CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AT BIG M OPENS; FREEHOLD IN FINAL WEEKS

Transcription

1 The Official Newsletter of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey Vol. 38, No. 2 Representing owners, breeders, drivers, trainers & caretakers CHAMPIONSHIP MEET AT BIG M OPENS; FREEHOLD IN FINAL WEEKS The Championship Meet at the Meadowlands opens on Friday, May 3 and runs through Hambletonian Day, Saturday August 3. The racing schedule will be Friday and Saturday nights, first race post time of 7:15 p.m. except for a matinee card on August 3. The centerpiece of the opening weekend of the Championship Meet is the $100,000 Meadowlands Maturity for four-year-old trotters. The top 10 lifetime money-winning horses at the time of entry earned a spot on the gate for an entry fee of $2,500. No nomination payments were required. The TVG Free for All Championship series begins on Saturday May 11 with the eliminations for the Arthur Cutler Memorial and a $50,000 open pace. As of April 15, there are 63 horses nominated to the trotting and pacing series and nominations have increased for other Meadowlands stakes for older horses, including the William Haughton Memorial [nominations increased from 22 in 2012 to 40 in 2013] and the U.S. Pacing Championship [26 to 41 nominations]. The $800,000 estimated Meadowlands Pace on July 13 will anchor the three-year-old pacing events. Freehold will host two $40,000 divisions of the Lady Suffolk for fillies on May 3 and the $139,600 Dexter Cup for colts on May 4, the first major tests of the year for three-year-old trotters. The track s winter-spring meet concludes on May 18. Racing will resume on Labor Day, September 2. This summer the Meadowlands is planning to offer late closers geared for horses which have been racing at Freehold. Details of these events will be released in the upcoming weeks. SAVE THE DATE: SBOANJ GOLF OUTING ON JULY 8 The annual golf outing to benefit New Jersey horsemen will take place this year on Monday, July 8, Save the date for a day of golf, prime rib dinner and door prizes. The Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey s annual event will once again take place at Gambler Ridge Golf Course in Cream Ridge, NJ. The fee is $180 per golfer. The shotgun start is at 1 p.m., preceded by registration, starting at 11:30 a.m., and buffet lunch. Dinner is at 6 p.m. and is available to non-golfers for $75. The money raised through the golf tournament supports the New Jersey Standardbred Horsemen s Benevolent Fund. Great golf and grub mark the outing at Gambler Ridge PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 1 May/June 2013

2 It is probably not the best idea to be slicing the pie that we do not have yet slots money. But we have felt it necessary to make the point that horsemen in New Jersey cannot accept a five percent share for purses, anticipated to represent only $30 million annually. Not when that five percent will need to be split between the two breeds. Not when Monmouth Park, Atlantic City Racecourse and Freehold expect a share. Not when the New Jersey Sire Stakes program needs a healthy infusion of cash to lure stallions back to the Garden State. We have proposed a variety of formulas that would help to resurrect New Jersey racing while providing the state treasury with a generous percentage, at least double what the Atlantic City casinos pay, but these would be details for negotiations. A fair and equitable distribution is what we have always sought. Of course, we still need to get that pie slots at the Meadowlands. This requires that we all invest in the future of racing in New Jersey. Please be generous in making your 2013 donations to TrotPAC, our political action committee. We work daily to win over support in the State Legislature. We need your donations to maintain this effort. Your donations are invaluable. These are investments in your future! The wheels are in motion. Bills are working their way through the Legislature which will mean big changes for the good of our industry. *** Congratulations to Team Gural for a great winter meet at the Meadowlands. Our suggestion to try ABC classified racing seems to have worked well in stimulating larger, more competitive fields and more enthusiastic betting. We feel those of you who support the Meadowlands now will be rewarded in the future. Freehold s extra winter dates also provided a positive impact on that track s business. Best of luck to all as the Championship Meet at the Meadowlands kicks off on May 3. STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ Phone: Fax: sboanj@optonline.net Website: OFFICERS Thomas F. Luchento President Ed Razzetti First Vice President Alfred Ochsner Jr. Second Vice President Mark Ford Third Vice President Dennis Lane Treasurer Anthony Romano Secretary Leo McNamara Executive Administrator DIRECTORS Robert Baggitt Sr. Robert Boni Stephen P. Dey III VMD Kelvin Harrison Jacqueline Ingrassia Richard Meirs VMD Mark Mullen Anthony Perretti Paul Wojtowicz RACETRACK REP Linda Goss Meadowlands Freehold Ext 4365 LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL AJ Sabath LEGAL COUNSEL Dennis Dowd PACESETTER EDITOR Carol Hodes carolsboanj@gmail.com Printed By NEWPORT GRAPHICS John DiSomma Ext 305 IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS New Jersey Sire Stakes Harness Horsemen International License/Fingerprint NJ Racing Commission Trenton Freehold Meadowlands NJ Trailer Ban NJTP PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 2 May/June 2013

