HARD ROCK CASINO AT THE MEADOWLANDS?

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1 The Official Newsletter of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey Vol. 40, No. 4 Representing owners, breeders, drivers, trainers & caretakers HARD ROCK CASINO AT THE MEADOWLANDS? The plans for Hard Rock International to bring a casino to the Meadowlands Racetrack were unveiled at a well-attended media event on June 3, 2015 in the Victory Sports Bar at the Meadowlands. A view of the proposed Hard Rock Meadowlands Casino Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International, and Jeff Gural, chairman of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC, were joined by state legislators, chamber of commerce leaders and union leaders, all speaking on behalf of the plan, which calls for 5,000 slot machines and 200 gaming tables which could yield more than $400 million in new tax revenues annually for the State of New Jersey. This was a positive step in the right direction, said Tom Luchento, president of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey, who was among the SBOANJ contingent attending the event. We are still hopeful to get this on the ballot this year. We understand Senate President Steve Sweeney s concerns about presenting a ballot question in an off-year election year [2015], but we d like to get this done now, Luchento added. And this is not only about bigger purses. This is funding for seniors, students, the Atlantic City casinos, farmers, inner city parks. So there is a lot to explain to people. This is not a fight between North and South Jersey, Gural told journalists and other guests at the media event. The reality is that the competition is already there [for Atlantic City] from New York and Pennsylvania. We re 15 minutes when it isn t rush hour -- from Times Square. I m even more optimistic. I think we can generate $500 million a year for the state. [Continues on Page 4] PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 1 July/August 2015

2 I know- I know- I know! You have heard this before, but we will, in my opinion, see gaming in North Jersey. The question is whether or not we can get the referendum question on the ballot this November, which is being pushed by the North Jersey legislators, or whether the South Jersey legislators continue their delaying tactics. It is our preference to get it done this year both to expedite the process and also for the strategic advantage of promoting this during an off-year election. We think that more people will get our message and be better informed this November rather than getting lost in the hoopla of a national election in My opinion is that it will get passed either way. But we want and need gaming as soon as possible in North Jersey. As it stands now, we are on life support. Our horsemen and tracks are doing the best they can. Politics and regional protectionism are muddling the picture. The Meadowlands is in the lead, I feel, and should have the first casino. They are ready to go as soon as the legislation is signed. Other options, like Jersey City, are three to four years away. We understand the concerns of South Jersey politicians who want to protect their constituents jobs, but there is nothing we are doing that has caused the closure of the Atlantic City casinos. These were victimized by the competition in surrounding states. Let s bring the New Jersey bettors back to the Garden State. Let s help return the flow of money back into the state s treasury. And let s help the economy of New Jersey by having a successful Meadowlands casino and a healthy horse industry, which contributes jobs, taxes and Green Acres. The size and scope of our industry is not always appreciated, but it represents one of the top contributors, with equines representing 20 percent of the state s agri-business. If the referendum comes up in November, please spread the word to your friends and family to support North Jersey gaming. And if you plan to be in Harrisburg in November, make sure to obtain an absentee ballot. We thank all of you who donate to TrotPAC, giving us a voice in this battle we must fight for a renaissance in New Jersey racing. STANDARDBRED BREEDERS & OWNERS ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY 64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ Phone: Fax: info@sboanj.com Website: OFFICERS Thomas F. Luchento President Dennis Lane First Vice President/ Treasurer Alfred Ochsner Jr. Second Vice President Mark Ford Third Vice President Anthony Romano Secretary Leo McNamara Executive Administrator DIRECTORS Robert Boni Stephen P. Dey III VMD Michael J. Gulotta Kelvin Harrison Jacqueline Ingrassia Richard Meirs VMD Mark Mullen Anthony Perretti Thomas Pontone 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 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 July/August 2015

