 |
New Jersey Racing News
|
________________________________
LIGHTS ON THE CODEY AGENDA FOR MONMOUTH PARK IN 2005
Oceanport Racing Report.com
New Jersey Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex), has told the Asbury Park Press that he is interested in the possibility of installing lights to run live evening programs during the Monmouth Park 2005 meeting on Wednesday through Friday nights. The move would be geared to take advantage of the shore nightlife and to get the beachgoers back to the track during the week. In addition, the move would also create a void in the national summer simulcast card where Monmouth would be strategically positioned to take advantage of weak night racing simulcast cards further strengthening revenue.
"I’d like to run Monmouth at night Wednesday through Friday as a way of trying to put a new look on an old meet that has fallen on harder times," Codey said as he went on to comment, "It might even attract a bit of a younger crowd that could be the next generation of racing fans."
Codey is set to become New Jersey’s acting governor following the official resignation of Governor Jim McGreevey on November 15. Codey has also recently asked that the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates Monmouth and the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, discontinue its quest to find a partner operator to lease the tracks. That story is listed under the previous October 26, 2004 article on this page.
_________________________________
NJSEA ENDS BID PROCESS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Ed DeRosa in the Thoroughbred Times is reporting that New Jersey Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) has asked the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates the Meadowlands in East Rutherford and Monmouth Park in Oceanport, to end its search for a leasing partner until he can thoroughly review the health of racing and casino industries in the state.
Codey will become the state’s acting governor following the official resignation of Jim McGreevey, and he already has committed his support "to ensure that Monmouth Park is restored to its original glory and that horse racing in New Jersey once again thrives."
Jim DeBosh, a spokesman for the authority, said that Codey’s edict would not affect account wagering or the casino subsidy that the tracks currently receive for purses. He also noted that as a government agency, the authority would fully support Codey’s decisions.
The authority has pledged $15-million in improvements to Monmouth in advance of the 2007 Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships and Codey said in his letter published on October 12 in the Asbury Park Press that he intends "to work closely with Sports Authority President George Zoffinger on these improvements and on other ways to revitalize the horse racing industry throughout the state."
________________________________
MID-ATLANTIC COOPERATIVE & NYRA REACH SIGNAL AGREEMENT
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times is reporting that just in time for Wednesday’s opening day program at Aqueduct, the Mid-Atlantic Cooperative reached an agreement on Tuesday to simulcast New York Racing Association races.
The cooperative began a boycott of the Belmont Park simulcast signal on September 14 because of a NYRA exclusivity deal with Television Games Network that precludes residents in New Hampshire and Virginia from wagering on NYRA races through their in-state account wagering providers without those providers first reaching an agreement with TVG.
Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Massachusetts, broke ranks from the cooperative on October 21 and struck an independent deal with NYRA to offer the Belmont signal. The new cooperative-NYRA deal restores the signal at all cooperative tracks and through account wagering providers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Additional terms of the contract were not released.
"It was the co-ops intention to seek to work with NYRA to provide the best presentation of the races in the Mid-Atlantic region," said Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Executive Director Martin Lieberman said. "I regret the parties’ interruption of simulcasts during the recent Belmont meeting."
___________________________________
A PITCHED BATTLE OVER NYRA SIGNAL: IMPASSE OVER IN-HOME BETTING RIGHTS
By MATT HEGARTY, Daily Racing Form
The monthlong battle between a group of mid-Atlantic tracks and the New York Racing Association over the rights to broadcast and take bets on races from Belmont Park is the product of long-simmering tensions among competing account-wagering companies, according to interviews with racing officials involved in the dispute.
Tracks that belong to a group called the MidAtlantic Cooperative dropped the Belmont signal on Sept. 15, blocking fans in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Hampshire from betting on the region's most popular races and costing the tracks involved millions of dollars in simulcast fees and purse revenues.
The mid-Atlantic region has become a battleground for account-wagering companies eager to win over a relatively small but rapidly expanding group of horseplayers: people who bet at home over the Internet or by telephone. That battle, increasingly fought out by lobbyists and lawmakers, has paradoxically limited the choices of mid-Atlantic horseplayers at a time when account wagering is becoming more widely available and reliable.
In the past several years, lobbyists for racetracks in the mid-Atlantic region, including Philadelphia Park, have helped to craft laws or regulations that restrict which account-wagering operations can take bets from state residents. The push for restrictions is at the heart of the Belmont signal dispute and underscores what is at stake for account-wagering companies: customers who can provide a lucrative revenue stream. As the companies increasingly carve up exclusive territory, the fight for customers is straining relationships, not only among competing companies but also with racetrack operators like NYRA.
The Belmont dispute stems from an agreement that NYRA signed in September with Television Games Network, the horse racing broadcasting and account-wagering company. The agreement splits in two the rights to NYRA's signal, allowing NYRA to continue to sell its signal to other racetracks and simulcast sites but giving TVG exclusive "in-home" rights to broadcast NYRA races over cable television systems, with some exemptions, and on the Internet. These in-home rights were previously assigned to the mid-Atlantic tracks in their cooperative simulcast contract with NYRA, an agreement that expired in early September at the close of the Saratoga meeting. The TVG contract was signed while NYRA and the cooperative were in negotiations to renew the simulcast agreement. NYRA operates Aqueduct, Belmont, and Saratoga.
There are no indications that the dispute will be resolved soon. NYRA officials have said that the association is limited by its agreement with TVG, which included an up-front payment to NYRA of millions of dollars. TVG officials have told the cooperative that TVG can negotiate only with individual racetracks because of the diversity of laws among mid-Atlantic states, officials for both sides said. The mid-Atlantic tracks have insisted that NYRA - not TVG - assign the in-home rights to the NYRA signal. The result has been a stalemate.
TVG, which is available in 23 million homes over cable television systems and satellite networks, is supported by many racetracks and horsemen's groups, along with the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Nearly all of the mid-Atlantic tracks operate account-wagering companies that compete with TVG, although on a much varied scale. TVG is owned by Gemstar-TV Guide, a large telecommunications company, and has lost at least $100 million since its launch five years ago. The account companies owned by mid-Atlantic tracks operate on much smaller budgets even as they turn out relatively large profits.
Many horsemen's groups support TVG because the network is widely available and because the company returns more money to tracks and horsemen in regions where it takes wagers through source-market fees. The fees add up to approximately 13.5 percent of each dollar wagered, an amount that officials acknowledge is higher on average than the fees offered by any other account-wagering company.
Despite that model, many racetrack officials and fans have been critical of TVG's practice of signing tracks to exclusive agreements, claiming that the deals limit the number of racetracks offered by competing account-wagering services. The critics contend that TVG wields its exclusive rights like a club to gain access to markets and expand the number of tracks available over its network.
TVG's exclusivity strategy, initially designed to create incentive for cable networks to carry the channel, has softened over the years. The company first began to offer nonexclusive contracts for some tracks and then began licensing its exclusive tracks to other outlets, including two competing account-wagering operations, Youbet.com and AmericaTab. TVG keeps the vast majority of revenue from bets made by customers of its licensing partners.
TVG officials declined to comment for this article. TVG's agreement with NYRA, however, likely represented another evolution in its exclusivity strategy. By separating the in-home rights in the NYRA deal, TVG is forcing account-wagering companies in states where TVG is prohibited from operating - such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey - to negotiate with TVG for racetrack signals.
Bruce Garland, the executive vice president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, said the mid-Atlantic tracks had refused to sign the Belmont deal because the cooperative has "no interest in signing a short-term deal that would hurt us in the long run." Garland said that the authority would be prohibited from showing Belmont's races over the Internet or in homes if the authority signed the contract with NYRA.