3 HANDLE INCREASES DURING MEADOWLANDS 2013 WINTER MEET This year s Meadowlands winter meet, which concluded on Saturday, April 20, 2013, experienced a healthy increase in wagering. Total handle for the meet, including all wagering on the Meadowlands signal, reached $125,281,424, an increase of $30,768,707 or 32.5 percent in comparison to the 2012 winter meet, according to stats provided by the Meadowlands. Based on the most recent figures provided by the United States Trotting Association, the Meadowlands Racetrack is responsible for almost 25 percent of all wagers on standardbred racing in the United States, thus it continues to drive the sport of harness racing, the Meadowlands release reported. The 2013 season at the Meadowlands has revolved around improving our racing product, improving our wagering format and providing the best customer service possible, said General Manager Jason Settlemoir. We are asking people to wager their hard-earned dollars with us, and we feel it is our responsibility to provide our customers with the most enjoyable, entertaining and customer-friendly experience possible. We have taken great strides in 2013 to accomplish these goals. We look forward to being able to bring that experience to a whole new level this November as we move into our brand new facility. The switch to classified racing, which was requested by SBOANJ President Tom Luchento and Hall of Famer John Campbell, is given credit for playing a role in reducing odds-on favorites and drawing more wagering. Winning favorites dropped from 44 percent to 38 percent, according to the Meadowlands. There were several changes made that seemed to really hit home with our customers when it comes to our racing product, said Director of Racing Operations Darin Zoccali. First and foremost, Race Secretary Peter Koch has done an extraordinary job implementing the classified system of racing here at the Meadowlands. Since opening night of the winter meet, the racing has been fantastic, with large prices galore and fewer short-priced winning favorites. The addition of the Early Pick 4 has been welcomed by our players and has turned into one of the most popular bets in harness racing. This has been an important year for us as a business, said New Meadowlands Racing LLC Chairman Jeff Gural. As we begin our transition into the new building, it was important for us to build momentum leading up to that moment. This year is pivotal to the future of the Meadowlands and we certainly got off on the right foot. Leading Meadowlands trainer Julie Miller was one of the top finishers in the road race, finishing third in her age/gender group with a time of 28:11. [Lisa Photo Inc.] STRIDE FOR THE CURE RAISES $5,000 On April 20, 2013, dual racetrack events brought human and equine athletes together and raised nearly $5,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer program. A total of 228 runners crossed the finish line in the 2nd annual Meadowlands Racetrack and 95.5 WPLJ s Stride for the Cure 5K. Michael Favocci, 23, of Hawthorne, NJ took first place overall in the men s division with a time of 20:12. Jennifer Lucas, 26, of Edison, NJ took the women s division in 22:36. The 4th annual Lisa Photo Stride for the Cure highlighted the live harness racing card. The horse race was the concept of Meadowlands track photographer Michael Lisa and his wife, Annette, a breast cancer survivor. Horses and drivers in the race used pink equipment that was auctioned to benefit the American Cancer Society. The equipment was donated by members of the racing community, including Kelly Ford, Julie Miller, Kristen Bartlett, Amber Buter and Abby Simpson. PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 3 May/June 2013

