New Jersey State Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin visited Fair Winds Farm, where he met with members of the Standardbred community on Monday, May 19 to hear concerns regarding a proposed cut to the state’s annual appropriation for horse racing purses in the fiscal year 2026 budget.
Gov. Phil Murphy’s budget proposal for 2026 includes a $10 million USD appropriation for purses, a reduction from the $20 million USD provided in previous years. The appropriation was first introduced in 2019 as part of a five-year, $100 million USD allocation that has been renewed in subsequent years with the vital support of Speaker Coughlin.
This past September, Gov. Murphy signed a bill to extend the $20 million USD funding for purses through fiscal year 2029, but he noted the state Constitution only allows the governor and legislators to budget revenues and expenditures strictly on an annual basis.
“Consequently, the appropriations that this bill purports to require through State fiscal year 2029 are not binding and serve only as a strong expression of intent to provide funding in future fiscal years,” said the governor at the time in a statement.
An economic impact study last year, completed with assistance from the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey (SBOANJ), showed horse racing generated $75 million USD annually in tax revenue for New Jersey.
Speaker Coughlin’s visit to Fair Winds Farm, which included a lunch reception and fundraiser, was hosted by the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey and the state’s Standardbred industry’s political action committee TrotPAC.
Among those joining Speaker Coughlin for Monday’s event were SBOANJ President Mark Ford as well as fellow officers Mark Mullen, Linda Toscano and Al Ochsner. The group also included SBOANJ directors Dan Baer, Stephen Dey III, Mike Gulotta, Julie Meirs, Julie Miller and Chris Ryder. Other industry representatives included John Campbell, Gunjan Patel and Nadia Tarnawa from the Hambletonian Society, Jason Settlemoir from The Meadowlands and Karyn Malinowski from the Rutgers Equine Science Center.
“We are grateful for Speaker Coughlin’s time and continued interest in our industry,” said Ford. “We had productive discussions with the Speaker, with a number of people coming out to talk with him about the impact of the appropriations over the years. There is no question the funding has strengthened our industry and fostered growth, whether it be in breeding or racing, while also provide value to the state.”
At the conclusion of the visit, Speaker Coughlin took a trip to Fair Winds’ nearby yearling farm to catch up with his Andy Miller Stable-bred namesake, trotter Speaker Craig, and watch the horse with other yearlings in the field. Fair Winds Farm’s Heather Zitone and Julie Miller provided Speaker Coughlin with additional insight about how young horses are raised.
A Democrat representing the 19th Legislative District in Middlesex County, Speaker Coughlin has served in the State Assembly since 2010. Speaker Coughlin’s responsibilities include scheduling meetings and determining which bills will be considered within the Assembly.
(SBOANJ; photo of Craig Coughlin watching his namesake and other yearlings in the field with Heather Zitone and Julie Miller)