also list Dexter Dunn on two colts in the Governor’s Cup. Check the final program or the MyWinners app before you bet.
Bet Meadowlands Championship Night on MyWinners
In short, eight stakes, three Breeders Crown winners and four new juvenile champions make Saturday a standout harness card. The stakes start with Race 4 soon after the 6:20pm ET first post. So get your bets in early and follow every mile live.
Bet online at app.mywinners.com, on the MyWinners: Racing & Sports app on iOS or Android, or go here to find your nearest MyWinners or Winners venue in CT.
