Luchento: Horsemen, Owners "Have Failed The Meadowlands"

To Patricia, saying they shouldn't have supported the 20 percent pay cut, when they can be replaced by a machine in a day they should be grateful to still have a job

frankly the meadowlands failed its workers. I can't believe they accepted a 20% drop in salary. I hope they are all single and have no mortgages or other responsibilities. The big trainers and owners never support the workers and they don't have to worry about where their meals are coming from, for that matter neither does Mr Gural.. Might be better for staff to take this time to find better jobs and to heck with the big boys.

Yes Mr. Lavigne: My businesses often take me to Europe and I visit the beautiful track in Paris(Vincennes). But is it really such a success. On a Saturday evening there are only 40,000 or more spectaters and we get that many from all the harness tracks in North America also. Maybe in a month!!

Did you know that France has 300 racetracks , thet all the tracks are non-lucrative associations, that the PMU( off tracks betting) has café, betting salon, etc.. across France and in all villages? This is why France is the model to copy, as did many countries.

Owners and breeders operate the game , they are the private enterprise. Thru the Agricultural minister, since 1891, the horses are agricultural products and this is a raeson why the french horses are among the best horses.

In france and other countries like Sweden, Italy, Australia, NZ the horse racing industry has the right to compete against all others gaming sports. Even though I wrote some projects in Québec, our industry is gone. None of what I been written above was accepted.

Now, we cry about our past and our sport. Since 1980, in Québec, we had the grey market of the video poker, than the goovernment took control of the mafia industry and became the mafia.

The pari-mutuel is the motor of the dynamic. To me, the governor of New Jersey made a great mistake in giving the control of the industry to a private operator. Now, owners ands breeders you are working for the commercial operator and you are going to get what ever he wants to give you.

I have worked in the investment industry for 25 years and can say that Mr. Leber's suggestion is a very sound one.I think the shares would be more appealing to the investors because with shares you actually receive equity (ie ownership) whereas with bonds you don't. I am simplifying this of course and there are many factors to consider but it can certainly be done.

KneeJerk Reaction

What makes our industry look bad is when someone like Mr. Luchento reacts like he did. Before exploring the reasons he just launches an assault. What did that accomplish?

That doesn't win any friends and second he appears foolish that he didn't understand the reasons why. Clearly an apology to our industry is in order. The 5 day box will help. Then they will raise the purses slowly and put some guarantees in etc. The Meadowlands is not folding and the sky is not falling.

Mr. Gural is a very competent businessman and he didn't enter into this project to lose money.

Now here is another thought. Why not offer a piece of the Meadowlands to people in the industry. Perhaps 25% of the shares could be sold, not on the stock market but to the people who work in our industry. Not a new idea, people buy into the companies they work at all the time. Limit the number of shares anyone can buy to increase the number of shareholders and prevent any favouritism. Make sure the top trainers, drivers and owners are part of it. Then if there is profit to be made, then they all profit. I would buy shares if offered. Alternatively there could be a bond program instead of shares but we will leave that to people who know more about it. Either way it is an investment in our future.

Before anyone attacks this idea with a kneejerk reaction, I urge someone to pick up on what I wrote and add to it to help our industry. With enough input we may hit on something.

Joe is correct on alot of his points. The biggest is that race tracks can not rest on the slot dollars to keep the sport alive. We must find ways to bring in the fans and money to stand alone without the slot revenue. Florida is already laying the groundwork to do away with racing AND KEEP THE SLOTS and other states will follow. Now is the time to act and come together as an industry to find ways to stand on our own. It can be done if we all work together. If we don't act soon we will all be looking for other things to do.