New Jersey plans to launch an Internet account-wagering operation by Oct. 30, four years after a law was signed authorizing telephone and Internet betting but restricting the practice to a company composed of licensed racetracks in the state. One of the company's partners is Philadelphia Park, which is part-owner of a Freehold Raceway in New Jersey.
When asked why the authority had not signed a deal for the Belmont signal - which would allow Belmont races to be simulcast at New Jersey racetracks - and then negotiate with TVG over the in-home rights to Belmont's races, Garland said that TVG had offered to exchange the in-home rights if TVG could buy the authority's races from Monmouth and the Meadowlands for 2 percent of the handle. Typically, simulcast rates average 3.5 percent.
"We're not going to make a separate deal like that at half the price of what other people pay us," Garland said.
Although TVG officials declined to comment, one TVG official said privately that TVG had not negotiated with any individual tracks because of the MidAtlantic Cooperative's insistence on one deal for all its tracks with NYRA.
Hal Handel, the chief executive officer of Philadelphia Park, said that
Philadelphia Park could "theoretically" cut its own deal with TVG over the Belmont in-home rights but has declined to do so.
"If TVG is insistent that our customers not be able to bet on Belmont,"
Handel said, "I suppose that is their right."
Marty Lieberman, the executive director of the MidAtlantic Cooperative, who is also general counsel for Daily Racing Form, said the cooperative held several discussions with TVG officials recently but declined to give details.
"These are the first discussions we've had in a long time," Lieberman said, "so that's helpful. Still, I discern no progress."
With the growth of account wagering and casinos and the accompanying laws and restrictions, the mid-Atlantic region has become particularly contentious among gambling companies.
In Pennsylvania earlier this year, lobbyists for Philadelphia Park inserted a provision into a bill legalizing slot machines at state racetracks that limits account-wagering to licensed state racetracks. That has shut out all account-wagering companies except the ones run by Philadelphia Park, Penn National, and The Meadows, a harness track owned by Magna Entertainment Corp. Magna's account-wagering operation, XpressBet, has declined to provide the signals from Magna tracks to most other account-wagering companies.
Handel said the provision limiting account wagering to Pennsylvania tracks is "a good law" because racetracks and horsemen "should have the ability to dictate what is going on in their own state."
But the restriction runs counter to the business plan of Phonebet, an operation run by Philadelphia Park that takes wagers from residents of any state in which account wagering is not explicitly illegal. When asked if Phonebet could survive if every state in the country adopted a similar law - which would limit Phonebet to Pennsylvania customers - Handel said that it could, provided exceptions were made for established national wagering companies. No exception exists in the Pennsylvania law.
In New Jersey, the law that limits account wagering to the company operated by the New Jersey sports authority was written by officials from the authority and Philadelphia Park, according to regulators and horsemen. Philadelphia Park bought New Jersey's Freehold Raceway with Penn National Inc., another Pennsylvania-based racetrack owner and account-wagering operator, making them both part of New Jersey's account-wagering company.
Because of that relationship, Philadelphia Park will retain revenues from the New Jersey account-wagering operation when it begins accepting bets later this year. In addition, the New Jersey system will use Phonebet's technical platform to process the state's bets, officials from the authority and Philadelphia Park said.
In Virginia, state rules allow the racing commission to award multiple licenses, but to date the commission has awarded only one, to Colonial Downs, the only racetrack in the state. Colonial's operation, also called Phonebet, is managed by Philadelphia Park. Four other account-wagering companies - TVG, Youbet.com, Americatab, and XpressBet - have applied for licenses, according to commission officials, but the law requires the companies to reach agreements with Colonial before they can apply for a license. No deals have been reached yet.
Stan Bowker, the executive director of the Virginia Racing Commission, said that regulators planned to discuss whether to remove or alter the language that requires a deal to be struck between the account-wagering companies and Colonial Downs.
"Our commission would like to have as many account-wagering companies as possible," Bowker said, "because that's going to be the best result for our fans."
Colonial officials did not return a phone call Tuesday.
In New Hampshire, only licensed state racetracks can run account-wagering operations, according to Paul Kelley, the executive director of the New Hampshire Racing Commission. The account-wagering operation at Rockingham Park used to be run by Philadelphia Park, according to the track's general manager, Eddie Callahan. Rockingham installed its own system two years ago, Callahan said.
"Philly did a real nice job for us, but we thought it might be a better idea to keep everything up here in New Hampshire," Callahan said.
Callahan, whose track is a member of the MidAtlantic Cooperative, said that TVG had no right to offer betting in New Hampshire.
"To be honest, phone wagering isn't a big part of our operation, so it makes a lot of sense to get this resolved," Callahan said. "But I'm not sure that NYRA is capable of resolving it, and I don't think TVG wants to."
Along with racing fans, horsemen in the region are caught in the middle of the dispute. Dennis Drazin, the counsel to the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said it was costing horsemen in New Jersey millions in purse revenues because Belmont is the most popular simulcast signal. The horsemen's group is considering a lawsuit against the cooperative, Drazin said.
Alan Foreman, the chairman of the Maryland-based National Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, an umbrella group for horsemen in the mid-Atlantic region, said the dispute was not only damaging horseplayers and racetracks, but was also benefiting the company that the mid-Atlantic tracks were unhappy with: TVG.
"You can't bet Belmont at the tracks in Maryland, but you can bet it on TVG, and TVG is on just about every cable system," said Foreman, a supporter of TVG. "So what are our horseplayers doing? They are staying at home and betting Belmont on their TVG accounts."
_______________________________
NEW JERSEY ACCOUNT WAGERING WEBSITE DEBUTS TODAY
Big M.com
There is a new address for horse racing in New Jersey -- www.4njbets.com
The new website, which debuted October 15, offers information and applications for New Jersey residents to sign up for account wagering on the state’s four racetracks – Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, Atlantic City Racecourse and Freehold Raceway – as well as the tracks from which these tracks take simulcasting signals.
Wagering through the 4NJBETS will be rolled out
before the end of the month and initially the account wagering will be by
Internet-only. An automated phone system will be operational by the end
of the year.
The first step is to set
up a wagering account by filling out the online application and returning
it in person to one of the four racetracks or by mail to New Jersey
Account Wagering, Meadowlands Racetrack, 50 Route 120, East Rutherford,
New Jersey 07073. The application process requires proof of New Jersey
residency, Social Security number, proof of age [must be 18 or older] and
a completed IRS W-9 form.
The
initial deposit minimum is $50. Deposits may be made at one of the New
Jersey tracks with cash or a betting voucher. Mailed in deposits must be
in the form of a check or money order [made out to NJAW or New Jersey
Account Wagering] with the deposit slip provided after registration. All
personal checks written on a New Jersey bank are subject to a
five-business-day hold [out of state banks have a 10-day hold]. Credit
card replenishment [VISA or Mastercard only] is possible once the credit
card is registered with New Jersey Account Wagering. Information on
credit card restrictions and fees is available online or from the NJAW
business office.
To contact the New Jersey Account Wagering business
office between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., e-mail to
4NJBets@njsea.com, call 201-460-4141 or fax
201-748-5255.
_________________________________
DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR NEW JERSEY TRACK LEASES
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times is reporting that after receiving just five bids by its September 30 deadline, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority has extended the deadline for interested parties to submit a bid to lease the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park by three weeks.
Authority Chief Executive George Zoffinger confirmed that Magna Entertainment Corp. and Churchill Downs Inc. were among the five bidders as was a casino company, but he did not provide any information about the two other bidders, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
The authority returned the five bids unopened to the parties who made them. Zoffinger said that he hopes the extension will generate more interest in the facilities, which he thinks could lease long term for $300-million. Earlier this week, Zoffinger said that money from the leasing agreement could go toward funding a Major League Baseball stadium at the Meadowlands complex in East Rutherford.
