On Friday, August 11, Harrah’s Philadelphia along with the Pennsylvania Harness Horseman’s Association will host the third ‘Summer Series Friday’ night harness racing card of the season.
The theme of the evening will be the Garden State Park Reunion Night with the festivities getting started at 6:00 p.m. One of the special highlights of the night will be the $17,500 pace (Race 6), ‘The Bill Fidati Memorial.’
William C. ‘Bill’ Fidati, was the publicity director at Garden State Park and was loved by everyone who ever worked with or for him or was able to be friends with him. He passed away at age 76 in 2011.
Before coming to Garden State Park, he worked for two decades for two of the top newspapers in Philadelphia, the Daily News and then the Bulletin. He covered City Hall and in 1970 won the area’s Press Association award for his stories.
Bill also covered horse racing, both Thoroughbred and Standardbred and became the publicity director of Philadelphia Park in 1982 and then moved across the Delaware River to work at the new Garden State Park four years later.
Everyone who was associated, worked for or raced at Garden State Park is invited to Harrah’s Philadelphia Friday evening.
Special guests in attendance will be Hall of Famers John Campbell and Catello ‘Cat’ Manzi along with former track announcer Larry Lederman and other co-workers and horse people that competed at the track.
Patrons are urged to bring in any memorabilia from Garden State Park, win photos, giveaway items, etc. and they will receive a gift from Harrah’s Philadelphia. The memorabilia will then be put on display for all to see and there will be $300 in betting vouchers given away to the top three items. Judging the memorabilia contest will be WIP Sports Radio legend, Jody McDonald.
After each live race on the program there will be a replay of one of the great races held at Garden State Park and former advertising and promotions manager, Steve Ross, will be interviewing the special guests in the winner’s circle.
There will also be live music, free mechanical bull rides along with an outdoor BBQ and more, all taking place on the outdoor grandstand patio. The race program will feature a special eight-page insert of photo memories of Garden State Park.
Garden State Park was located on Route 70 and Haddonfield Road in Cherry Hill, NJ. It opened on July 7, 1942 as a Thoroughbred track until a disastrous fire burned the Clubhouse and Grandstand on April 14, 1977.
Garden State Park no longer held races until securities trader Robert Brennan financed construction of a new $178 million steel and glass grandstand/clubhouse which opened on April 1, 1985. The track held both Thoroughbred and Standardbred races until it closed in 2001.
For more information, visit or contact Harrah's Philadelphia at caesars.com/harrahs-philly.
(Harrah's Philadelphia)