[Brewers in 7]

As New Jersey Tightens Its Belt, the Racing Industry Holds Its Breath



By BILL FINLEY
Published: January 30, 2010
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Meadowlands Racetrack has had some of the highest-quality harness racing in the country and dozens of the sport’s most important races. But in recent years, the track has become a money-losing drain on the state of New Jersey, which now threatens its survival.

Skip to next paragraph Enlarge This Image
Bill Denver/Equi-Photo, via Associated Press
Thoroughbreds in 2007 at Meadowlands Racetrack, which may have to drastically cut back on racing to save money.



A report issued this month by a committee put together by Gov. Christopher J. Christie before his inauguration to come up with solutions to the financial problems of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority made several suggestions that, if put in place, could all but gut the state’s racing industry. The suggestions included possibly closing Meadowlands Racetrack and drastically reducing the number of racing days at Monmouth Park.
The Sports and Exposition Authority is a state-run agency that owns the Meadowlands, Monmouth Park and portions of the state’s off-track betting system. The committee projected that the Meadowlands and Monmouth would lose a combined $22 million in 2010, a loss some lawmakers find difficult to justify given the state’s fiscal crisis.
In the report, the committee insisted that “the status quo is not sustainable” when it came to New Jersey racing.
“We know that the frankness of that report will have raised fears with certain interested groups and constituencies,” said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie. “In a sense, we’re glad that happened because if it wasn’t clear to everyone that these are the realities, it should be clear.”
The report calls for live thoroughbred racing in the state to be reduced to 50 days, 91 fewer than were run in 2009 at Meadowlands and Monmouth. Monmouth is scheduled to conduct a 93-day meet in 2010.
The report also calls for the state to consider closing the Meadowlands track and selling the property for commercial development or turning it into a Nascar facility.
It goes on to warn that “without outside financial resources, the authority will be forced to discontinue racing operations in 2010.”
John Campbell, the leading driver in career wins and earnings at Meadowlands, said that “anybody who takes this report lightly is sadly mistaken.”
Campbell said, “The governor put the committee together for a reason, and if this is what they are recommending, this is a scary situation.”
With racing dates set for 2010 and with contracts with thoroughbred horsemen’s groups guaranteeing 141 racing days, it may be difficult to make any major changes this year. Horsemen expressed worries about the future, however.
“If they follow through with some of these recommendations, is it the end of racing in New Jersey? Yes, it will be the end of racing in New Jersey,” said Tom Luchento, the president of the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey. “They’ll be leaving New Jersey in caravans for tracks for other states.”
Horse racing has been struggling throughout the country, but some states, including New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware, have improved the quality of racing with subsidies from slot machines. That has helped funnel gambling dollars away from the New Jersey tracks.
New Jersey tracks have not been allowed to have slot machines, largely because of the political clout of the Atlantic City casino operators, who do not want in-state competition.
Neither Christie nor his predecessor, Jon S. Corzine, has been a proponent of racetrack slots. The report implored the industry to come up with additional means of financing to save itself, but it made no mention of adding slots at Monmouth or Meadowlands.
Mike Gulotta, a harness horse breeder, was the only member of the 13-member committee with ties to the racing industry, which, some critics maintain, is why the final report held out so little promise for the industry.
“The report favored what has traditionally been the casino’s position, which is nothing for horse racing,” said Barbara DeMarco, a lobbyist who represents thoroughbred owners, trainers and breeders in the state.
With slot machines nowhere on the horizon and with Christie likely to demand that the tracks find a way to stem their tide of red ink, Meadowlands and Monmouth officials may have to consider large reductions in racing schedules and drastic cuts in purses, industry officials say.
But that could lead to poorer-quality racing and only accelerate declines in betting handles at both tracks, industry officials say.
“Everybody understands the situation and how serious it is,” said Bob Kulina, the general manager for thoroughbred racing at Monmouth and Meadowlands. “What we have to do now is come up with some sort of solution.”

[Busterflywheel]

Great write up...thanks for posting article... How did you do today harness racing?

[Brewers in 7]

only bet those 2 horses at the mlands, wps, 2nd one paid 5+ and 5 place and show so i lost a little but not too bad

[cecil127]

how ironic! the gambling industry in nj wont allow slots in their tracks, hoping it will push folks to the casinos, yet the majority of the people who frequent these same casinos are now able to (and are) head to surrounding states tracks for their one armed bandit/video poker fixes...

i for one can speak for the increased purses and quality of races at Chester Downs despite me never dropping a dime in any of their machines. The casino or, "racino" as they like to call them actually saved the day for Vernon Downs in NY (believe it or not)

would hate to see the big m fold though....tough times with tough decisions lay ahead.

[Reload]

Can't imagine the Big M ever being closed! That would be a huge black eye to racing.

I can't see them adding slots, but there's got to be more they can do. Shortening the number of days seems like a halfway decent idea though. No sense having cards filled with $10,000 claimers.

