“You
need continuity; you need a place to race all year,” SBOANJ President Tom
Luchento told Freehold’s horsemen. Ninety-two days this year didn’t work
for us. While we’ve asked for 192 days in 2013, realistically, we are
talking about around 120 dates.
“You
need more dates to keep your horses racing, and you need more dates to qualify
for our insurance plan,” Luchento explained. “We’ve lowered the
percentage needed to qualify for our program from 51 to 31 percent [of starts]
in New Jersey. The date requests are due in October.
“We
also want you to know that we will keep fighting for you and will monitor the
conditions of both the track [racing surface] and the facility,” Luchento
added. “I feel for their bottom line at Freehold, but I’m more concerned
about your bottom line.”
“We
need the additional days, and we need you to keep fighting for us,” members of
the audience shouted out.
Twice
Luchento asked the audience if they supported his efforts.
“I’ll
take the lead, but I need you behind me,” Luchento said. The response was
in the affirmative each time he asked.
The
meeting was triggered by an exchange of comments last week when the SBOANJ
leadership expressed concerned about the racing surface, especially as it
appeared last spring before the track closed for the summer. Freehold
unilaterally canceled qualifiers for August 23 but subsequently rescheduled
them for August 24.
The
SBOANJ conditionally granted approval for simulcasting of the signal from
Freehold for the month of September while the association, which represents
drivers, trainers, owners, breeders and caretakers, monitors the
conditions. Freehold agreed to review other facilities used by horsemen
for which there were safety concerns.
Another
point made by Luchento was the need to build out the off track wagering -- OTW
-- licenses held by Freehold.
“The
New Jersey Racing Commission gave them another six months,” he said. “But
if they don’t build them, we’ll be in court. We’ll build them if they
won’t,”
Luchento
noted that he would also be enforcing a provision in the contract between the
SBOANJ and Freehold which calls for “two races per day for New Jersey-sired
horses…and one per week for New Jersey-owned horses.”
“We
need to emulate the programs in neighboring states and increase protection for
our New Jersey-bred and owned horses,” Luchento said.
He
recommended that Freehold consider creating late closing series, especially for
New Jersey horses, to help provide racing opportunities for local horsemen as
well as facilitate filling races.
--Submitted
by Carol Hodes for the SBOANJ
