"If after five years Atlantic City can’t get its act together, then I think it’s incumbent upon us to reopen the entire issue of whether gaming should be allowed elsewhere in the state, the Meadowlands or anyplace else."

Those were Governor Chris Christie’s words in an interview with The Star-Ledger prior to Tuesday’s State of the State address.

"If he wants first crack at it, he’s earned it," claimed Christie, who was referring to the Meadowlands Racetrack’s operator, Jeff Gural.

Gural, who was recently voted 2011 Horseperson of the Year in the USTA’s Railbird Recognition Awards, will be the feature speaker at the upcoming Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association Annual Awards Banquet in Toronto on January 21.