[Brewers in 7]

the NJSEA is a joke and basically the whole situation is ridiculous, they are letting millions and millions of dollars go to Yonkers raceway not too far away, but wont let racetracks have slots...

[bluefish]

I miss atlantic city racecourse. I'm not that old but near the end the fields were small and the quality of racing was poor. They still race like 6 days in the spring to keep the simulcasting license.

[Brewers in 7]

I miss atlantic city racecourse. I'm not that old but near the end the fields were small and the quality of racing was poor. They still race like 6 days in the spring to keep the simulcasting license.

I ran a horse there like 4 years ago, was a ton of fun going down there, was kinda like a party atmosphere on the backside, everyone drinking, bbq's goin was fun, horse got beat a nose right on the wire which sucked but it was a good place to go, i also was at garden state many a night, another lower level track gone bye bye... used to race harness and tbreds there

[jw]

It isn't just NJ racing that's in trouble ... a lot of tracks are on their last legs ... here in Tulsa we have a track ... the problem .. meetings run throughout the summer when it is 100+ degrees outside .. and there is no "inside" air conditioned room where you can view the races from .... you can go into the sports bar next door and watch the races on the tv screens - but then whats the point of going to the track? I may as well be at home watching on my computer .... end result - i go to the track three or four times a year instead of 3 times a week.

If you want me to go racing - at least make me want to be there by making it comfortable for me ... !!

[sq764]

You could see this coming from a mile away.. Without slots, they're f*cked...

Chester Downs, Dover Downs, Yonkers all offering huge purses year round.. And at these tracks you dont have to go 1:52 and change to cash a check.. Quite a shame, as meadowlands used to be the pinnacle of racing. Now its pathetic to see Souther Cal t-bred type fields at times

[InTheRed]

As much as it would be sad to see the Big M go, especially with it being only a 10 minute drive away, bringing in a NASCAR event would be HUGE to the state and the area surrounding it.

[joeyp1222]

how ironic! The gambling industry in nj wont allow slots in their tracks, hoping it will push folks to the casinos, yet the majority of the people who frequent these same casinos are now able to (and are) head to surrounding states tracks for their one armed bandit/video poker fixes...

I for one can speak for the increased purses and quality of races at chester downs despite me never dropping a dime in any of their machines. The casino or, "racino" as they like to call them actually saved the day for vernon downs in ny (believe it or not)

would hate to see the big m fold though....tough times with tough decisions lay ahead.

and the slots is whats keeping tioga downs together in new york

[sq764]

As much as it would be sad to see the Big M go, especially with it being only a 10 minute drive away, bringing in a NASCAR event would be HUGE to the state and the area surrounding it.

could you imagine the congestion around that complex??

I know the traffic when I head up for Meadowlands Saturday night racing.. Imagine 10-15 times that amount of cars

[Brewers in 7]

these older tracks are too big too, Meadowlands has 3 floors that you can hang out on, and thats not including the pegasus restaurant upstairs, has to cost a ton to operate it, now a place like chester just the racing part, is one floor, they have machines right at your seat if you get one, plenty of other machines to bet at, tvs around, lot of outside seating, just a nice place to go and spend a day...

[robmpink]

Meadowlands is most def too big, but thats just the way it is. Geez, can't they close a floor or something to reduce costs?

[robmpink]

I ran a horse there like 4 years ago, was a ton of fun going down there, was kinda like a party atmosphere on the backside, everyone drinking, bbq's goin was fun, horse got beat a nose right on the wire which sucked but it was a good place to go, i also was at garden state many a night, another lower level track gone bye bye... used to race harness and tbreds there

I rememeber betting those two tracks. Geez when did GS go up? Maybe like 95ish? AC was done probably by 1997ish. I want to go to one of the ac limited meets. I wonder how much $$$ are in the pools.

Remember Foxborough? They had like 5 horses in each race.

[cobra_king]

As someone who races horses at the Meadowlands, this fear has been a reality for a while. Slots are pretty much a no go and realistically without government support this track won't have a future. And tho i live in Ontario and race most of the time on the Woodbine/Mohawk circuit, the Big M closing would be a serious blow to the future of the sport.

[Busterflywheel]

only bet those 2 horses at the mlands, wps, 2nd one paid 5+ and 5 place and show so i lost a little but not too bad

Not too bad Again it sucks about them reducing number of races at meadowland...or does it??

[Brewers in 7]

I rememeber betting those two tracks. Geez when did GS go up? Maybe like 95ish? AC was done probably by 1997ish. I want to go to one of the ac limited meets. I wonder how much $$$ are in the pools.

Remember Foxborough? They had like 5 horses in each race.

i was over at Garden State 2001 maybe was the last year, the Atlantic city cards are good betting cards, full field turf races, usually get a lot of longshots come in, as they have a lot of cheap races which most tracks never have on the grass