Meadowlands Racing Resumes May 7; Condition Sheets Available

Published: April 29, 2011 03:06 pm EDT

Governor Chris Christie's office confirmed today that live harness racing will return to Meadowlands Racetrack on Saturday, May 7

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"With significant progress being made toward Governor Christie's goal of establishing a self-sustaining racing industry, the May racing calendar at the Meadowlands Racetrack will proceed as scheduled," said Michael Drewniak, Governor Christie's press secretary, in a statement released Friday evening. "New union agreements with concessions have been reached by Jeff Gural, but at this point it is clear that additional time is needed to complete work on the outstanding issues that remain. The live standardbred meet will open on May 7 and simulcasting will continue and both will be held until the end of May. The parties will continue discussions next week in an effort to try and resolve the remaining issues."

The Saturday, May 7 with a card will feature eliminations for the Arthur J. Cutler Memorial and Graduate stakes, along with a new event for conditioned pacers

The new event includes multiple $11,000 divisions for pacers who are non-winners of $6,000 in their last five starts. The highest money-earners from the preliminary round will advance to a $30,000 final the following Saturday, May 14. Entries for the Saturday program are due by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4.

Click here to view the condition sheet for online at MeadowlandsRacetrack.com.

Morning qualifiers will be held Tuesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 5 at 10 a.m. The entry box will close Saturday, April 30 for the Tuesday qualifiers and Tuesday, May 3 for Thursday. The deadline is 10 a.m. To enter, contact the race office at 1-877-STABLES.

Meadowlands Racetrack will operate on a Thursday-Saturday live racing schedule in May. Post time is 7 p.m.

A special Mother's Day matinee program will be raced on Sunday, May 8. Post time is 1:10 p.m. for the card, which includes the CKG Billings Delvin Miller Amateur Driving Series. Entries are due by noon on Thursday, May 5.

According to Bob Jordan of the Asbury Park Press, Jeff Gural met with state officials on Friday and hammered out a deal for the split of simulcast betting at the Meadowlands. Gural is opposed to a bid from thoroughbred horsemen at Monmouth Park to have their share of the split raised. Gural is currently in talks to resolve that matter, but it won’t hold up the resumption of racing at the Meadowlands.

In 2010, Meadowlands simulcast-generated purse money totaled $10.7 million, with the thoroughbreds getting $2.9 million or 27 percent.

The deal marks the end of a questionable period in the track's future since it was announced that the state would no longer operate and fund the track, prompting many within the industry to consider relocating to other jurisdictions. Gov. Chris Christie sought an overhaul at the money-losing track, and the call was answered by Gural and his investors.

(With files from Meadowlands Racetrack)

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