Pacesetter Jan.. Jan. -- Feb. Feb. 2019 2019 Volume 45 44 Issue ssue 1 6 RESOUNDING NEWS FOR NEW JERSEY HORSEMEN Dear Members, Let me begin with just two words: Thank you. After years of working to create a better future for New Jersey s horse racing and breeding industries, our efforts were rewarded when Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to provide $100 million over five years to help stimulate growth and level the playing field with neighboring states. Upon approving the funding, Gov. Murphy said, New Jersey s horse racing industry is a key economic engine, supporting thousands of jobs and attracting tourists and fans from around the world. Our state has a long and proud history of horse racing and we must recapture our competitive edge in the industry. With this funding, New Jersey can continue to offer one of the most exciting horse racing experiences in the nation, while also providing a boost to an industry that is integral to our economy. We want to thank Gov. Murphy for fulfilling his commitment to racing. We also want to thank the countless legislators who took the time to understand what was at stake and supported our cause. Primary sponsors of the bill included Senators Vin Gopal, Paul A. Sarlo, and Steven Oroho; and Assembly members John J. Burzichelli, Eric Houghtaling, Joann Downey, and Ronald S. Dancer. As our own SBOANJ Treasurer Mike Gulotta said, For the last 10 years New Jersey has fallen behind New York, Pennsylvania, and others due to the uncompetitive en- WHAT S INSIDE NJ BREEDERS AWARDS...2 2019 STALLIONS STANDING IN NJ...3 VENDOR DISCOUNT PARTICIPANTS...4 vironment in which we found ourselves. This legislation will create jobs and renew interest and investment in New Jersey, specifically in farm lands. It will prove to be a great investment by the state. Many people doubted this day would ever come. Thank you to all our members who worked tirelessly to prove them wrong as well as everyone who donated to our political action committee, TrotPAC. These efforts, as well as those of our lobbyist, AJ Sabath, were vital in making the contacts necessary to get this legislation passed. Thank you, too, to Jeff Gural for keeping the Meadowlands open and persevering until this day arrived. We can all take pride in our accomplishment and enjoy this moment. But only for a moment. We have been given a tremendous opportunity to reinvigorate our racing and breeding programs and we must make the most of it. As part of its commitment to us, the legislature wants to see progress. We must continue working together to maximize the return on this investment, whether it is through improving handle, increasing stallion numbers, investing in horses and infrastructure, creating jobs, or preserving open space. Now is the time to ensure the long-term viability of Standardbred racing and breeding in New Jersey. We are all in this together. We have momentum, let s use it. Mark Ford 2018 NJ TITLES...5 GOVERNOR MURPHY SIGNS BILL...6 TROTPAC...7
62nd ANNUAL NJ BREEDERS AWARDS On Sunday (Jan 27), the New Jersey Department of Agriculture held its 62nd Annual New Jersey Breeder Awards Luncheon at Hilton Gardens Inn in Hamilton. This year the committee dedicated the luncheon to the late Steve Williams, longtime farm manager of White Birch Farm. SBOANJ directors in attendance were Mark Mullen, Anthony Romano, Chris Ryder, and Executive Administrator Al Ochsner. Take a Wish won the NJ Sire Stakes Horse of the year for owner Dawn Anderson. Take A Wish was the only horse to score double finals wins with victories in the finals of the Sires Stakes Premier Division at the Meadowlands and the Standardbred Development Fund at Freehold Raceway. Take A Wish won $87,395 in 2018 and the 3-year-old filly trotter was on the board in five of the six Sire Stakes races she entered. Take A Wish is owned by Dawn Anderson and Mark Schullstrom Take a Wish s driver Steve Smith and connections accept the NJ Sire Stakes Horse of the year award. of Colts Neck, N.J., and was bred by Rivers Stable in Flemington, N.J. The John McDermott trainee Hurrikane Emperor received the Standardbred of the year honors. SBOANJ Executive Administrator In nine career starts, Hurrikane Emperor has seven wins and has earned $226,900. The 2-year-old had a dominating performance in the New Jersey Sire Stakes at the Meadowlands and then had a 1:49.3 mile in the $250,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes Final at the Red Mile in Lexington, Ky., to become the first known dual sire stakes champion. In his final start of the year, Hurrikane Emperor won the Standardbred dardbred of the Year. Al Ochsner presented one of Hurrikane Emperor s owners Jonathan Klee with the award for NJ Stan- Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey sponsored Homegrown Pace at Freehold Raceway. Hurrikane Emperor has career earnings of $219,092. Mark Mullen