NEW JERSEY RACING: Major date cuts, Swamp closure?
 

Future of NJSEA, Meadowlands and Monmouth addressed in this recco and includes possibility ending TB racing at the Swamp and a cut of MTH down to 50 days... Fifty race days would be 10 weeks of 5 day racing or 12+ weeks of 4 day/week racing. Under the current scenario in New Jersey, 50 seems a little light and 91 too much.




Panel out to cut New Jersey races
By Matt Hegarty

http://www.drf.com/news/article/110351.html

Contending that the "status quo is not sustainable," a draft report from a committee examining the finances and future of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority has recommended that Monmouth Park hold a 50-day Thoroughbred meet and that the Meadowlands cease hosting Thoroughbred races altogether.

The recommendations, if implemented, would pare the live racing schedule in New Jersey by 91 dates. The report indicates that the 2010 budget for the sports authority's racing operations estimates losses of $13 million under the current racing schedule, which, under an agreement with horsemen in the state, calls for 141 live racing dates a year through 2016.

"We encourage consideration of all the options to make horse racing self-sustaining, including consolidation of racing statewide," the report's authors wrote. "The ultimate goal is to continue to have live racing at a venue where the Sports Authority and its [offtrack betting] system can operate without a subsidy."

Separately, the report states that "without outside financial resources, the authority will be forced to discontinue racing operations in 2010."

Dennis Drazin, the former president of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said the report's recommendations had "no chance" of implementation this year because of the existing contract guaranteeing racing dates. Drazin negotiated the existing contract, but he has been prohibited from carrying on any other negotiations because of his recent appointment to the New Jersey Racing Commission.

"They have a contract, they have an obligation to race those days," Drazin said. "I don't think there's any serious backing to the threat" to shut down racing at the two tracks.

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

Spin the bottle once again. There will be a full race calendar in NJ this year. Every time there's money problems they threaten to bulldoze the Meadowlands- instead, how about admitting what a debacle the Xanadu project has been and taking the writeoff there???

Save the Meadowlands!

BTW from what I have been told directly from NJSEA officer's directly many a retailor have been paying rent for a some time and they have little choice but to continue.. It really is a mess

Why?

Going from the JCGC to the Meadowlands is some of the best times I've had at the track. It's a fun place to go.

Hard to believe Meadowlands is at risk with the sulkies...

But I am curious what people feel about maintaining the TB meet?

Is it really a necessary set of dates? Wouldn't those horses simply gravitate to Belmont/Aqueduct and Philadelphia and help fill fields there? This is an ideal candidate for the 'less racing is better racing' discussion.

There you go!

It's ok you can go to JCGC then to Mahattan get all dolled up have a great dinner and still have a great time.. Now need for more races

I actually do agree with this theory and was more or less half joking with my "save the Meadowlands" because I've had fun at that track.

As someone who deeply loves racing it is slighty depressing that the best option may be in closing of tracks and that we can't sustain ourselves as we are.

Agree with this but it sure is a fun place for night racing. There's a lot worse tracks out there.

Go look at the next Fasig Tipton mixed sale catalog.. You will see why racing needs to contract. broodmares that have had 8 foals without any success still being bred. Yearlings from never raced mares from marginal stallions at best. They have 300 odd animals of which 200 plus shouldnt have been created IF racing was serious about policing itself.

I think it's good for people that don't have a chance to play during the day. I know I personally enjoy it. Also I think the night racing draws different people to the track. Whether it's the company parties up in the Pegasus (I know we have had plenty of them) or it a couple of college buddies hitting the track before going out on a Friday night. I just think it could be a different type of entertainment option for people looking for something different to do at night. Hopefully people will enjoy the expierence and want to come back.

50 days at MTH is too short. That wouldn't even span Memorial Day to Haskell Day, assumeing 5 race-day weeks. That short a meet would send me into a depression.

I agree.

The Meadowlands would be much better off as strictly a harness track. Run Monmouth till the middle of October and kill the rest of the dates.

but what will become of The Pegasus Stakes ?

Run it at Atlantic City on the turf in April

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