_________________________________
ACCOUNT WAGERING GETS OK IN JERSEY
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Various sources are reporting that the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority's account wagering application
was approved by the state racing commission at its agenda meeting on Thursday at Monmouth Park. With the racing commissions approval the only regulatory hurdle left to get the platform up and running is the approval of Attorney General Peter Harvey, who reserves the right to override the commission's approval. Harvey has the option to either approve or disapprove or take no action within a short time frame. Without opposition from Harvey account wagering is expected to be up and running by October 30, the day of the Breeders' Cup. The account wagering system will only take bets from New Jersey residents, as the system owned by the state's racetracks are the only licensed venues for such a platform in which to place bets on horse races in New Jersey according to state law. Bruce Garland the executive vice president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the owner and operator of The Meadowlands and Monmouth Park, told The Daily Racing Form that the operation hopes to begin accepting applications for accounts within the next few weeks.
_________________________________
STAKES RACE AT MEADOWLANDS HONORS P.G.
JOHNSON
Big M.com
An overnight stakes at the Meadowlands has been named in honor of Philip
G. Johnson, the Hall of Fame trainer who died earlier this month at age 78
after a three-year battle with cancer.
"It's a fitting tribute, because P.G. is the leading all-time
stakes-winning trainer at the Meadowlands," said Racing Secretary Mike
Dempsey, who made the announcement. One of his major Meadowlands scores
came in the 2001 Pegasus Stakes with Volponi, who went on to upset the
Breeders' Cup Classic in 2002.
The $55,000 P.G. Johnson Stakes, for three-year-old fillies at five
furlongs on the turf, will be run on Saturday, October 23.
_________________________________
STATE BRED RULES AMENDED BY NEW JERSEY BREEDERS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Multiple sources are reporting that The Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey, with approval from the New Jersey Racing Commission amended its rules on August 18 to redefine a state-bred foal to include those horses sired by a registered New Jersey stallion standing in the state, even if the mare foals outside of New Jersey.
In addition, the progeny of any mare conceived in New Jersey by a registered New Jersey stallion will be eligible to compete in restricted races in the state and receive a breeder award to be determined by the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association of New Jersey, initially established at 20%.
________________________________
COMMISSION DUTIES EXPANDED AT NEW JERSEY RACING COMMISSION
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times is reporting legislation that will expand the duties of the New Jersey Racing Commission to include development and promotion of the horse racing industry was signed into law on August 8.
The will was sponsored by Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (R-Ocean, Burlington, Monmouth, Mercer) and was enacted in part due to the financial losses the industry has suffered in recent years.
"Horse racing is an exciting and vibrant industry and for many communities throughout New Jersey it is an integral part of the local economy," Dancer told the Tri-Town News. "Allowing the commission to participate in the industry’s growth and development is an excellent way to help the industry get back on the right track."
Under its current duties, the commission is responsible for regulating horse racing to ensure the propriety of racing events.
_________________________________
BREEDERS' CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPS THE CENTERPIECE OF NEW INSTANT LOTTERY GAME IN NEW JERSEY
NTRA.com
Original post: August 5, 2004
Contacts: Eric Wing, NTRA (212) 230-9511
Bob Kowalczyk, MDI (678) 297-5169
MDI Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Scientific Games (NASDAQ:
SGMS), and Breeders' Cup Limited announced today that the New Jersey
Lottery will be the first to introduce a licensed instant scratch game
featuring the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships,
horseracing's richest annual event.
New
Jersey's $2 BREEDERS' CUP GOLD tickets go on sale August 9, 2004 with a
top instant cash prize of $30,000 and a series of second chance drawings
offering ten grand prize trips for two to the 2005 Breeders' Cup World
Thoroughbred Championships at New York's famed Belmont Park. More than
1,100 prize packages featuring official Breeders' Cup collectible
merchandise will also be awarded.
MDI President Steve Saferin said of the planned launch, “Introducing
BREEDERS' CUP GOLD next month will enable the New Jersey Lottery to take
advantage of the sports media attention on the Breeders' Cup that will
continue to grow through October 30, when this year's Breeders' Cup
championship races will be run at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas.
We're confident that lottery players and race fans throughout New Jersey
will be attracted to this game and its race-related bonus features.”
“We are excited about introducing the Breeders' Cup game in New Jersey and
greatly appreciate the cooperation of their Lottery officials,” stated D.G.
Van Clief, Jr., President of Breeders' Cup Limited. “With the cash,
merchandise and trip prizes offered, we're optimistic the game will have
strong appeal amongst both lottery and horse racing fans. We're also
planning additional promotional efforts with the New Jersey Sports and
Exposition Authority to market the game.”
BREEDERS' CUP GOLD features innovative Advanced Image game data that will
deliver an entirely new play style to lottery players in the Garden State.
Developed by Scientific Games, the play action includes two competing
horses in each of three races. If the “Player's Horse” matches the horse
closest to the finish line in each race, the player wins the prize
associated with that race. Due to the proprietary nature of the play
action, Scientific Games was selected to print the more than 5 million
tickets for the New Jersey game.
In support of the game, MDI will provide the New Jersey Lottery with its
trademarked Lottery Bonus Zone® second chance Internet entry service.
Lottery players who register for the Lottery's internet-based VIP CLUB
will be able to submit second chance entries electronically instead of
submitting them through the mail. For players preferring to mail their
entries, MDI will provide the Lottery with how-to-play brochures and
attached entry envelopes. Additionally, MDI will manage all drawing, prize
fulfillment, and customer service functions in association with the game.
Breeders' Cup Limited and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, a
broad-based coalition of horseracing interests, conduct the Breeders' Cup
World Thoroughbred Championships, Thoroughbred racing's year-end
championship event consisting of eight races and $14 million in purses and
awards. The NTRA has offices in Lexington, Ky., and New York City. NTRA
press releases appear on the NTRA Web site, www.ntra.com.
Scientific Games Corporation (www.scientificgames.com) is the leading
integrated supplier of instant tickets, systems and services to lotteries,
and the leading supplier of wagering systems and services to pari-mutuel
operators. It is also a licensed pari-mutuel gaming operator in
Connecticut and the Netherlands, and is a leading supplier of prepaid
phone cards to telephone companies. MDI Entertainment, a wholly owned
subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation, is the worldwide leader in
licensed lottery games and promotions.
_________________________________
BREEDERS' CUP AND NJSEA REACH MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR MONMOUTH PARK TO HOST 2007 BREEDERS' CUP
NTRA.com
Officials of the Breeders' Cup Limited and the National Thoroughbred
Racing Association (NTRA) have reached a memorandum of understanding with
the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) for Monmouth Park
in Oceanport, New Jersey, to be the host site for the 2007 Breeders' Cup
World Thoroughbred Championships.
The
24th running of the Breeders' Cup, consisting of eight races with purses
and awards totaling $14 million, will be run during the last weekend of
October or the first weekend in November of 2007.
"We are delighted to bring the Breeders' Cup to New Jersey and Monmouth
Park for the 2007 World Thoroughbred Championships," said Breeders' Cup
President D.G. Van Clief, Jr. "We have been extremely impressed with the
enthusiasm and professionalism of the NJSEA team, one that has developed
an outstanding reputation in handling major league sporting and special
events over years. Furthermore, we believe that Monmouth Park has earned
its place as one of America's finest and most popular Thoroughbred
facilities and will provide an excellent showcase to stage the world's
greatest day of international racing."
"Bringing the jewel of Thoroughbred racing to Monmouth Park is not only
great for the mid-Atlantic region, but more specifically, the State of New
Jersey," said George R. Zoffinger, President and Chief Executive Officer
of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "This world
championship of racing will focus global attention on the state and will
deliver a direct economic impact of $80 to $100 million. For us, it
represents a win-win. We've worked long and hard to make this happen and
are proud that so many race fans will get a chance to see how we put on
major events."