presented Steve Williams sons Steve and Joseph Williams the Breeder of the Year award for White Birch Farm. White Birch Farm in Allentown is a 600-acre Standardbred breeding farm founded by Joe and Marie Parisi received the Breeder of the Year award. Their son Michael ran the farm in the years following Joe s passing. Michael passed away in 2015 and long-serving farm manager Steve Williams also passed this year. White Birch Farm also won this honor in 2004, 2011 and 2014 and was the United States Harness Writers Association Breeder of the Year in 2012 and 2013. The $7 million dollar standardbred Foiled Again also received special recognition during the awards ceremony. Suzanne D Ambrose presents Veronica Spicer with a gift basket on behalf of Foiled Again 2
2019 STALLIONSin New Jersey PACERS CAUTION SIGNS New York Sire Stakes winner Lifetime mark of 1:48.3 Lifetime earnings $438,831 Crystal Brook Farm GREAT VINTAGE New York Sire Stakes winner Lifetime mark of 1:49.1 Lifetime earnings $1.1 million $2,000 stud fee HIGH STAKE HANOVER NJ Sire Stakes Eligible Lifetime mark of 1:55.1 Lifetime earnings $41,910 Hollyview Farm $1,000 stud fee KEYSTONE VELOCITY 2018 Levy winner Lifetime mark of 1:47.3 Lifetime earnings $1.6 million LAZARUS N New Zealand Horse of Year Twice Lifetime mark of 1:48.3 Lifetime earnings $3 million Deo Volente Farm $10,000 stud fee LIS MARA MYSTERIOUS MOMENT NUTCRACKER SWEET SUNFIRE BLUE CHIP 2006 Breeders Crown winner Lifetime mark of 1:47.3 Lifetime earnings $2 million Deo Volente Farms $2,500 stud fee New York Sire Stakes winner Lifetime mark of 1:51.0 Lifetime earnings $471,877 Tom Lail Farm $2,000 stud fee 2017 Bluegrass Stakes winner Lifetime mark of 1:50.2 Lifetime earnings $389,094 2013 Adios winner Lifetime mark of 1:49.1 Lifetime earnings $1.1 million $2,000 stud fee MUSCLE HILL 2009 Horse of the Year Lifetime mark of 1:50.3 Lifetime earnings $3 million Southwind Farms NORTHERN KID NJ Sire Stakes Eligible Lifetime mark of 1:57.1 Lifetime earnings $84,736 Big Sky Horse Spa $500 TROTTERS ROCK OF CASHEL NJ Sire Stakes Eligible Lifetime mark of 1:51.3 Lifetime earnings $611,568 TACTICAL LANDING 2018 Breeders Crown winner Lifetime mark of 1:50.2 Lifetime earnings $812,300 Southwind Farms $15,000 stud fee TRIXTON 2014 Hambletonian winner Lifetime mark of 1:50.3 Lifetime earnings $947,057 Deo Volente Farms $12,000 stud fee WALNER Record of 9 wins in 10 starts Lifetime mark of 1:50.2 Lifetime earnings $567,652 Southwind Farms $20,000 stud fee 3
VENDOR DISCOUNT PARTICIPANTS dillsfeed.com 732-462-2251 263 Throckmorton St. Freehold, NJ 07728 embroideryunl.com 508-485-5522 449 Boston Post Rd. East Ste #5, Marlborough, MA 01752 horze.com 877-647-4422 Storefront at the Meadowlands Racetrack freeholdraceway.com 732-462-3800 130 Park Avenue Freehold, NJ 07728 knobhillbowling.com 732-446-6001 363 NJ-33, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726 732-780-1295 91 Highland Ridge Rd. Manalapan, New Jersey 07726 playmeadowlands.com 201-460-4079 1 Racetrack Dr. East Rutherford, NJ 07073 pantanonursery.com 732-786-8503 145 Freehold Rd. Manalapan, NJ 07726 Shop online @ saddlesource.com 732-446-4330 29 Park Ave. 282 Rt 539 Englishtown, NJ 07726 Cream Ridge, NJ 08514 Walner. 4 609-223-0421 1 Allison Way Allentown, NJ 08501 rudyscafeandrestaurant.com 732-851-4188 363 NJ-33, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726 Please contact the SBOANJ office if you have a service you would like to offer. knobhillbowling.com 732-446-6001 363 NJ-33, Manalapan Township, NJ 07726 IMPORTANT INSURANCE INFORMATION Meritain is reissuing new insurance cards for all members on our plan effective March 2019. Once you receive your new card please destroy old card immediately. SBOANJ S NEW DIRECTOR LINDA TOSCANO Linda Toscano started her career in New York working for legends Buddy Regan and John Campbell. She moved to New Jersey in 1984 and has been an avid supporter of New Jersey racing and breeding for the past 35 years. As a trainer she has achieved some of the highest honors in the sport. Linda was the first women to be named trainer of the year in 2012. In 2018 she was named to the Harness Horse Hall of Fame. Toscano trained Horse of the Year Chapter Seven, Hambletonian winner Market Share and world record holder To help promote breeding in her home state she was instrumental with the breeding syndicate that stood, the 2016 Two- Year-Old Colt Trotter of the Year, Walner in New Jersey. Linda is very excited that her fellow horsemen and women have selected her to represent them as a director on the SBO- ANJ s board. With the allocations of $10 million in appropriation and sports betting funds being added to the purse accounts New Jersey is moving in the right direction. Toscano is looking forward to working with her fellow directors to help restore standardbred racing in New Jersey to its rightful place back at the top.
