EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ A new era in harness racing dawned
Saturday night with the debut of The Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment.
The gleaming $88 million track, the vision of chairman Jeff Gural,
launched with a 13-race program on a blustery, chilly night with occasional
snow squalls before an estimated 15,000 fans.
The on-track handle exploded in the new facility, reaching a total
of $530,917, an impressive 18-percent of the total $2,968,600.
The evening began with a dedication ceremony in the paddock with
Gural thanking the numerous members of The Meadowlands team who made the dream
a reality.
“To
all the people who helped--and there are many of you--and for all the people
who are here tonight, I hope you enjoy what you see,” Gural said. “It’s not
only racing, it’s also entertainment.”
Tom Luchento, president of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners
Association of New Jersey, joined Gural in welcoming the fans on opening night.
Luchento recalled how Gural came to the rescue when The
Meadowlands faced closure.
“Three years later, we are here in a magnificent new
building, at the premier track in North America looking forward to showcasing the
best harness racing presented anywhere in the world,” Luchento said.
There was a ceremonial ribbon breaking by a hero of yesteryear,
Gallo Blue Chip. The winner of the 2000 Meadowlands Pace was also joined in the
winner’s circle by Foiled Again, the sport’s all-time leading money earner at
$5.7 million, who returned later that evening to win a TVG division.
The honor of winning the first race at the new Meadowlands went to
Alexie Mattosie and driver David Miller in 1:50 4/5. They were greeted in the
winner’s circle by Ray Remmen, who captured the first race at the original
Meadowlands with Quick Baron in 1976.
The opening night features were the final $50,000 legs of the
inauguaral TVG Free-For-All Series.
The $500,000 TVG finals are on tap next Saturday night along with
a quartet of 2-year-old stakes: the $534,500 Governor’s Cup, the $494,750
Valley Victory, the $394,950 Three Diamonds and the $456,150 Goldsmith Maid.
The TVGs were a clean sweep for the team of driver Yannick Gingras
and Ron Burke, one night after he set the single-season training record with
his 1,000th win.
The TVG Trot went to Wishing Stone, a race contested in a brief
but blinding blizzard. He set the pace, beating Arch Madness by 1 ¼ lengths in
1:54 with Market Share, the 2012 Hambletonian winner, third.
Foiled Again, a top contender for Horse of the Year, turned in yet
another game effort in the TVG Pace. He ranged up first-over victory into a
stiff wind to beat Warrawee Needy by a neck in 1:49 3/5. Modern Legend was
third.
Following the racing, the party at The Meadowlands continued long
into the night as Victory Sports Bar & Nightclub was packed and in full
swing into the morning.