3 NEW JERSEY CLASSIC & MISS NEW JERSEY SET FOR JULY 25 New Jersey s showcase events for state-bred three-year-old pacers, the $250,000 estimated Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic and the $125,000 estimated filly companion event, the Thomas D Altrui Miss New Jersey, are scheduled to go postward on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at the Meadowlands. The stakes are newly positioned a week after the Meadowlands Pace and Mistletoe Shalee. Additionally, the 2015 editions of these two stakes will be raced as finals-only with no eliminations. The finals will be limited to the 10 highest lifetime money-winning horses at the time of entry. Post positions will be determined by open draw. Artspeak Artspeak, the Dan Patch divisional champion as 2015 Two-Year -Old Pacing Colt of the Year, is among the 34 colts and geldings eligible for the New Jersey Classic. The son of Western Ideal The Art Museum won at of 10 starts at two and has two wins and a second in 2015, including a victory in the $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final at the Meadowlands. The Tony Alagna trainee has banked $848,760 for Brittany Farms, Marvin Katz, Joe Sborocco and the In the Gym Partners. The Show Returns, a daughter or Rocknroll Hanover Stienam s Place, won her $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final and was runner-up in the Fan Hanover this year. Trained by Chris Ryder, she is owned by Richard P. and Joanne Young. She is one of 23 fillies eligible to the Miss New Jersey. Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic Horse Sire Dam American Rock Rocknroll Hanover Mrs American Pie Artspeak Western Ideal The Art Museum Badix Hanover Western Ideal Bold Pink Bruce's Magic Rocknroll Hanover Special Magic Cousin Brucie Rocknroll Hanover Southwind Tempo Dealt A Winner Cam's Card Shark Lazan Hanover Devils Cut Western Ideal Orchid Island Edward Teach Rocknroll Hanover Fionavar Hanover Giovanni Rocknroll Hanover Luck Of Michelle Gratian Hanover Western Ideal Gray Major Hurrikane Ali Rocknroll Hanover She's The Greatest Hurrikane Houdini Cam s Card Shark Alibecca Mitt Jagger Rocknroll Hanover Artimittateslife Pierce Hanover Cam's Card Shark Panned Out Revenge Shark Cam's Card Shark Western Top Cat Rock N' Roll World Rocknroll Hanover Worldly Beauty Rock Of The Ages Rocknroll Hanover Galleria Rock On The Hill Rocknroll Hanover Cosmo Blue Chip Rock Shooter Rocknroll Hanover More Than Most Rock The Nite Rocknroll Hanover Queen Of The Ball Rockn Royalty Rocknroll Hanover Darlin'S Delight Rockport Rocknroll Hanover Artchitechture Rodeo Romeo Rocknroll Hanover Southwind Vanna Rollin Ring Afire Rocknroll Hanover She's A Ruff One Rooster Rabbit Rocknroll Hanover Economic Clout Shane Adam Western Ideal Cheyenne Ava Split The House Rocknroll Hanover Shake That Junk Stover Rocknroll Hanover Art's Fantasy The Way Rocknroll Hanover Cammy's Heart Too Darn Hot Rocknroll Hanover Kiss Me Kate Vegas Rocks Rocknroll Hanover Stonebridge Hugs Wegottatruckyea Rocknroll Hanover Magic of Michele Western Pioneer Western Ideal Up Front Fire Wok N Roll K Rocknroll Hanover Chinatown K Thomas D Altrui Miss New Jersey Horse Sire Dam Art Rock Café Rocknroll Hanover Art Sale Cheyenne Robin Rocknroll Hanover Cheyenne Margie Cinnamon Girl Rocknroll Hanover Camadian Crescent City Rocknroll Hanover Mississippi River Fashion Rocker Rocknroll Hanover Show Off Happiness Rocknroll Hanover Panevolence Happy Becky Cam's Card Shark Happy Doris Hollyrocker Rocknroll Hanover Classic Star Idalid Hanover Western Ideal Ifyoucouldcwhatic Ideal Nuggets Western Ideal Rough Sketch Lindys Old Lady Rocknroll Hanover Lindy's Bandita Lissan Rocknroll Hanover Lismorebella New Joez Western Ideal Debras Charm Planet Ocean Cam's Card Shark Beach Bretta Quick Aint Fair Rocknroll Hanover Apere Hanover Smart Zone Rocknroll Hanover Open Book Test Stacia Hanover Western Ideal Stolly Up Bluechip Strut My Stuff Western Ideal Attitude Hanover The Show Returns Rocknroll Hanover Stienman's Place Thirty X Rocknroll Hanover Glowing Report Too Soon To Tell Rocknroll Hanover Arbeedo Venus Rocks Rocknroll Hanover Venus Killean Wicked Little Minx Rocknroll Hanover Beachy Lady PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 3 July/August 2015