4 TVG SIGNS ON AS SPONSOR OF FFA SERIES AT MEADOWLANDS TVG, America s Horseracing Network, and New Jersey s Meadowlands Racetrack announced that TVG will serve as title sponsor of the inaugural $4 million TVG Free For All Series. Open to pacers and trotters ages three and up, the season-long competition gets underway May 11, and concludes November 30 with a pair of $500,000 Free for All Finals. Competitors in those finals will be determined by a point system. Horses will be awarded points for results in nine designated pacing and trotting races. In addition, the finals may also include the winners of such events as the threeyear-old Breeders Crown Trot and Pace Finals, the Hambletonian and the Meadowlands Pace. As the exclusive TV network of Meadowlands racing, we are excited to become title sponsor of this innovative event, said TVG s Vice President of Marketing Don Scott. From making facility improvements to creating new racing programs like the TVG Free For All series, Jeff Gural and his team have embarked on an ambitious campaign to further elevate the Meadowlands as the leader within the American harness racing industry. We applaud these efforts and look forward to partnering with them. We have enjoyed a good working relationship with TVG since taking over the Meadowlands and believe this new series for older trotters and pacers should make the upcoming Championship Meet the most exciting racing we have seen in years at the Meadowlands, said New Meadowlands LLC Chairman Jeff Gural. The prospect of the best three-year-olds challenging older horses is unprecedented and should be embraced by many in the sport. Championship night, November 30, should be one for the history books. The total value of the preliminary events and the finals is more than $4 million. The point earning races, listed below, will determine the finalists along with possible invitations to three-year-olds who have won the designated premier events. DATE PACERS DATE TROTTERS May 11 $50,000 Open May 11 Cutler Elims or $50,000 Open June 1 $50,000 Open May 18 $210,000 AJ Cutler Final July 6 WR Haughton Elims or $50,000 Open June 21 $50,000 Open July 13 $500,000 WR Haughton FInal July 6 $50,000 Open July 27 US Pacing Champ Elim or $50,000 Open July 27 John Cashman Elims or $50,000 Open August 3 $242,000 US Pacing Championship Final August 3 $250,000 John Cashman Final October 6 $180,000 Allerage Farms Open Final October 6 $180,000 Allerage Farms Open Final October 19 $500,000 Breeders Crown Final October 19 $600,000 Breeders Crown Final November 23 $50,000 Open November 23 $50,000 Open $50,000 Opens will be carded if eliminations are not necessary. The Nat Ray Trot was renamed the John Cashman Memorial. The Allerage Farms events are at the Red Mile. The Breeders Crown Finals are at Pocono Downs. Purses for finals are estimates. Full conditions and lists of eligible nominees are available on the Meadowlands website, PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 4 May/June 2013

5 UNDER SADDLE SERIES SET FOR MEADOWLANDS A late-closing series for trotters racing under saddle will feature a $25,000 final on Hambletonian Day, Saturday, August 3, 2013 at the Meadowlands Racing under saddle [RUS], also known as monte racing, is a popular pari-mutuel sport in Europe, especially in France, where many top trotters and drivers compete in both sulky and saddle races. Helene Gregory won the 2012 riding under saddle event on Hambletonian Day at the Meadowlands [Lisa Photo Inc.] The fledgling organization, Monte America, has announced a series for trotters with two $10,000 legs on July 19 and July 26, and a $25,000 final showcased on harness racing's richest and most prestigious day - the 88th edition of the Hambletonian, on the first Saturday in August. Racing trotters under saddle enjoyed a resurgence last year in North America under the direction of monte rider Helene Gregory of East Windsor, NJ. The response from last year s under saddle racing was overwhelming, so I am delighted that Jeff Gural will host the series at the New Meadowlands and that the Hambletonian Society will handle payments and purses for this event, said Gregory. This will help us grow monte racing in the U.S. In March, Gregory received a President s Award from the United States Harness Writers Association for her efforts in staging under saddle racing in Last year a total of 56 riders applied to the USTA for a RUS license, so there is great interest in this new sport, she added. We started with one race on Hambo day, and by the end of the year we had 13 races in several different states and more than $80,000 in purses. I hope the series we created this year will make for an exciting final with well-matched trotters and riders. Since there will be no betting on these races, we are looking for sponsors to finance the series. A $200 nomination fee is due May 15 for those wishing to compete. Conditions, nomination blanks and more information can be found on the Monte America website or on the Hambletonian Society website We have made tremendous progress in getting our message to state legislators but the work continues, and we need your financial support for harness racing s political action committee, TrotPAC, so that we can open new doors and keep old friends in Trenton. The battle continues! Please send your donations for TrotPAC to: 64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ MAY/JUNE 2013 SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS May 13 Board of Directors Meeting June 10 Board of Directors Meeting May 28 Insurance Meeting June 25 Insurance Meeting PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 5 May/June 2013

