NEW JERSEY RACING: Major date cuts, Swamp closure?

[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.