4 LAST CALL FOR 2015 GOLF OUTING ON JULY 13 The annual golf outing to benefit New Jersey horsemen will take place this year on Monday, July 13, The Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey s fundraiser will once again take place at Gambler Ridge Golf Course in Cream Ridge, NJ, featuring a round of golf, a prime rib buffet dinner and chances for door prizes, silent auction items and a 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 SBOANJ Horsemen s Benevolent Fund and Trot- PAC. The Benevolent Fund has assisted struggling New Jersey horsemen with funeral expenses, rent, medical and other essentials. For more information, contact Leo McNamara or Polly Hartzell at the SBOANJ office at HARD ROCK CASINO AT THE MEADOWLANDS? [Continued from Page 1] City, he added. Another view of proposed Hard Rock Meadowlands casino Gural proposes to give the state 55 percent of revenues, the same arrangement as Pennsylvania and its casinos. We re the No. 1 harness track in the world, but we have a real struggle to get people to race here, Gural noted. We need to help the purses here and at Monmouth Park. We run a very clean operation. The people running horses here are the cream of the crop. Saving the horse racing industry is just as important as saving Atlantic. Among the legislators attending were State Senators Raymond J. Lesniak, Paul A. Sarlo, Robert Gordon and Loretta Weinberg as well as Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto and Assembly Members Ralph R. Caputo, Marlene Caride, and Valerie Vainieri Huttle. We have a lot to do with my colleagues, Sarlo said. We ll get there as a group. We ll get to what we need to do to get this built. We can t wait two years. I d like to get it up in six weeks if it was possible. But we ll work together. I promise to work with my colleagues to get this done. Two issues are whether the referendum for expanding casino wagering outside Atlantic City public support is needed for a constitutional amendment should be on this November s ballot or next year s; and whether there should be two or three licenses available in Bergen, Hudson and Essex Counties. For the latest news from the SBOANJ be sure to Like us on Facebook! PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 4 July/August 2015

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6 HAMBLETONIAN DRAW & CASINO NIGHT ON MONDAY, AUGUST 3 The post position draw for the Hambletonian will take place on Monday, August 3, 2015, a change from the Tuesday draw in past years. The 90 th edition of the Hambletonian for three-year-old trotters will highlight a stake-laden card on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at the Meadowlands. The Charity Casino Night will follow the post position draws for the Hambletonian, Hambletonian Oaks, Cashman and Cane Pace. The draws will take place at 2 p.m. in the track-level Victory Sports Bar at the Meadowlands. For those attending the Casino Night, action moves to Trotters on the second level for food and open bar at 4 p.m. Casino tables in the Grandstand Lounge will open at 4:30 p.m. The Poker Tournament [$100 buy in, limited seating] begins at 5:30 p.m. Casino tables will close at 8 p.m. and raffle winners will be drawn at 8:30 p.m. The evening activities include dinner and dessert, open bar, roulette, craps, blackjack and poker. Tickets may be purchased at $50 for dinner and casino, $100 for poker tournament only and $150 for dinner, casino and poker seat. Additionally, sponsorships, which include dinner tickets and casino chips, and range from $1,000 to $10,000, are being sought. The event benefits the Harness Racing Museum and the Standardbred Retirement Foundation. For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit harnessmuseum.com. Support New Jersey racing with your donations to TROTPac PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 6 July/August 2015