I think there is one point sadly being missed by many here. While it may be all and good that Yonkers and other tracks are doing nicely with the slots it is absurd for any track to think this is a viable long term solution. For one, governments can pull slots at any time especially a change in government. For two, tracks may one day realize that having slots is better then having horses (or should I say more profitable) and may choose to offer only slots and be done with racing as is currently being planned at many tracks across the continent. For 3, governments can decide at any time to stop subsidizing tracks with slot money and keep the slot money for themselves. And forth (and in my view the biggest point being missed)us gamblers could care a less about betting big bucks on tracks like Yonkers, Freehold,Chester or any other B type track which despite the largers purses is what they still are. I am not going to lay any money on a horse from the 6, 7, or 8 hole at any of these tracks. This reduces my option to the inside horses and when everyone does this the odds go down drastically.Eventually the bettors will disappear and when governm,ents start to see the trend which is already taking hold they will simply stop giving money from slots to tracks. Why give moeny to horse racing when nobody is betting anyways.

I have said many time slots are THE WORST thing to happen to racing. While it may temporary keep racing afloat in the short term it will only kill it in the long term. Racing needs to be able to self sustain and the only way to do that is by providing a great product (ie. Meadowlands Racing). I used to love watching River Shark run great at the Big M week in week out. At Chester he can't hit the board to save his life because he keeps drawing outside. How is this good racing? This is just one example.
Also the argument that drivers left other tracks to go to the big M when it first opened is not a logical argument. Back then the industry needed a track like the Big M because no-one wanted to bet on Barrie Raceway, London, Windsor etc. So they made a premier track because it would be better for racing. And it was. Harness racing needs the Big M just as much if not more today as it needed it when it first opened up.

Yes drivers can go race for more money now, and owners can race their horses for bigger purses now but eventually they wont have anywhere to dirve or race because as I said no true fan or big bettor really cares about these tracks. Just ask them.

Economic reality usually trumps nostalgia. Despite the Herculean efforts to save the Meadowlands, instead of saying thank you, the participants voted with their wallets. Regrettable, but predictable.

Problem solved, now write a few more late closers and races for younger horses , and try to work with some of your post times and other tracks to allow you to attract the top drivers at least once a week . No driver is giving up any drives at Yonkers racing for 300 grand per night 6 days a week 11 months a year for a 85 day meet at the Meadowlands. The Meadowlands has become a boutique product and must attempt to copy the niche strategies of a hometown hardware store instead of the Walmart strategy of the 90's. Mr Gural has shown this ability with Tioga and Vernon so I am confident with his leadership that Meadowlands will thrive as a non slot racetrack.. Gary as for the reason I am racing in the states is far too complicated for 50 words but I will try,I believe strongly that the people who have the most input , voice, power in Ontario have very little insight into the gambling, breeding or racing industry in Ontario. This most recent Orc initiative on the underpayment of purses and then ask the industry what to do with the surplus is alot like other Orc decisions that go like this' Ready SHOOT Aim. I race and breed in a lot of jurisdictions because it is alot easier to dodge bullets from misguided policies if your horses dont stand in a herd.

The Meadowlands announced today that it has adjusted its draw schedule.

http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/notices/5-11-11/meadowlands-changes-dr…

Slow down Tom and all you others. There is always more to something then meets the eye. I have a number of horses racing between PA, NJ and New York and I will tell Tom and others that every one of my horses would have been entered at Meadowlands had the box not been the last to close.

This business is tough enough on its own to start waiting to enter my horses at 12 noon on Tuesday for racing on Friday, bypassing Chester at 9am Tuesday or Pocono at 9 am Tuesday or Yonkers at 4pm Monday. If I bypass all those other tracks and wait for the Meadowlands box at noon on Tuesday and they don't use my class or my dates are not good I sit out another week of racing. If you want to fill your box move the box to a 5 day box and give trainers and owners a chance to support your racetrack by being the first chance to enter every week.

Every one of my horses were entered at these other tracks as the boxes closed and got in before the the Meadowlands box was opened for business. The days of the Meadowlands dictating the horse population is over and the race office has to become creative to rejuvenate the horse population and I would think that changing the condition sheet and box closings might be more constructive than calling owners and trainers turncoats.