"The Authority and the state are extremely proud to be hosting this
magnificent event," said Carl Goldberg, Chairman of the NJSEA. "It is a
great testimony to the cooperation of the Thoroughbred horsemen,
especially Dennis Drazin, and the New Jersey Racing Commission. It
represents a meaningful contribution to both the pride and the pocketbooks
of all New Jersey taxpayers. Hosting this event continues to make our
state one of the premier sports and entertainment destinations in North
America."
This will be the first time that Monmouth Park has hosted the Breeders'
Cup World Thoroughbred Championships and the first time the event will be
held in the Middle Atlantic region. During its 20 year history, the
Breeders' Cup also has been held at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita Park in
California, Arlington Park in Illinois, Churchill Downs in Kentucky,
Gulfstream Park in Florida, Aqueduct Racetrack and Belmont Park in New
York and Woodbine in Ontario, Canada. This year's Breeders' Cup will be
run at Lone Star Park in the Dallas suburb of Grand Prairie, Texas on
Saturday October 30. The 2005 Breeders' Cup will be held at Belmont Park
and the 2006 event is scheduled to be held at Churchill Downs.
Present day Monmouth Park, built near the site of the 1870 original,
opened its doors on July 19, 1946, after pari-mutuel wagering was
legalized in New Jersey. The beautiful new plant, nicknamed the "Resort of
Racing" for its prominent place on the Jersey Shore, was an immediate
financial and artistic success, attracting large crowds and champion
Thoroughbreds. Through the
years, Monmouth has presented some of the finest racing in the nation,
with the $1 million Haskell Invitational - richest invitational in North
America - the centerpiece of each meeting.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority purchased Monmouth Park
Jockey Club in 1986 and continues its mission to bring the best of sports
and entertainment to the Garden State. In addition to Monmouth Park, the
NJSEA owns and operates the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford,
NJ, which includes Giants Stadium, Meadowlands Racetrack and Continental
Airlines Arena, Atlantic City Convention Center and Wildwoods Convention
Center.
The NTRA is a broad-based coalition of horseracing interests, including
the American Quarter Horse Association, charged with increasing popularity
of horseracing and improving economic conditions for industry
participants. The NTRA and Breeders' Cup Limited also administer the
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships, Thoroughbred racing's
year-end Championships consisting of eight races and $14 million in purses
and awards and the Breeders' Cup Stakes Program. The NTRA has offices in
Lexington, Ky., and New York City. NTRA press releases appear on the NTRA
Web site, ntra.com.
_________________________________
JUDGE APPROVES NEW JERSEY CASINO SUPPLEMENT PLAN
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times is reporting that Superior Court Judge Alexander Lehrer has approved a settlement agreement between the state's racetracks and casinos that will provide up to $86-million to New Jersey’s horse racing industry for purses from 2004 through '07. The settlement, made in exchange for the state tracks’ agreement to delay plans to add video slot machines to its facilities, was signed by the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, the Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, Freehold Racing Association, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and the New Jersey Sires Stakes.
The settlement will utilize funds made available through an agreement between the sports authority, which operates the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, and each individual Atlantic City casino to provide the $86-million to the horse racign industry.
In addition, the NJSEA is guaranteeing an additional $16.8-million for a total of $102.8-million. The contract allocates $750,000 as start-up money for New Jersey’s account wagering system with the goal of having OTW and account wagering operational as soon as possible. If slot machines or VLT’s are placed at any racetrack the contract will be renegotiated to a higher level.
"I am very pleased that the Court has approved this fair and equitable agreement," said Dennis Drazin, general counsel to the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. "When it comes right down to it, all of New Jersey’s racing interests want the same things...the ability for New Jersey to compete with surround racing jurisdictions who have or will have VLT‘s or slot machines at their racetracks, economic stability and predictability for all parties including the horsemen, the racetrack owners, the communities where the tracks are located and our agricultural interests.
"This agreement satisfies these needs, but most importantly it brings peace, stability and viability to all involved."
Drazin stated the next goal for horsemen is their inclusion in the New Jersey Racing Commission. The current Racing Commission consists of seven individuals, but under the new statute the Commission will continue to consist of nine members with four of the nine representing horsemen’s interests—two Thoroughbred and two Standardbred representatives.
"The only piece that is missing is the reconstitution of the Racing Commission," said Drazin. "The current industry wide agreement provides peace and no litigation with every segment of the industry with the exception of the Racing Commission. It is only logical that horsemen want a similar presence on their regulatory board."
_________________________________
BILL COVERS EXERCISE RIDERS UNDER WORKERS COMPENSATION
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Legislation that would extend workers' compensation to exercise riders who pay applicable state and federal taxes .was approved on Wednesday night. Coverage will fall under the New Jersey Horse Racing Injury Compensation Fund and the bill is on the way to the Governors desk for signature. After a surplus developed in the Thoroughbred industries portion of the compensation fund, it was decided to include exercise riders for coverage. The compensation fund, which was established in 1995, is used to pay for worker’s compensation for jockeys and apprentice riders.
In a separate bill, incentives for state breeders was introduced to increase eligibility for Thoroughbred breeder awards to breeders of New Jersey horses that win purse money in out of state races. The measure will not have equal status with New Jersey’s in-state breeders’ awards programs, and would only take effect after 100% of the breeders’ awards are paid for races held in state. Awards will not be paid to New Jersey-breds running in out-of-state contests while live Thoroughbred racing is being held in New Jersey. No provisions of the proposal would change the current in-state breeders’ award program.
_________________________________
LEGISLATION APPROVAL PASSED FOR ALLOWING RACING PROPERTIES TO BE LEASED
Oceanport Racing Report.com
On Monday, June 21,
2004 the New Jersey Senate and Assembly passed a long anticipated bill
that would allow the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to lease
both the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park. The bill now heads to
Governor James McGreevey's desk for signature which he is believed to sign
immediately as the governor has come out in favor of the legislation.
Some sources project that state revenues from the two tracks could see a
boost of up to $300-million ayear, a substantial increase from the
$25.5-million the two tracks combined to earn last year for the authority.
Expected bidders for
the properties include Churchill Downs Inc. and Magna Entertainment Corp.
Both companies would have the ability to turn bigger profits if they lease
the tracks because they would not have to pay simulcasting rights for
their own facilities.
_________________________________
RACING COMMISSION APPROVES NJTBA TO SUBSIDY FOR BREEDERS’ AWARDS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
On Wednesday, June 16th The New Jersey Racing Commission granted permission to The New Jersey Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association to use its $1,039,353 surplus to offer breeders increased awards for racing successfully in open company.
New Jersey rules state that the breeders’ association must discuss surpluses with the commission anytime the amount is in excess of $250,000. Under the plan the association outlined and the commission approved on Wednesday, the extra breeder awards would consume the surplus by 2007.
The NJTBA will add $350,000 to a program that pays a 30% award to breeders whose horses earn purse money in open company as well as increase purses for restricted state bred competition to keep them in line with overall increased purses boosted by a casino subsidy.
___________________________________
CASINO AUTHORITY GIVES APPROVAL FOR SUBSIDY
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Various sources are reporting that The New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority gave its final approval on a subsidy deal that will give the Meadowlands, Monmouth Park, and Freehold Raceway $86-million over the next four years in purse subsidies in exchange for the tracks delaying plans to expand gaming until at least 2009.
Barbara DeMarco, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, told the Press of Atlantic City, "The money will ensure, at least for the time being, that we have a quality product and quality racing," "We will be able to compete."
