As we work towards a plan to re-open racing at the Meadowlands, the SBOANJ has been in constant contact with a number of New Jersey legislators that have consistently been supportive of our program, including Senate President Sweeney and Senators Sarlo and Gopal.

Senator Sarlo has been appointed by Senator Sweeney to head “The Strategy for Fiscal Recovery to Restart the New Jersey Economy” Committee and both Sarlo and Gopal were sponsors of our Appropriation Bill.

Assemblyman Ron Dancer, a long-time friend of our racing and breeding industry, was one of the invited participants to a special conference call with Governor Murphy this past Saturday, when the Governor acknowledged that he is aware of what we are doing to return to “spectator-less” racing. Governor Murphy added that his team is reviewing our plan and also commented that his office would follow up this week with more specifics.

In conjunction with Dr. Karyn Malinowski, Director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center, we have submitted an extremely comprehensive “Risk Management Plan” of safety and sanitation protocols to commence racing at the Meadowlands.

This plan, along with significant information referencing the much needed economic benefit to New Jersey of the Meadowlands return to racing, has been presented to Governor Murphy as well as to the New Jersey Racing Commission and Douglas Fisher, the Secretary of Agriculture.

Additionally, Jeff Gural from the Meadowlands and Dennis Drazin from Monmouth Park, have been appointed to the “Tourism Advisory Committee,” in regard to the state’s racing programs, giving us more important representation.

Assemblyman Dancer also advised us that Governor Murphy said he would be making further announcements this week about the “restarting and recovery’ of the New Jersey economy, and we are hopeful that there will be some indication of our future racing prospects.

We appreciate the patience of our racing and breeding community in these most trying of times and we will continue to update you with any pertinent information.

(SBOANJ)