SURICK AND MILLER REPEAT IN 2018 AT FREEHOLD RACEWAY The 2018 driver and trainer titles at Freehold Raceway were presented to Andy Miller and Nick Surick for the second year in a row. No stranger to winning driving titles, Andy Miller has won titles at Balmoral Park, Maywood Park and now his third at Freehold Raceway. Miller closed the 2018 season at Freehold with 133 wins and a UDR of.414. Once again, Nick Surick dominated the competition in 2018 with 143 wins and a UDR of.434. This is also Surick s third training title at Freehold. The dynamic duo are not slowing down in 2019, winning 7 races on the 12 race card on Saturday February 7th. Surrounded by their friends and family in the winner circle, Miller and Surick received their awards from General Manager Howard Burno and Director of Racing Karen Fagliarone. Photo courtesy of World Wide Racing Photos. Freehold holds live racing with a post time of 12:30 pm on Friday and Saturday. MAROHN AND BURKE TAKE 2017-2018 MEADOWLANDS TITLES Jim Marohn Jr. and Ron Burke won the 2017-2018 Meadowlands driving and training titles respectively. Jim Marohn Jr. celebrated his first Meadowlands driving titles with 94 wins and close to $1 million. Marohn also passed 300 wins for the seventh straight season and posted his second $5 million year in a row. Ron Burke cruised to his sixth consecutive Meadowlands training title in 2018 with 61 wins and $2.4 million. He was the sport s leading trainer for the ninth straight season, passing the $20 million plateau for the fifth year in a row with $21,092,421. The Meadowlands holds live racing on Friday and Saturday nights. General Manager, Jason Settlemoir and Director of Racing, Peter Koch present Jim Marohn Jr. with his first driving title at the Meadowlands Racetrack. Photo courtesy of Lisa Photo. 5
GOVERNOR MURPHY SIGNS SUPPORT FOR HORSE RACING INDUSTRY INTO LAW The Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ) thanks Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Legislature for passing and signing into law an essential measure to propel New Jersey s horse racing and breeding industry. The $100 million over 5 years will be used for horse racing purse allocations and greatly increase the participation in this thriving industry in the Garden State. SBOANJ is grateful for the tremendous support the horse racing and breeding industry has received from the State and the continuous effort to ensure that the many careers and businesses created through the industry are protected, said Mark Ford, President of the SBOANJ. The New Jersey Legislature and Governor Murphy have made it a priority to create a sound and reasonable appropriation in an effort to bring tremendous economic development to NJ. For these reasons, we thank the Sponsors and the Governor for their leadership on this issue. This measure guarantees New Jersey s position in the industry in order to compete with the surrounding states. SBOANJ would like to express its gratitude for the remarkable work accomplished through our advocacy efforts. The relentless work of the Association in conjunction with the valiant efforts of the State will pay dividends for the horse racing and breeding industry and the economy as a whole, allowing us to continue to provide compelling purses that will undoubtedly attract unparalleled competitors back to the state. SBOANJ is also appreciative of the support shown by their longstanding partners the Meadowland Racetrack, Freehold Raceway, the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen Association and the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of New Jersey. The horse racing industry and breeding farms not only aid and protect the preservation of open space in New Jersey, they heavily support the agribusiness and ensure thousands of jobs around the state. The new law will encourage growth in these businesses and throughout the State s economy. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (signing the sports betting legislation) has now signed bill that may provide $100 million to the state s horse racing industry over five years. ALLOCATIONS OF $20 MILLION APPROPRIATIONS FUND The Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey would like to clarify to all horsemen how the $20 million appropriation will be utilized. The amounts will be allocated by the New Jersey Racing Commission equally between the thoroughbred industry and the standardbred industry. Of the funds allocated to the standardbred industry, 60 percent will be allocated to the Meadowlands overnight purses; 16 percent to Freehold overnight purses; 12 percent to the New Jersey Sire Stakes purses; 12 percent to purse bonuses for New Jersey sired horses and for breeders awards programs. Separately, the Meadowlands purse account will receive a minimum of $1 million per year from the Meadowlands sports betting revenue. The SBOANJ s breeders committee will be meeting shortly to determine the best way to fund the breeding programs. If you have any questions please feel free to call the office 732-462-2357. 6
