NEW JERSEY RACING: Major date cuts, Swamp closure?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

The Meadowlands, don't laugh, has an excellent turf course.

I find that horses that race well over the BigM turf course seem to excell everywhere there is turf

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

The Meadowlands, don't laugh, has an excellent turf course.

Why wouldn't it? It only get used for one month a year. The rest of the time those damn geese are fertilizing it.

[the_fat_man]

Both these tracks really need to be shut down for TB racing. Until/unless they're able to offer FAIR racing, you're not going to get many players interested in what they have to offer. Even the diehard speed-freak dirt players have their limits; apparently.

Too much other, more interesting/challenging racing being offered at other venues to keep these subpar tracks around just for the sake of having racing in New Jersey.

Take the lead; never look back; get a high Beyer. Right

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

Why wouldn't it? It only get used for one month a year. The rest of the time those damn geese are fertilizing it.

True, just saying. Run turf only night cards on weekends.

[2MinsToPost]

Quality over quanitity

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

True, just saying. Run turf only night cards on weekends.

I don't think that they can fill 2 nights of turf races. Also I personally don't think that they need to race 5 days a week (Monmouth for that matter as well). Maybe a solution could be to race 3 days a week. Friday and Saturday night cards along with either a Monday or Tuesday afternoon card to take advantage of NY being dark.

[HaloWishingwell]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

No cash, no racing. This state is beyond broke. Corzine was the biggest criminial going.

Corzine followed a list of crooks and gay ones too.

[randallscott35]

Originally Posted by HaloWishingwell

Corzine followed a list of crooks and gay ones too.

Yep, we've got plenty here.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

The Meadowlands, don't laugh, has an excellent turf course.

Remember when they ran the harness race on it?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by randallscott35

True, just saying. Run turf only night cards on weekends.

It would be ugly if they got a bunch of rain

[2 Dollar Bill]

Ever since Garden State became a shopping mall & Atlantic City runs a 10 day meet, the state has been cut off, for live racing. Lets see go over the bridge to the pha, or Delware park & gee.. guess what...both tracks have slots. Sure the casinos have race books, but to see live racing you either have to travel out of state (which is closer ) , or travel up to middle / north jersey. Its a damm shame what has happen to Atlantic City Race Course, a wonderful place to spend a summers nite.

[randallscott35]

Nothing like Jersey cops. Look at this guy and try not to laugh.

http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.s...hoboken_s.html

[slotdirt]

I still miss Garden State. That was a great track.

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by 2 Dollar Bill

Ever since Garden State became a shopping mall & Atlantic City runs a 10 day meet, the state has been cut off, for live racing. Lets see go over the bridge to the pha, or Delware park & gee.. guess what...both tracks have slots. Sure the casinos have race books, but to see live racing you either have to travel out of state (which is closer ) , or travel up to middle / north jersey. Its a damm shame what has happen to Atlantic City Race Course, a wonderful place to spend a summers nite.

I agree 100%. Grew up in South Jersey and used to go to both Garden State and Atlantic City Race Course. Now all the racing (two tracks for the fraction of the year as you well know) is in North Jersey.

I miss Garden State. I thought it was a nice facility. But you know, South Jersey can never have enough shopping malls

[jms62]

Originally Posted by sammy

not necessarily. they have some decent size fields for their races. they are certainly better or equal to the regular 5 horse fields at golden gate, fairplex or portland downs.

besides, the closing of any racing meets is not good for the sport anywhere. i wouldn't want it to happen to to any state. a lot of people would miss going to see thorobred racing in n.j. just as they would at all the smaller meets.
this is the time when creative minds should think of ways of making it work instead of how to give up and get rid of it.


if they had balls: cancel online wagering and you would see how many people would go to the meadowlands. (just 10 minutes from NYC and 10 million people)

Wow what is your next suggestion cancel online brokerage accounts and brokers and require us to show up at the exchanges to purchase stock.

[MaTH716]

Originally Posted by sammy

not necessarily. they have some decent size fields for their races. they are certainly better or equal to the regular 5 horse fields at golden gate, fairplex or portland downs.

besides, the closing of any racing meets is not good for the sport anywhere. i wouldn't want it to happen to to any state. a lot of people would miss going to see thorobred racing in n.j. just as they would at all the smaller meets.
this is the time when creative minds should think of ways of making it work instead of how to give up and get rid of it.


if they had balls: cancel online wagering and you would see how many people would go to the meadowlands. (just 10 minutes from NYC and 10 million people)

That is such a bad idea on so many levels. Besides, have you ever been to the Meadowlands on a week when there is no live racing going on or even a dark night there? It rivals the Port Authority depot in the city. Let's just say that people wouldn't be rushing back.

[richard burch]

judge for yourself


http://www.thebigm.com/sharedimages/Attendance09.pdf

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/n...tml?mode=story

•90 percent of the approximately $89 million bet through NJAW last year came on its Web site, 4NJBets.com, which has been online since 2004.
•Horse racing is the only legal form of Internet sports betting under federal laws, due to the 1961 Wire Act. Several Web sites such as YouBet.com allow bettors around the country to gamble online. However, New Jersey is one of 13 states — the only one in the Northeast — whose residents are not allowed to bet on those sites. The only site where New Jersey residents can legally bet online is 4NJBets.com.

[Kasept]

As New Jersey Tightens Its Belt, the Racing Industry Holds Its Breath
By BILL FINLEY
Published: January 30, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/sp....html?emc=eta1

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.

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.”

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.

“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.”

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Kasept

As New Jersey Tightens Its Belt, the Racing Industry Holds Its Breath
By BILL FINLEY
Published: January 30, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/sp....html?emc=eta1

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.

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.”

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.

“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.”

Atlantic City can not compete with Slots in Pa. NY. CT and De. and perhaps Md. soon. AC needs to funnel as much money as they can back into their core business. The whole city depends on the success of those casinos (unfortunately). The horses will find homes were there are dollars available and the drivers will go there to drive them. I really don't get the worry unless your John Cambell and dont feel like moving your family etc. As for the beautiful Monmouth, They can develop a wonderful short boutique meet jammed with bigger fields and higher purses. Those dates will become important and we will see nice full fields with purses that work for the quality of horse that will train and race those 10 weeks.

Remember the Hamiltonian moved to Meadowlands, the Cane Pace and Messenger moved.. Tracks close all the time this is nothing new..

[pointman]

The Meadowlands was a big part of the reason that Roosevelt Raceway closed down and Yonkers nearly did. For once, Jersey can't try to steal money from New York at the Meadowlands because of their refusal to compete against Atlantic City. As Freddy rightly says, if the Meadowlands closes down both the Thoroughbred and Harness industry will disperse to surrounding states. Yonkers likely will be the big beneficiary and be restored back to the status it should be as the premier Harness racing facility in the U.S. (though I wish they could install a mile track or at least a 5/8 track as it creates more interesting betting races than a 1/2 mile track) and regain some of the races that should be in New York anyway, such as the Messinger and the Cane Pace.

This is the unfortunate reality of the racing business, but some contraction of racing facilities is not necessarily bad for the sport. As for John Campbell, he's rode at Yonkers as well when the money is right and a few miles over the George Washington Bridge to Yonkers will not kill him. Hopefully Monmouth will survive as that is a truly nice facility. However, the reality is that unless these facilities can find a way to be profitable, their end is only a matter of time.