6 Caitlin McDermott [on the left] and Veronica Fanning [right] won the 2012 SBOANJ scholarships. [Lisa Photo] SBOANJ SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE IS JUNE 25 The deadline is June 25 for applicants wishing to be considered for the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey 2013 college scholarships. Scholarships, which can range from $2,500 to $5,000, are for qualified students fwho plan to attend a two or four-year college or university, who are the son or daughter of a full-time participant in New Jersey harness racing or are themselves a full-time participant in New Jersey harness racing. Only one candidate per household will be considered, and there is a lifetime cap of $10,000 per individual. The applicant must have taken either the SAT or ACT test, be accepted to or attend a college or university and fill out the SBOANJ s Scholarship Award application. Financial need, student involvement in community work, extracurricular academic activities, evidence of strong character and leadership and interest in the equine industry will all be considered. All scholarship winners and their families will be invited to a night at the races at the Meadowlands where they will be recognized for their accomplishment in the winner s circle and have a complimentary dinner on a date determined after the selection is completed. Applications and requirements are available on the SBOANJ website -- or at Freehold and the Meadowlands [see Horsemen s Rep Linda Goss], the Backstretch Community Assistance Program offices at the Meadowlands and Showplace Farms [see Dr. Chris Samaha] and the SBOANJ office at 64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ Connie & Allen Skolnick SOUTHWIND FOUNDERS BOTH SUCCUMB Southwind Farms in Pennington, NJ lost its founders, Allen and Connie Skolnick, within a month of each other this spring. Both were 84. Allen Skolnick passed away on April 24, 2013 while Connie passed away on March 28, In 1986, Allen and Connie Skolnick acquired the 325-acre New Jersey breeding farm, which currently stands Hambletonian winner Muscle Hill. Mr. Skolnick founded a successful nutritional supplement company and later turned his attention to horses and farming with the acquisition in 1980 of the first Southwind Farm, 390 acres in Butternut Valley in upstate New York, where he and his wife raised cattle, sheep, goats and hay. Southwind s distinctive statuary and gardens were designed by Mrs. Skolnick. They are survived by sons Barry and Mitchel, who operates Bluestone Farm in New Jersey, and grandsons Ryan, Matthew and Jacob. Their son, Rand, predeceased them. Southwind Farm PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 6 May/June 2013