As part of the deal The CRDA will fund $52 million of the subsidies while the remaining monies will come from Atlantic City casinos.___________________________________
BREEDERS’ CUP TO MONMOUTH 2007?
Oceanport Racing Report.com
It has been confirmed that the Breeders’ Cup Board has authorized its management team to move ahead to negotiate a contract with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, according to NJSEA Vice President Bruce Garland.
Barring any unforeseen problems in finalizing the contract, the track on the Jersey shore will be the host for the so-called biggest day in Thoroughbred racing, a racing executive with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority said Friday. Various sources state Bruce Garland, the authority's senior vice president of racing, was optimistic after a telephone conversation with Breeders' Cup Ltd. President D.G. Van Clief Jr. on Friday adding that Garland stated, ``We will be working closely with the Breeders' Cup to ensure that there are no major obstacles to complete a contract,''
The running of Thoroughbred Racings Richest day would mark the first time the Jersey shore or for that manner any race track in New Jersey has hosted the event consisting of eight races with purses totaling $14 million.
___________________________________
NJ BRED ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM PASSES COMMITTEE
Oceanport Racing Report.com
On Monday June 7th The New Jersey Senate Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee recently approved legislation that would award New Jersey breeders award money following out of state wins. The bill will now move to the full Senate for consideration.
Since the reduction of New Jersey racing days from a high of 340 days in the mid-1980s to 120 in 2003, there has been a loss of opportunities to win breeders' awards. Currently, breeders' awards can only be given to horses racing in in-state competition.
The new out of state breeders awards program would supplement the in state program by providing four additional months for New Jersey breeders to collect breeders' awards. The awards would not have equal status with New Jersey's in-state breeders' rewards program and would only take effect after 100% of breeders awards are paid for races held in-state and it will not pay awards to New Jersey-bred horses running in out of state contests while live racing is being conducted in New Jersey. No provision in this proposal would alter the current in-state breeders' awards program.
"This bill will help revitalize the New Jersey Thoroughbred breeding industry and preserve the many acres of farmland and open space it supports," Michael Harrison, president of the New Jersey Breeders Association, said in a release. " For the past few years, the NJTBA has tried to find solutions to address the decline of our industry. We need to five individuals involved in Thoroughbred racing incentives to breed, board, and train their horses on New Jersey farms. This out of state program does this."
___________________________________
COMMITTEE BILL WOULD ALLOW LEASE OF STATE RACE TRACKS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
On Monday, June 7th The New Jersey Senate Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee on June 7 approved a bill that would permit the the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority to lease its two racing properties, Monmouth Park and Meadowlands. The bill will now move out of committee and onto the state senate floor for a vote after the bill received unanimous approval in committee according to Gannett news service.
As part of moving forward and balancing its finances the NJSEA has considered leasing or possible sale of the two racing properties as many suitors continue to line up at the chance to run the properties. The process was moving forward until it was discovered action by the legislature was required for the tracks, both of which are profitable, to be leased or sold.
Gannett news service also reports the bill would authorize the NJSEA to maintain its role as a coordinating entity for off-track wagering and account wagering in the state. The New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association told the news service a consortium comprised of the current management team and casinos, or a "proven racing organization" and casinos, would be the best scenario.
___________________________________
MONMOUTH PARK CONTINUES BID FOR 2007 BREEDERS' CUP
Monmouth Park.com
Oceanport, N.J. - Representatives of the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred
Championships management team completed a five-hour tour of Monmouth Park
at 1:00 p.m. today, as the Oceanport racetrack is being considered to host
the 2007 edition of racing's richest day.
"It was a very thorough tour and subsequent meeting that proved
productive," said Bruce Garland, senior executive vice president/racing
for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "Bob Kulina, Kathy
Francis [senior vice president sales, marketing and communications] and I
will make our report to George Zoffinger [president and chief executive
officer]."
"The benefits of the Breeders' Cup in the Garden State are nearly
immeasurable," said Robert Kulina, vice president of Thoroughbred racing
and general manager of Monmouth Park. "Monmouth Park is certainly an ideal
site to continue the tradition of the Sports and Exposition Authority's
commitment to bringing the best in entertainment to New Jersey."
The World Thoroughbred Championships day of racing is eight races with
purses offered at $14 million. Previous host sites of the Cup have been
Hollywood Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, Santa Anita Park, Churchill Downs,
Gulfstream Park, Belmont Park, Woodbine, and Arlington Park. This year's
championship day will be held at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas on
October 30.
___________________________________
NJSEA APPROVES CASINO PURSE SUPPLEMENT
Oceanport Racing Report.com
The New Jersey Sports
and Exposition Authority approved a plan on Wednesday (4/28) between its
two racetracks and New Jersey casinos that would give million of dollars
to racing purses subsidies in exchange for the tracks' agreement to delay
plans to add video slot machines to its facilities.
The plan calls for the
casinos to pay $86-million in subsidies to the Meadowlands, Monmouth Park,
and Freehold Raceway, with $52-million slated to come from the Casino
Reinvestment Development Authority, the Press of
Atlantic City has reported.
Atlantic City Race Course, which runs less than ten live cards per year,
will be excluded from the plan on the basis that it is too small an
operation to be included in the bailout. The casinos will pay the
subsidies over the next four years, during which time the racetracks will
not attempt to install video lottery terminals that could rival the gaming
monopoly in Atlantic City.
In cooperating with the plan the casinos are slated to receive $92-milliom
from the state to fund future hotel and non-gambling-related expansions.
___________________________________
HORSEMEN AGREE ON PURSE SUBSIDY
Oceanport Racing Report.com
The Bloodhorse reports
that Horsemen in New Jersey will be running for bigger purses beginning at
Monmouth Park May 29 under a subsidy deal reached between Atlantic City
casinos and the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association.
Under the plan, the New Jersey horse industry will receive $86 million
from casinos in exchange for not pursuing slot machines at racetracks.
Under an escalating scale, purses at Monmouth Park will average $320,000 a
day for
the next three years and will be $360,000 in 2008. At The Meadowlands,
daily purse distribution will be between $260,000-$270,000 for the first
three years and will reach $300,000 in the fourth year.
In addition to the purse enhancements, the deal also guarantees 120 live
Thoroughbred dates in New Jersey for the next four years. From 2008-2016,
the deal guarantees 141 live race dates. The state's breeders' funds will
also benefit from the deal. Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeders will
split evenly $1.5 million this year, $1.7
million in 2005, and $2 million in 2006.
___________________________________
BASEBALL AT THE MEADOWLANDS?
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Various outlets are
reporting that New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority President George
Zoffinger is pushing a plan to bring a major league baseball team to the
Meadowlands Sports Complex. His proposal is reported to be backed by
Governor James McGreevey. Zoffinger met two weeks ago with architect
Janet-Marie Smith, who presented two proposed sites for a baseball
stadium. One plan would put the stadium where Continental Airlines Arena
is currently located and another would put it behind the Meadowlands
racetrack on a site where horse barns are located, the Associated Press
reports.
Frank Keegan,
president of the New Jersey Horsemen's Association, said he was aware of
Zoffinger's plan to bring baseball to the Meadowlands but that the plans
would not involve changes at the Meadowlands racetrack.
"I heard about it, but it's not gong to affect the track at all," Keegan
said. "They have some land they can use, but it's not going to affect us
or anything. Whether it actually happens or not, we'll see. It's probably
far
enough off that who knows if I'll live to ever see it."
Major league baseball rules state that a team moving within 75 miles of
existing franchise would have to compensate those teams. And despite
Zoffinger's quest for another sport at the Meadowlands complex, the New
York Yankees have already stated they would veto a move to add an
additional baseball team to the area. The Meadowlands is located within
ten miles of Yankee Stadium.
