NJRC APPROVES REQUEST FROM MEADOWLANDS FOR 90 STANDARDBRED RACING DATES 2025

TRENTON, NJ -- November 20, 2024 -- The New Jersey Racing Commission Wednesday (Nov. 20) approved a request from the Meadowlands for 90 Standardbred racing dates in 2025, but the actual calendar — and number of dates — could change pending the results of further discussions among the state’s racetracks and horsemen’s associations in the wake of the impending closure of Freehold Raceway at the end of this year.

The Meadowlands application calls for live harness racing from Jan. 3-Sept. 13 (82 programs) and Dec. 11-17 (eight programs). The number of dates is equal to the number awarded for 2024 for Meadowlands, which this year began its fall harness season Oct. 19.

Darby Development, which operates Monmouth Park, received NJRC approval for 50 days of racing at Monmouth from May 10-Sept. 14. However, its request to host 21 Thoroughbred programs at Meadowlands from Sept. 19-Nov. 29 was tabled given that representatives of both tracks intend to meet to further discuss the application.

In recent years, all races during the Monmouth-at-Meadowlands meet, which usually runs no more than 10 nights, have been held on turf. It wasn’t discussed during the NJRC meeting whether the longer Thoroughbred meet would offer both turf and dirt racing, but it was noted officials plan to have further discussions regarding the meet.

By state law, racing dates each year must be submitted by Oct. 15 and acted upon by Dec. 1. The NJRC, however, can entertain requests for schedule changes throughout the year.

Freehold this year was granted 85 racing dates. During the October meeting of the NJRC, which came soon after Penn Entertainment and Greenwood Racing announced the track would close, Meadowlands chief operating officer Jason Settlemoir said owner Jeff Gural is open to absorbing some of the lost Freehold dates should Meadowlands be awarded Freehold’s $1.6 million share of $20 million in purse supplements approved by the state for 2025 and beyond.

Action on Freehold’s share of the supplement was tabled at the October meeting. It was noted Nov. 20 that there could be more clarity on the matter in December; the Standardbred Owners Association of New Jersey has been active in working toward a resolution that can recapture at least some of Freehold’s dates.

Though it plans to cease all operations Dec. 28, Freehold applied for a cut of the $291,000 in the Casino Simulcasting Special Fund, 80% of which goes to tracks and 20% to horsemen’s associations. Each of the three tracks was to receive about $75,000 — but action on the Freehold money was tabled by the NJRC.

The CSSF was created in 1992 to offset the impact of casino simulcasting in Atlantic City on tracks — particularly Atlantic City Race Course and Garden State Park, both of which are defunct. Most casinos offered simulcasting, but Borgata is now the only one that does so.

The loss of Freehold and a potential change in the fall harness schedule at Meadowlands also creates an issue for the New Jersey Sire Stakes program. Freehold this September and October as usual scheduled many NJSS Standardbred Development Fund stakes for 2- and 3-year-olds, so there are concerns about when and where those races can be held.

As of Nov. 20, there have been no public reports that Freehold might be obtained by an entity that would want to continue live racing and simulcast operations. Penn Entertainment and Greenwood shuttered the track’s retail sports book this past summer.

The NJRC also approved operating licenses for three off-track wagering outlets: Bayonne, operated by Meadowlands, and Hillsborough and Woodbridge, operated by Monmouth. The Penn Entertainment/Greenwood partnership is closing its OTWs in Toms River and Gloucester Township by the end of 2024.