7 TOP SOPHS PREP FOR NJ CLASSIC & MISS NEW JERSEY The $250,000 estimated Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic and the $125,000 estimated Thomas D Altrui Miss New Jersey for fillies will share the spotlight on Hambletonian Day, August 3, 2013, at the Meadowlands. The two stakes for New Jersey-sired three-year-old pacers, sponsored by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association, closed with nominations from 36 colts and 25 fillies. The colts eligible to the New Jersey Classic include some of the stars of the freshman class of Rockin Amadeus by Rocknroll Hanover won the $600,000 Breeders Crown in 1:51.2 at Woodbine in his final start as a two-year-old to wrap up his campaign with three wins, three seconds and one third from 10 starts and earnings of $455,440 for his owner-breeder, Lothlorien of Cheltenham, Ontario. The Jimmy Takter trainee has been sharp in his 2013 preparations, winning three straight qualifiers in April. Authorize, the winner of the $150,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final for fillies, was also nominated. The daughter of Western Ideal posted five wins, one second and one third from 11 starts for earnings of $170,165 for breeder Brittany Farms, and Doug and Steve Monieson of Versailles, KY. The Tony Alagna protégé makes her 2013 debut on May 3 at the Meadowlands. NJ CLASSIC NOMS HORSE SIRE DAM Always There Western Ideal Thong Song Bruster Hanover Cam's Card Shark Brooke Haley Deep Sea Hanover Western Ideal Deer Valley Miss Dharma Initiative Western Ideal Coochie Mama Double Room Cam's Card Shark Roomie Hanover Electrify Western Ideal Amazing Marker Emeritus Maximus Rocknroll Hanover Eternity's Delight Fudge Rocknroll Hanover White Chocolate He Rocks The Moon Rocknroll Hanover Moonlit Bay I Dreamed A Dream Western Ideal I'm Not Dreamin Ideal Carver Western Ideal Yankee Scandal Itsahardrocklife Rocknroll Hanover Passionate Life Johny Rock Rocknroll Hanover Soggy Britches Lucan Hanover Western Ideal Lauren Order Nick Fotiu Cam's Card Shark Enduring Dream One Stop Deal Western Ideal Artstopper Only The Lonely Western Ideal Lonesome Day Pappy's Pal Cam's Card Shark Santa Mattalina Real Rocker Rocknroll Hanover Real Successful Rocks N Bonds Rocknroll Hanover Economic Clout Rockin Amadeus Rocknroll Hanover Kikikatie Rockin Romeo Rocknroll Hanover Art Amour Rockin Wizard Rocknroll Hanover Please Me Please Rocknmyjeans Rocknroll Hanover Venusinbluejeans Rocknrolwillneverdie Rocknroll Hanover Where The Heart Is Rocky Mountain Guy Rocknroll Hanover Camadian Sky Is The Limit Western Ideal Savannah Sky Smart Idea Western Ideal Smart Dialing Talking Blues Rocknroll Hanover Captain Holly Thisguysarockstar Rocknroll Hanover Under Her Spell To Beach His Own Rocknroll Hanover Beachy Lady Troon Rocknroll Hanover Madura Umbrage Hanover Cam's Card Shark Up Front Rose Wake Up Peter Rocknroll Hanover Lovely Lady Windsun Cheyenne Cam s Card Shark Windsun Dee Word Power Western Ideal Lush Limbaugh Also nominated to the Miss New Jersey is I Luv The Nitelife, a daughter of Rocknroll Hanover, who won the $131,045 Eternal Camnation and $616,100 She s A Great Lady before finishing second best in the $600,000 Breeders Crown. Her mark of 1:50.1 came in the elim for the She s A Great Lady at Mohawk. Trained by Chris Ryder, I Luv The Nitelife scored four wins, four seconds and one third from 10 starts. She earned $689,530 for Richard and Joanne Young of Coconut Creek, FL. MISS NEW JERSEY NOMS HORSE SIRE DAM Acquavella Western Ideal The Art Museum Air Miles Hanover Western Ideal Artaffection Angels Delight Rocknroll Hanover Belovedangel Authorize Western Ideal CPA Certified Ideal Western Ideal Areba's Last Fun Filly Cam's Card Shark Village Jovial Get Party Perfect Cam's Card Shark Perfect Four Get The Look Cam's Card Shark Rain Maiden Graphene Rocknroll Hanover Sure Sign I Luv The Nitelife Rocknroll Hanover Lisjune Iced Out Western Ideal Restive Hanover Ideal A Little Western Ideal Vegas Style Ideal Ginny Western Ideal Armbro Nectarine Jerseylicious Western Ideal Jet Lag N JK Letitgo Western Ideal JK Getoutofmyway Light Of Day Rocknroll Hanover Spring Wind Miss Lauren Cam's Card Shark Fox Valley Evanna Ms Caila J Fra Western Ideal Caila Fra Nominal Hanover Western Ideal Numeric Hanover O Narutac Rockette Rocknroll Hanover Cam For Life Panera Hanover Rocknroll Hanover Paris Hanover Poetic Lady Western Ideal Expressive R Journey Together Western Ideal R Xample True Reflection Western Ideal Real Reflection Zinderella Western Ideal Zintillating PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 7 May/June 2013

8 MAY/JUNE 2013 ISSUE OF THE PACESETTER CATCHING UP WITH WHITE BLISS: Photographer Vicki Wright revisited the unique white pacing colt White Bliss at Fair Winds Farm in Cream Ridge, NJ to capture the son of Art Major-Coochie Mama, who is now a year old. Owned by Peter Congliose of Toms River, NJ, the pacer was born on May 6, He still stands out in a crowd!