Back in 2003, the authority selected a development partnership of the
Mills Corp. and Mack-Cali Realty Corp. to build the $1.3- billion Xanadu
family entertainment and retail complex at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
___________________________________
NEW JERSEY LAWMAKERS PUSH FOR SPORTS BETTING IN THE GARDEN STATE
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times is reporting that Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis Greenwald (D-Camden) and assemblyman Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) are planning to challenge a federal law that would allow sports wagering at Atlantic City casinos on the grounds that it could raise millions of dollars for the state.
Greenwald said he believes the current ban on sports wagering at the casinos infringes on state’s rights and that the revenue from the venture could help fund projects such as the state’s $320-million program for charity care at hospitals, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
"I believe the federal government has overstepped its bounds and that we should look into moving forward with this, challenging the federal government to stop us," Greenwald told the Inquirer. "We’ve had gambling since 1976, and it hasn’t brought down the morals of the state. Instead it’s helped us, serving us as an economic engine."
Van Drew has called for a legislative hearing on the matter next month and has asked the Casino Control Commission to examine the legal hurdles.
___________________________________
NEW JERSEY TRACKS AND CASINOS AGREE ON PURSE SUPPLEMENTS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Various sources are reporting that the New Jersey racetracks and the casino lobby have agreed to a plan that would give the tracks $86-million for purses over the next four years while the casinos received $92-million from the state to fund future hotel and non-gambling-related expansions.
Governor James McGreevey announced the plan on Tuesday. With the compromise between the Casino Lobby and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, operator of the racetracks, the NJSEA agreed to drop its push for slot machines, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
Reports have purses at Monmouth Park to as high as $320,000 this year. Purses at the Meadowlands’s Standardbred meet are reported to remain in the $200,000 daily level while Freehold Raceway, another Standardbred oval, will receive $1-million a year for the next four years to aid its purses.
___________________________________
SENATORS CONCERNED ABOUT HEALTH SITUATION FROM GARDEN STATE PARK
Oceanport Racing Report.com
United States senators from New Jersey, Democratic Senators Jon Corzine and Frank Lautenberg, have signed a letter sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asking for an investigation into the deaths of nearly 20 people who worked at or visited the now defunct Garden State Park in Cherry Hill between 1988 and '92. The deaths have been linked to the brain-destroying Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or neurological problems associated with it.
The letter asked CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding for an investigation to
determine whether the deaths of those connected with Garden State Park was
caused by tainted beef. The inquiry follows years of research by Janet
Skarbek, whose mother worked at Garden State and lost a colleague to
Creutzfeldt-Jakob. The consumption of tainted beef causes a variation of
the disease, while classic Creutzfeldt-Jakob has generally unknown but
sometime genetic causes.
U.S. Government estimates indicate that 300 people die of the disease each year in the United States, and virtually all of them are of the classic variety. Skarbek said that the nearly 20 cases linked to the track are proportionately high for expected cases of classic forms of the disease.
___________________________________
ASSEMBLY VOTES TO EXPAND COMMISSION DUTIES
Oceanport Racing Report.com
The Bloodhorse is
reporting that The New Jersey Assembly approved a bill in a 78-1 vote that
would expand the
duties of the state's racing commission to include development and
promotion of the horse racing industry.
Under its current duties, the commission is responsible for regulating
horse racing in the state to ensure the propriety of racing events.
"Promoting the growth and success of New Jersey's horse racing industry
should be an integral part of the racing panel's mission," Assemblyman
Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May), one of the bill's sponsors, told the
Farmingdale News Transcript. "Current trends in the industry demand that
we be more vigilant to ensure the future of this important tourism-related
industry."
In addition to increasing the commission's responsibilities, the Assembly
also voted 77-2 to increase incentives for horse breeding in the state.
The measure would expand the eligibility for Thoroughbred breeder awards
to
include registered New Jersey-bred horses that win portions of purses in
out-of-state races held at least 15 days before or after the state's
Thoroughbred racing season.
Both bills now go to the Senate for further consideration
___________________________________
NEW JERSEY OFFICIALS WORKING ON MONMOUTH & MEADOWLANDS LEASE DETAILS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Tom De Martini is reporting in the Thoroughbred Times that NJSEA Officials are awaiting an amendment from state legislators which will allow the agency to proceed with plans to lease the agencies racing properties to a third party operator.
In related news details of an Atlantic City casino purse subsidy worth a reported $20 to $25 million for a three or four year period are still being finalized. A subsidy would be in lieu of the track operators installing and operating VLT's, which the casino lobby has been opposed to since the suggestion of tracks operating the machines had been raised.
Sports Authority Spokesman, Jim Debosh, explained to TTimes that state legislators must first amend a current statute before the leasing process can start. State statute currently deems that the NJSEA can be the only operator of Monmouth and the Meadowlands.
"We're hopeful that this will happen with a couple of weeks. Right now, it is not legally possible to lease the racetracks," Debosh said. Once the amendment passes, Debosh said, New York-based firm Lehman Brothers will circulate financial information and a request for bids to any interested party.
"The subsidy doesn't lock us, or any other (lessor) out of slots or VLT's forever," Debosh said. "The process is still in negotiation. We wanted a shorter time duration and (the casinos) wanted it longer. We want to see what transpires in New York and Pennsylvania." Churchill Downs, Inc., Magna Entertainment Corp. and Greenwood Racing, Inc., have all expressed interest, according to published reports, in operating the states race tracks.
George Zoffinger, NJSEA president, has come out in favor of a casino-racetrack partnership to help bolster the sagging Thoroughbred industry, hoping to do all of this while not adversely affecting Atlantic City interests.
The state's casino lobby and their owners, including Donald Trump, have remained cool to the idea and enjoy the backing of Gov. James McGreevey.
McGreevey has stated he is not in favor of expanding slot machine gaming outside of the resort town's borders. But with increased competition from pending slots in Pennsylvania, New York and fully operational slots in Delaware, New Jersey is or will be falling behind come the near future. It has been reported that Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell continues to propose installing 3,000 slot machines at each of 12 locations-the four existing racetracks, four proposed racetracks, and four stand-alone casinos. While Aqueduct, a NYRA track in New York, is expected to begin VLT operation by year-end.
___________________________________
STAKEHOLDERS MEETING DISCUSSES VLT'S AMONG OTHER ISSUES
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Tinton Falls- After earlier stating that they would not consider the question of video lottery terminals at Monmouth Park, The Monmouth Park Stakeholders Committee, spent much of last nights meeting at the Holiday Inn discussing that very topic. The meeting attended by some 70 area residents as well as breeders, owners and interested parties revolved around the future of Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands as well as the possibility of VLT's and the affect on the racing product.
The public comment session of the meeting was intriguing as a number of concerned patrons breeders and citizens voiced their opinions on the current state of the NJSEA tracks and their collective future, whether they be leased sold or run by the Authority. The highlight of the evening was Howell attorney, and thoroughbred-horse owner and breeder, Richard Schibell, talking about the current state of affairs and the problems associated with politicians involved in running a racing operation. Schibell stated, "There's no factual reason why we can't have VLTs at Monmouth Park...elected officials at the state level need "to stand up to special interests" and bring the expanded form of gambling to the tracks."
Earlier in the day in Trenton it was reported that at a Senate Committee on Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation, racing and casino industry officials said discussions have led to a tentative agreement where the casinos will pay $86 million over four years at roughly about $20 million a year to subsidize race purses in trade for keeping VLTs off the tracks, according to Bruce Garland, Executive Vice President of Racing for the Sports Authority at last night's meeting. During the Committee testimony sentiment from South Jersey Republican Sens. William Gormley, Atlantic, and Nicholas Asselta, Cumberland warned VLTs would deal their region critical damage. While George Zoffinger, president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, said the horse-race game in New Jersey suffers, from purses that are smaller than in other states, which attract Jersey's bettors, horses, trainers and riders. While State Sen. Ellen Karcher, D-Monmouth, said a healthy horse industry preserves open space because farms that are sold to developers bloom with houses, schools and roads that burden taxpayers.