7 PONTONE JOINS SBOANJ BOARD OF DIRECTORS Thomas Pontone, whose TLP Stables has owned more than 250 horses including Hambletonian winners Muscle Hill and Market Share, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey. Pontone, who resides in Holmdel, NJ, is president of the Funeral Homes Products division of Matthews International. He has owned standardbred race horses since 1996 when he and his father, Lou, created the TLP Stables. Tom Pontone will fill the vacancy in the owners committee created by the passing of Eddie Razzetti, said SBOANJ President Tom Luchento. Tom has many years of experience as an owner, racing some of the leading horses of the last two decades. Pontone, 53, plans to call on his deep-rooted passion for harness racing in the great State of New Jersey in his role on the SBOANJ Board of Directors. I absolutely love harness racing and am very devoted to it, he said. My wish is that the sport can continue to grow and prosper here, and there is no doubt in my mind that it can. In addition to his ownership interest in 2009 Horse of the Year Muscle Hill, the St. Johns University graduate was also was a partner in 1998 Pacer of the Year Red Bow Tie, 2013 Trotting Horse of the Year Market Share and 2003 Pacing Horse of the Year Art Major among many others. MC DERMOTT, POSNER & LAUER WIN SCHOLARSHIPS Tom Pontone The daughters of three trainers were named 2015 recipients of $2,500 scholarships from the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey. McDermott Posner The honorees are Caitlin McDermott of Allentown, NJ, daughter of Kevin and Sheri McDermott; Leah Mazer-Posner of Jackson, NJ, daughter of Colleen and Mike Posner, and Stephanie Lauer of Highstown, NJ, daughter of Bruce and Marie Lauer. Caitlin McDermott, 20, is preparing to combine her knowledge of horses and human therapeutic techniques into an amazing career. McDermott expects to graduate from Florida Southern College in May of 2016 with a degree in biological sciences and athletic training. She was the recipient of an SBOANJ scholarship in 2012 and was a past Standardbred Equestrian of the Year. Posner always knew I wanted to have a career that involved horses and now has the goal to be an equine surgeon. The 18-year-old competitively shows horses and volunteers to foster rescue dogs. She is enrolled in Ocean County Community College where she took two courses while a senior in high school this past spring. Lauer, a four-year honor roll student in high school, spent her freshman year at Radford University and transferred to the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, in She is a competitive swimmer and owns a standardbred who raced in her father s stable and is now retired as her riding horse. I am majoring in special education, Lauer said. I plan on continuing my dream with a riding facility. She hopes to use standardbreds to teach riding to mentally and physically challenged people and work with wounded soldiers. McDermott, Posner and Lauer will be presented with their scholarship checks and plaques in Lauer the Meadowlands winner s circle on July 25, 2015, the night of the Anthony Abbatiello New Jersey Classic and the Thomas D Altrui Miss New Jersey. PACESETTER SBOANJ.COM 7 July/August 2015

8 FAIR WINDS OPEN HOUSE DRAWS MORE THAN 350 Wagon rides, farrier exhibitions, equine clinic tours and exhibits of all sorts highlighted the 2 nd Annual Fair Winds Farm Open House on June 28, The Cream Ridge, NJ farm threw open its gates and hosted a grand party with more than 350 guests, who took wagon rides; watched farrier demonstrations while the members of the Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organization showcase their retired standardbreds talents as riding, competition and carriage horses; toured the Hogan Clinic and witnessed a demonstration of the equipment worn by standardbred racehorses with Jacqueline and Frank Ingrassia, who brought their currently-racing trotter Cool Beans. Photos by Carol Hodes Photos [clockwise, starting upper left]: Boots bearing flowers; Assemblyman Ron Dancer meets trotter Independent Act [Indy] and owner Suzanne D Ambrose]; Percheron Rosie and American Cream Draft Claire from Rich and Deb Osborn s Our American Dream Farm, provided wagon rides for visitors; Ron Dancer and SBOANJ President Tom Luchento; Jacqueline Ingrassia demonstrated racing equipment with her trotter, Cool Beans, who meets Rutgers Equine Center s Dr. Karyn Malinowski, and Dr. Patty Hogan welcomes visitors to her equine clinic where tours were at capacity. BBQ AT GAITWAY FARM ON JULY 20 Assemblyman Ron Dancer will be the guest speaker at a barbecue at Gaitway Farm in Englishtown, NJ on Monday, July 20, 2015 at 12:30 p.m. The Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey and the Christian Harness Horsemen's Association are the co-sponsors of the event. For more information, contact Chaplain Lee Alphen at leealphen@comcast.net, or (cell)