Now let me start by saying i recognize the importance of the big m to the industry. It is far and away the premier track in north america with weg being a distant second and about the only thing that could bring me back as a race player is the big m and/or weg having the quality of racing they had 10 to 20 years ago but i still would not play at the current take out rates, they would also have to be reduced.

Now having said that i am going to play devil's advocate. When the big m opened in 1976 they had to get the drivers, trainers and owners from somewhere. The big m did not complain back then about owners, trainers and drivers following the money so this stuff does go both ways. It is a dog eat dog world and only the strong survive. The big m is no longer strong and never will be again unless they get slots.

If the big m gets slots they would quickly once again fill the entry box with the best horses in north america but until that happens they will struggle until they eventually close. For anyone out there who thinks things can't get worse just wait 20 years and what is happening now will seem like a picnic.

How could they. How could the owners, trainers and some drivers openly hurt the industry like this? Mr Gural, many many thanks for your efforts but I'm afraid the people who have most to lose in this - the participants - have kicked your good work back in your face.

Shame on them. My opinion of certain people in this industry - whom I had previously respected and admired - is colored forever after this. I am speechless.

I was ticked off royally when i read Mr. Luchento's letter as I agreed with him 100%. However, someone brought up a good point. "Why should I enter at the Meadowlands only to find the race doesn't fill (a distinct possibility these days) and now I am forced to sit out a week or two waiting for my next chance?"

Well, the draw schedule is being changed so if your race doesn't fill at the Meadowlands, you still have time to find a race elsewhere. So horsemen, let's see if you support the entry box next week.

Every man/woman for himself. Isn't that the mantra of horsepeople?

There has to be leadership from the very top to save the Meadowlands. The USTA has to step in and get involved and try to mandate race dates that don't conflict when the Meadowlands races. Moreover, tracks like Chester and Pocono Downs shouldn’t race at the same time the Meadowlands races.

We all know the Meadowlands has to buy time and try get Governor Christie defeated in New Jersey and also hope that Atlantic City continues it's revenue slide in a very competitive gaming environment. If these two things happen within a 5-year period the Meadowlands has an excellent chance to get other forms of gaming and compete with all other slot tracks purse wise. Hopefully, the USTA will step in to save harness racing's historic flagship track. You can write harness racing's obituary in the United States if the Meadowlands fails.

"We will lose the confidence of the governor....." The governor is the guy who refuses to allow slots at The Meadowlands. Without slots, neither Chester or Tioga exist. It is the Governor of NJ who is killing racing at The Meadowlands. Would we be having any of this conversation if slots were there?

I really like how everyone is saying how greedy they are for not entering to race at the meadowlands for less money, what is Chester downs and Yonkers located less then 30 minutes from the meadowlands with purses twice as high? Anyone who was offered a job at anything would not turn it down. With everyone saying harness racing needs the meadowlands to survive, this could possibly be, but I have doubts and this industry will eventually end regardless of the meadowlands situation. Major breeding farms pulled out their stallions at the start of the year wouldn't the future crop of racing be inferior? Lastly saying how it is greed that is killing the meadowlands, well if that is a fact then I guess you can say John Campbell, Tim Tetrick, and Brian Sears were greedy for leaving their past tracks to race where the money is - which at the time was the meadowlands.

Meadowlands has a $20,000 claimer on Friday night that goes for $10,000 while at Yonkers a $20,000 claimer goes for $17,000. A $20,000 claimer at Pocono goes for $16,000 and a $20,000 claimer at Chester goes for $14,000. If your an owner and paying $4,000 or $5,000 a month training bills, where are you going to want your horses racing?

The Meadowlands handled $1,862,413 on Saturday night and with their takeout being what it is, how can they not afford better purses? Add in the fact they simulcast their product to a large number of outlets which makes them more money.