The response to the VLT news came with a mixed response as some like Oceanport resident, David Gruskos, stated the the deal "could be the greatest deal the state ever put together", while others like Schibell worried that the New Jersey tracks would wind up getting the lesser of the better end of the bargain.
Rep. Frank J. Pallone Jr., D-N.J., was also heard during the open mike portion of the meeting stating, "I am not satisfied with any agreement by the state that leaves Monmouth Park in jeopardy only to further the casino monopoly in New Jersey. Monmouth Park must continue to have appeal and that means quality racing and quality gambling." Recent efforts to bring the VLT's to the race tracks have met with staunch opposition from the casino lobby and owners.
Bruce Garland tried to reassure the crowd that many of the ideas brought to the meeting have been tried but to no avail. "I can assure you the Sports Authority has attempted to do some of the things you suggested, like having the casinos operate VLTs at the tracks or otherwise share in them. Those things have been discussed and will continue to be discussed," Garland said.
It was also noted that an offering to potential bidders on a Monmouth Park lease won't be made available until legislation permitting a lease-holder to take operation of the park winds its way through the Statehouse. Garland also tried to reassure the public by noting that the NJSEA would only lease Monmouth Park if the state can benefit financially and its leasing has the support of community leaders. Some early front runners to lease the property would be companies such as Freehold Raceway, Churchill Downs in Kentucky and Magna Entertainment, operators of Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park.
Assemblyman Mike Panter, D-Monmouth, spearheaded the informational session as his district would be the most hard hit should there be a demise of racing at Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands. Of all the breeding farms in New Jersey half of said farms occupy land in Monmouth County.
__________________________________
2004 MONMOUTH PARK GRADED STAKES PROGRAM TO TOP $3.35 MILLION
Oceanport Racing Report.com
It was announced today that the $1-million Haskell Invitational Handicap (G1) will highlight Monmouth Park's 14 graded stakes races for 2004 totaling worth $3.35-million this season, which opens its 72-day meeting Saturday, May 29. In addition, the $200,000 Monmouth Breeders' Cup Oaks (G2) will return to the calendar after a brief one year hiatus.
Haskell day will be on August 8, 2004 and will have an undercard including the $100,000 Matchmaker Handicap (G3) for fillies and mares and the $100,000 Oceanport Handicap (G3).
"We've stamped the Haskell as a race not to be missed on the road to the three-year-old Eclipse Award," said George Zoffinger, president and chief operating officer of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. "It's a tremendous day for racing and the state of New Jersey."
The $750,000 United Nations Handicap (G1) for three-year-olds and older on the turf will be run on July 3 while the $300,000 Molly Pitcher Breeders' Cup Handicap (G2) at 1 1/8 miles for fillies and mares will also be contested during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
The $100,000 Red Bank Handicap (G3) and the $100,000 Jersey Derby (G3) on May 29 and 31, are the opening weekend cards. The graded stakes schedule wraps up on August 28 with the $100,000 Sapling Stakes (G3) for two-year-olds going six furlongs.
__________________________________
2003 NEW JERSEY CHAMPIONS CROWNED
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Gators N Bears was named New Jersey-bred horse of the year for 2003. A winner of five races from 13 starts on the year, Gators N Bears won three stakes while also being named the state's champion sprinter and champion 3-year-old male. He earned $257,270 in 2003. Bred by Robert W. Camac and owned and trained by Leo Nechamkin II, Gators N Bears took the Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes (gr. III).
War's Prospect was named champion 2-year-old male after winning two of six starts in 2003. Bred by John Perrotta and owned by W.A.R. Farm, War's Prospect banked $76,310 for the year.
New Farm's Wild Catseye earned champion 2-year-old filly honors after taking the $65,000 filly division of the New Jersey Futurity. She is a homebred who won two of four starts on the season.
Powers Prospect, owned by D'Arrigo Racing Stables, is champion 3-year-old filly. She scored stakes wins in the Wide Country Stakes at Laurel Park and the William A. Purdey Handicap at Monmouth Park. She was bred by Robert L. Edwards.
Willie's Luv earned New Jersey's handicap mare of the year after capturing the Santo Lalomia Handicap at Monmouth. American Freedom earned his second straight divisional championship after winning the $50,000 Lincroft Handicap. Both Willie's Luv and American Freedom were bred by Dr. Y.J Kolybabiuk.
Jersey Giant was named champion handicap horse on the strength of three stakes victories. Bred and owned by Joel Kligman, Jersey Giant has banked more than $310,000 in his career and was perhaps the best horse on the Monmouth grounds in 2003.
Summer Semester, a 13-year-old daughter of Better Arbitor, was named the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey Broodmare of the Year. She is owned by Carolyn and Gerald Sleeter. Summer Semesters' top earner in 2003 was Something Smith, who won five starts and banked $171,100. Other top foals include Summer Swing and Picnic Theme.
For the third straight year, Northern Idol was selected the state's stallion of the year. The son of Northrop had 28 winners who won better than $1.1 million. Northern Idol died in 1999 at age 13.
________________________________________
NEW JERSEY OTB PLAN UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED
Oceanport Racing Report.com
It is being reported by various publications that, in a move that was long overdue and over two years behind schedule, the New Jersey Racing Commission unanimously approved New Jersey's Master Off-Track Wagering Participation Agreement (The "Agreement") yesterday in Freehold. The Agreement is a plan designed to provide financial help for New Jersey's Thoroughbred industry that includes the construction of as many as 15 off-track wagering facilities.
The Agreement will allow the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which owns and operates Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands, to open nine OTB's in northern New Jersey. Pennwood Racing, a partnership that owns Freehold Raceway, would be able to open four OTB's, and Greenwood Racing - one of the partners in Pennwood and the owner of Atlantic City Race Course - would be able to open the remaining two OTB's. While the Agreement outlines the framework for the OTB parlors, the plan still needs final approval from the State Attorney General, Peter Harvey, which is expected to happen quickly. While the framework of the Agreement outlines the plan to implement the OTB's, actual locations for the venues have not been designated and each location will need approval from both local communities and the racing commission before they can be licensed.
Reaction to the Agreement was one of relief. Dennis Drazin, counsel for the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association. said, "This has been a long time coming...This sets the stage for everybody to move forward, hopefully quickly." The Horsemens' Association has been pushing for off-track betting since 1997. Drazin was also quoted by various sources saying that the 15 off-track facilities are expected to generate $1-million for Thoroughbred purses in their first 12 months in operation. In 1998 state voters approved the off track betting referendum, but a disagreement between the tracks and the horsemen have prevented the measure from being enacted after legislation was passed three years ago. Most of the disagreement stemmed from the live number of racing days the tracks were willing to run due to subsidy cuts at the beginning of Governor McGreevey's administration.
State law stipulates that a maximum of eight OTB's can be opened in the first two years. Hal Handel, an official for Greenwood Racing, was optimistic that some OTB's could be operational in the very near future saying, "I think if everything breaks well, we could be up and running with some sites in nine, 10 months...But it's a pretty complicated process."
New Jersey residents have long been frustrated by the lack of convenience with placing bets in the Garden State. In the age of OTB's and phone wagering state residents have felt neglected and forgotten by state legislators and track officials who up until now have moved at a snails pace to implement systems to place bets conveniently. Some horse players feel betrayed by the fact that the Attorney General has made an effort to block outside OTB and phone wagering companies, such as Youbet.com, restricting New Jersey residents from wagering on their systems at the request of NJSEA officials. A move that has prompted many horse players to take their business to online sports books on the internet that are primarily based offshore.