Bob Boni Steve Dey Mark Ford Sam Landy Sam Landy Mike Gulotta Julie Miller Anthony Perretti Anthony Romano Rich Meirs Linda Toscano Chris Ryder EQUINE ADVISORY/SIRE ORGANIZATIONAL TrotPAC INSURANCE trustees have done a great job STAKES REVIEW-EMPLOYEE EVENTS BUILDING ATTENDED & GROUNDS IN 2019 bringing Anthony Romano the New Jersey horse 1 Mark racing Mullen 1 Anthony Romano 1 Assemblyman Anthony Joe Romano Danielsen 1 industry s Chris Ryder need 2 for state support Rich to Meirs the 2 Tom Pontone 2 Rich Meirs 2 Julie Miller Bob Boni Mark Mullen Steve Dey attention of our state representatives. Both Trot- Assemblywoman Munoz Mark Mullen Mike Gulotta Chris Ryder PAC Anthony trustees Perretti and SBOANJ directors Sam Landy met and spoke to Senator Anthony Bucco Governor SPECIAL EVENTS- BENEVOLENT Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and Assembly PR-LEGISLATION-WEBSITE- CONSTITUTION-BY LAWS MEMBERSHIP SPECIALIZED Assembly WAGERING Majority Leader Lou Greenwald Chris Ryder 1 Anthony Perretti 1 Anthony Perretti 1 Anthony Romano 1 Majority Mike Klau Leader 2 Louis Greenwald Julie while Miller 2 attending vari- Assemblyman John McKeon Bob Boni 2 Mark Mullen 2 ous Linda events. Toscano All their hard work Yannick seems Gingras to have paid off Mike Gulotta Bob Boni Senator Vin Gopal Tom Pontone Mark Mullen Chris Ryder with the new appropriations fund. TrotPAC trustees Linda Toscano Assemblywoman Carol Murphy are committed to the cause and will continue to attend events and support those that supported our industry. TrotPAC Trustees: Anthony Perretti (chairman), Sue Agopian, Robert Boni, Richard Meirs, Mark Mullen (treasurer), Alfred Ochsner, Tom Pontone and Chris Ryder and Marie Lauer (administrator) 2019 COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS OWNER BREEDER DRIVER/TRAINER FINANCE/PENSION Anthony Perretti 1 Mike Klau 1 Chris Ryder 1 Tom Pontone 1 Tom Pontone 2 Mark Mullen 2 Yannick Gingras 2 Mike Gulotta 2 Bob Boni Steve Dey Mark Ford Sam Landy Sam Landy Mike Gulotta Julie Miller Anthony Perretti Anthony Romano Rich Meirs Linda Toscano Chris Ryder INSURANCE EQUINE ADVISORY/SIRE STAKES ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW-EMPLOYEE BUILDING & GROUNDS Anthony Romano 1 Mark Mullen 1 Anthony Romano 1 Anthony Romano 1 Chris Ryder 2 Rich Meirs 2 Tom Pontone 2 Rich Meirs 2 Julie Miller Bob Boni Mark Mullen Steve Dey Mark Mullen Mike Gulotta Chris Ryder Anthony Perretti BENEVOLENT Sam Landy SPECIAL EVENTS- MEMBERSHIP PR-LEGISLATION-WEBSITE- SPECIALIZED WAGERING CONSTITUTION-BY LAWS Chris Ryder 1 Anthony Perretti 1 Anthony Perretti 1 Anthony Romano 1 Mike Klau 2 Julie Miller 2 Bob Boni 2 Mark Mullen 2 Linda Toscano Yannick Gingras Mike Gulotta Bob Boni Tom Pontone Mark Mullen Chris Ryder Linda Toscano Senator Troy Singleton 7
64 Business Route 33 Manalapan, NJ 07726 Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey 64 Business Route 33, Manalapan, NJ 07726 Phone: 732-462-2357 Fax: 732-409-0741 Email: info@sboanj.com Website: www.sboanj.com Officers Mark Ford President Robert Boni First Vice President Mark Mullen Second Vice President Christopher Ryder Third Vice President Michael Gulotta Treasurer Anthony Romano Secretary Alfred Ochsner Jr. Executive Administrator Directors Stephen P. Dey III, VMD Yannick Gingras Michael Klau Sam Landy Richard Meirs, VMD Julie Miller Anthony Perretti Thomas Pontone Linda Toscano Racetrack Rep Linda Goss - Freehold Michelle Smith - Meadowlands Bookkeeper Marie Lauer Insurance Coordinator Important Phone Numbers New Jersey Sire Stakes 609-292-8830 Harness Horsemen International 609-747-1000 Maritsa Quijada License/Fingerprint NJ Racing Commission Trenton: 609-292-0613 Publicity Consultant Freehold: 732-462-3800 Meadowlands: 201-460-4137 Courtney Stafford NJ Trailer Ban: NJTP 800-336-5875