Quit crying and make the purse adjustments needed to keep the horsemen wanting to enter at your track !!

Gary Blackburn

Sort of jumping back and forth between the trots and the T-breds. I check the US races every night, along with the Ontario tracks.Harness only!!!

At the Derby this year, I simply took the information from a top handicapper in the US and he directed me onto Animal Kingdom.By doing this, I was able to spread myself onto other chores I had to do on the weekend. The $43.80 win mutuel brought me back some easy money and I did not have to go to a track, or buy a program, etc.

It is true that some of the lesser tracks cannot take a $200.00 win bet, or the payoff might be $2.20 to win.
Meadowlands closing is bad for me personally, as I had made plans to enter a handicapping event. (my first contest ever.)

I guess all the inaction means I will be giving myself my first ride in a boat I bought in Toronto three years ago at the boat show.

I have found that this year, I have not opened a Form, or even checked the thoroughbreds and the prices. A simple call of 2 minutes to New York gets me my information, and I don't have to read sad stories of tracks closing for a variety of reasons.

The Big M horseman and women are making a mistake by turning their noses up at the top purse structure in the north US (harness, that is.)I hope an answer is found before the snow flies.

I don't suppose it could have anything to do with Mr. Gural not only reducing the pay to low level employees but reducing the purses also. His and their real goal was to get an asset and downsize it. A pure profit motive on his and their part which is fine, however the horseman have responded as expected with their own profit motives!!

Total entries at the Big M from my count is 76, which as far as I'm concerned, is still a disgrace. Racinos at 5/8 tracks in PA and the 1/2 mile oval at Yonkers look like they've won out. Harness racing is in big trouble if this is the rule rather than the exception.

Frankly I am disgusted and disappointed at the drivers, owners, and trainers who have not supported the Meadowlands. How greedy and tunnel visioned you truly are. You cannot see the forest for the trees. If you really think that bettors, particulary true harness racing fans and big bettors will simply turn to betting Chester, Tioga or some other of these small tracks you are sadly mistaken.

The Meadowlands IS harness racing. I barely pay any attention to any other harness track and so many bettors feel the same. If the Meadowlands closed permanently I would simply stop betting harness racing. With all due respect to the other tracks I refuse to bet an inferior product where the racing is so much different and where the odds are so much more stacked against us and where a $100 bet has a significant impact on the odds. You are following the money now but in good time harness racing will go down the tubes without the Big M.

Us bettors can live without you, without Chester, Pocono, Freehold etc. But ask yourselves this. Can you survive long term without us. If you are smart you will appreciate Mr. Gural's effort and all those who helped him get the Big M back. On the other hand if you don't support the Big M carry on.....at your own peril.

Remember though, once us bettors get used to something else (ie I have already switched to T Bred racing) good luck getting us back. You are on a path to your own demise and continue on blindly. Wake up before it is too late.

You tell them Mr. Luchento!

I was at my track on Sunday afternoon wanting to play a few races at The Big M, but I decided not to because of a lack of interest. All of the big name drivers that I was excited to bet on were gone... to Chester.

I wanted to bet Tim Tetrick, but he was in Chester...
I wanted to bet Brian Sears, but he was in Chester...
I wanted to bet Ron Pierce, but he was in Chester...
I wanted to bet Andy Miller, but he was in Chester...
I wanted to bet Dave Miller, but he was in Chester...
I wanted to bet Yannick Gingras, but he was in Chester...

I know I would have bet more if the above six were at The Meadowlands vs. Chester.

It would appear that the Meadowlands is toast. Not really surprising since this industry is full of people that prefer the buck in the pocket now rather than two bucks in the future. The single biggest reason for the demise of harness racing is the lack of foresight on behalf of the participants. The quick buck artist rules. There is no long term plan for this industry, Jeff Gural excepted, and we are doomed to follow the same old road that leads to nowhere.

There are alternatives but no-one is willing to listen.