In related news it was also reported yesterday that a four-year agreement with Atlantic City's casino industry to subsidize Thoroughbred purses is currently in the finalization process. The subsidy, which has been reported to be as much as $25-million for the four-year period, would preclude the state from installing slot machines at any New Jersey racetrack. New Jersey Racing Commission Deputy Executive Director Michael Vukcevich also indicated that a phone wagering plan was almost in place saying, "The [New Jersey] Sports [and Exposition] Authority is close to a phone wagering agreement that will be announced shortly. It should come sooner than later-very much sooner." NJSEA official Arthur Winkler said an agreement regarding account wagering would most likely be ready for submission to the racing commission for approval in March.
__________________________________
ATLANTIC CITY RACE COURSE IS CONSIDERED FOR DEVELOPMENT
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times is reporting that Leaders of Hamilton Township, New Jersey, are considering a plan that would develop Atlantic City Race Course and the nearby Mays Landing industrial area into a mixed-used area with shopping and apartment lofts.
Greenwood ACRA Inc., spokesman Maureen Gallagher-Bugdan told the Atlantic County News that the company is dedicated to staying in the horse racing business but does have an open-door policy with developers but would encourage sales only to those who consider the town's best interests. A scheduled meeting for 7 p.m. EST on February 18, will allow the township to present its plan and allow citizens the opportunity to talk with the township's community design team. The township leaders envision the track as a town center contingent on redevelopment.
Atlantic City Race Course will run live racing this year from May 12-13 featuring flat turf racing while May 5 and 19 are designated as steeplechase days. Monmouth Park will run the other six dates that the track is allotted.
________________________________
McGREEVEY NOT INTERESTED IN RACETRACK SLOTS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
The Press of Atlantic City reports that on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 New Jersey Governor, James McGreevey, told Wall Street gaming analysts that he is committed to Atlantic City's casino business success and is not interested in adding slot machines to the states racetracks.
Bill Lerner, a Prudential Securities analyst, told his clients after McGreevey's speech, "While some investors may have preconceived notions about the state's position on casinos, Governor McGreevey made it clear that it is his intention to nurture Atlantic City, suggesting it is the 'crown jewel' of the state."
Other analysts were left with the impression that the Governor hedged his previous position when he said that he would pursue racetrack VLT's if he had casino industry support. Jersey tracks are in negotiation with casino executives for a deal that would pay the tracks a subsidy in exchange for not pursuing expanded gaming at the tracks.
The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, operator of both the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park, is said to be in the process of possibly leasing their racing properties as early as possibly this spring.
__________________________________
MONMOUTH PARK COMMITTEE ADVISED THAT TRACKS COULD BE LEASED WITHIN THREE MONTHS
Oceanport Racing Report.com
In its first meeting the Monmouth Park Stakeholders Committee was told that the racetrack could gain future revenue from slot machines and that the leasing market is extremely favorable. All while officials tried to guarantee that a management change would include safeguards for horsemen and would not disrupt the local community.
The New Jersey Sport and Exposition Authority recently hired Lehman Brothers to create a report on the feasibility of a possible sale or lease of both of the agencies racing properties. A proposition that has already created high interest from private operators of the likes of Churchill Downs and Magna Entertainment. Robert Lieber of Lehman Brothers said, "the wind is at our back" in putting a deal together, adding, "Stock prices are up for the companies that operate a multiple number of tracks, and the financing environment is extraordinarily attractive -- white hot, as we call it." Sports authority President George R. Zoffinger said, "I think we can consummate a transaction in three months." He claimed that there has been interest in both people who would like to operate only Monmouth Park while others would only like to operate the Meadowlands. "We're going to do both tracks, either track or just one individual track," Zoffinger said. "If we can't get a good price, or we can't protect the constituency, or if it's bad in the view of the Stakeholders Committee, we won't do it. We will only consummate a deal if it has community support." Zoffinger also touched on the value of the tracks stating, "I'm not going to beat around the bush. A private operator can make campaign contributions and can hire lobbyists to win state legislators' approval on placing slot machines at the tracks...People are going to say it's a terrible thing for me to say. But at the end of the day, it might make a difference getting slots here...Our business has changed dramatically over what it was five years ago. A national company that has a lot of different racetracks has the ability to put up a lot of different programming (of races). That's how the business is going...The sports authority can't expand...It's limited to what it can do in the state."
Bruce Garland, NJSEA Vice President of Racing Operations, stated that Monmouth Park, which ran a summer meeting and has year-round simulcasting produced an operating profit of between $3 million and $4 million in calendar year 2003. The Meadowlands in North Jersey produced $20 million profit, it is also a property that handled more bets than any other track in the United Stated during 2003.
Committee members remain cautious and requested that state officials and consultants give the committee assurances that open disclosure of information be available to be examined as the leasing proposal idea continues. The committee is made up of the following members: Assemblyman Michael J. Panter Jr. and state Sen. Ellen Karcher, both D-Monmouth; Oceanport Mayor Maria Gatta; Jeanne DeYoung of the Monmouth County Department of Tourism; Charles Hesse III, a thoroughbred horse owner; Tinton Falls Mayor Ann McNamara; Lynda Rose, president of the Eastern Monmouth Area Chamber of Commerce; and Monmouth County Freeholder Edward Stominski. The next meeting is scheduled for some time is February and will be announced shortly.
Zoffinger reiterated to the meetings participants that, "We will do as much as physically possible to conduct deliberations in public, so there's no question we considered everything in a wide-open and well-discussed process...From the beginning of this process, our whole intention is to have Monmouth Park remain as a racetrack. That's a no-brainer from any logical standpoint. We will not go through a process that contemplates anything else."
Zoffinger related that certain "constituencies" such as the horsemen, track employees and the local community need to be protected in these negotiations and that the open space and farmland in New Jersey depend on a healthy local racing industry.
________________________________
NEW JERSEY SENATE PROPOSES SLOT LEGISLATION PANEL
Oceanport Racing Report.com
Thoroughbred Times reports that the senate has proposed a committee that would oversee legislation involving the state's casino, horseracing, and tourism industries and would make a study of slot machines at racetracks a major priority.
The committee was proposed by Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) during the Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee on Tuesday, and the Senate will vote on its formation January 26. Senator Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) would chair the committee.
"I would like the committee to hear from the stakeholders involved with video lotteries so we can weigh the economic benefits to the horse racing industry and its true impact on casinos in New Jersey," Buono told the Press of Atlantic City. "It makes sense to fully explore what could be a tremendous revenue source involving hundreds of millions of additional dollars annually to the state treasury."
________________________________
CASINO PURSE SUPPLEMENT COULD BE ON THE HORIZON
By Oceanport Racing Report.com
Multiple news organizations are reporting that a plan being considered by the New Jersey legislature, the governor's office, and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, claims Thoroughbred and Standardbred purses could be supplemented by revenue provided by Atlantic City Casinos as soon as this year.
The deal would see a revenue supplement be provided to the New Jersey racing industry in lieu of the installation of video lottery terminals at racetracks. Many believe that VLTs at tracks would require a constitutional amendment.
Details of the deal are still under discussion. For 2004 thoroughbred horsemen have a 141-day guarantee from the NJSEA, with purses expected to be in the $225,000-250,000 range. Monmouth Park would revert back to its traditional season (Memorial Day through Labor Day), while Meadowlands would run from early September through early December. A purse supplement from the casinos could possibly bring purses to $350,000 or higher by some reports.
"We need some kind of agreement to increase purses from Atlantic City," said State Senate President Richard Codey, the highest-ranking member of the state legislature, to the Press of Atlantic City.