Fans Chime In On The Meadowlands
“We can be the No. 1 casino in the United States, and we’re being overlooked for political reasons,” claimed George Anthony, a man who wears many hats in the industry as a handicapper, an announcer a trainer
and most of all – a fan. “It makes absolutely no sense. It’s a no-brainer. It’s a home run with the bases loaded five times over.”
Anthony’s quotes were included in an article in today’s edition of The New York Times - a newspaper, which back in the day, was a great source to read about racing. Today, however, not so much.
Unfortunately for Anthony and the industry, it’s the bottom of the ninth with two outs and they’re down a run. The bases are empty and Mariano Rivera (or in this case Governor Christie) is standing on the hill hurling some of his nastiest stuff.
Horsemen and bettors have pleaded their case: that the Meadowlands Racetrack would have unlimited potential if it had slot machines like its competitors in New York, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, and that horse racing underpins a billion-dollar agriculture industry protecting, by some estimates, more than 20 percent of the state’s remaining agricultural open space. But those pleas have fallen on deaf ears to this point.
“You come here on a Saturday night, maybe there’s a car show, maybe there’s an Amish band, people are friendly; it doesn’t feel corrupt the way Atlantic City does,” said Donna Diebner, a fan of racing at the Meadowlands. A fan who is left wondering what will be the fate of one of the mightiest track’s in the history of harness racing. The more knowledgeable you are, the better your chances,” added Diebner. “It’s not moronic like pulling a slot machine lever and hoping the computerized timer goes off.”
To read the article in its entirety, click here.
That the meadowlands has
That the meadowlands has been able to compete to this point with neighboring states replete with racins speaks to the greatness of the product. This is more than politics ya'll, this is corruption and then some.
NO PARI-MUTUEL=NO HORSE
NO PARI-MUTUEL=NO HORSE RACING. EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
WE, IN QUEBEC, WE HAD FROM 1980 TO 1993, THE GREY MARKET OF THE VIDEO POLERS INDUSTRY. IT WAS TOLERATED BY THE PPLITICIANS, IN FACT, THEY HAD IN MIND THAT ONE DAY , THE MARKET WOULD BE BIG ENOUGH SO THAT LOTO-QUEBEC WOULD TAKE CONTROL ON THE VIDEO-POKERS INDUSTRY.
YOU ARE ON THE SAME PATTERN. DO NOT COMPETE WITH CONCURRENCE OF OTHERS GAMES IN THE MONEY MARKET AND YOU ARE DEAD LIKE IN QUEBEC.
WHY YOU DO NOT COPY FRANCE ORGANISATION WITH HIS 300 RACETRACKS, TRAINING CENTER, BREEDERS AWARD ETC..
IN 1962, JAPAN HAD A LAW, THEY DID NOT COPY USA BUT FRANCE AND HIS OFF TRACK BETTING.
THE PMU ( PARI MUTUEL URBAIN) IS OPERATED AND ADMINISTRATED BY THE BREEDERS, THE OWNERS. PRIVATE INDUSTRY ARE THE BREEDERS AND OWNERS, NOT THE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS.
LUCKY THAT MANY YEARS AGO, THAT GOVERNMENT OF NEW JERSEY MADE THE MOVE , BUT THE HORSEMEN LET THE GOVERNMENT TAKE $30 MILLIONS TO PAY THE DEFICIT OF OTHERS SPORTS.
THE RICHEST HARNES OWNER IN THE WORLS IS JEAN-PIERRE DUBOIS FROM FRANCE WITH FARMS AND HORSES IN MANY STATES. HE DOES KNOW WHER TO SPEND HIS MONEY.
FRANCE SYSTEM IS THE BEST.
IN 1980, MAYOR DRAPEAU OF MONTREAL DID ASK ME TO PROMOTE THE INDUSTRY. HE KNEW THAT PARIS HAD 8 HIPPODROMES, "A GREAT CITY, A GRAND STADIUM, A GRAND THEATER, A GRAND HIPPODROME".
HE WAS THE MOST INTELLIGENT, THE MOST POLITICIANS THAT QUEBEC NEVER HAD.
IN 1985, I PUBLISHED, "THE GRAND HIPPODROME OF QUEBEC IN MONTRÉAL, A FSTRUCTURE, A POLITIC TO OUR INDUSTRY, WITH PLANS, ETC. BY INGENEERS, 125 PAGES, 1200 COPIES.
NO WAY, HORSEMEN WERE ALL ON THEIR KNEES IN FRONT OF THE COMMERCIAL OPERATOR
AND THE POLITICIANS WERE PROTECTING THE COMMERCIAL OPERATORS FOR KNOW REASONS.
NOW, NO MORE RACES, THE SPORT OF MY ANCESTORS IS GONE, AND IN 1900 WE HAD IN QUEBEC MORE THAN OFFICAL RACETRACKS.
AND DO NOT TELL ME THAT YOU DID 'NT SEE COMING.
IN 1972, BILLY HOUGHTON SAID , IN FRONT OF ME IN NEW YORK, TO MY BROTHER GUY( WHO WAS WORKING FOR THE MASTER, THAT WITH THE OFF TRACK BETTING WAS TO KIL THE NDUSTRY.
WHEN YOU DO NOT CONTROL YOUR BUSINESS, YOU LEAVE OTHER DO IT FOR YOU, YOUARE THE LAST TO BE SERVED.
IN QUEBEC WE LIVE A BROKEN DREAM. POOR QUALITY OF POLITICIANS, POOR QUALITY OF HORSEMENT, NO MEDIAS, ONLY 4 RACETRACKS TO PROMOTE THE SPORT.
THE NEW JERSEY BREEDERS AND OWNERS ASSOCIATION SHOULD CONTROL THE RACETRACKS IN NEW JERSEY, ( NON LUCRATIVE ORGANISATIONS)HAVE THE RIGHT TO OPERATE A PMU ACROSS THE NEW JERSEY STATE, DEVELOPP HIS HORSE INDUSTRY AND INCREASE THE QUALITY.
THEY SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO COMPETE IN THE MONEY GAMING MARKET.
AND 5 YEARS, BILLIONS OF DOLLARDS OF REVENUE FOR THE BREEDERS, THE OWNERS, THE MEMBERS OF THE INDUSTRY AND AN HONEST SHARE PAID TO THE STATE.
IF YOU HAVE WATCHING LANCE ARMSTRONG IN LE TOUR DE FRANCE, YOU PROBABLY SAW ALL THE GREEN BANNERS, PMU. THE INDUSTRY ALSO HELP OTHER SPORT.
RICHARD LAVIGNE, BBA
WITH MY LATE BROTHER GUY, OWNERS OF TIE SILK, DELMONT HANOVER, BRET'S ROCKET, PARISIEN IDEAL, OUR VERY GOOD STALLIONS.
SOLE CANADIAN OWNER TO WIN A TROTTING RACE AT THE PARIS VINCENNES TRACK IN 1975