Harness: Breeding power is in place for the Garden State

The positive steps in the New Jersey racing industry have been well documented. An injection of purse money has The Meadowlands performing at a much greater level than just one year ago.

Through May 18, The Meadowlands is up 20.1% in wagering handle since the initial purse increase. That number is really starting to accelerate too. Since April 12, The Meadowlands has produced $33.61 Million in handle, compared to $25.87 Million over that same time period last year, an increase of 30%.

As we discussed in previous columns, it’s not just The Meadowlands handle that will be the deciding factor in whether or not the purse subsidy will be renewed each year of the five-year bill. While The Meadowlands is doing its part, Monmouth Park, up to this point, is not. Despite their massive purse increase, Monmouth Park is actually down 1.75% in handle year over year thus far, with the same number of race dates.

A big piece to this equation will also be the resulting impact on the breeding industry in New Jersey. In recent years, both Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding in the Garden State has been decimated. In 2019, there are three thoroughbred stallions standing in New Jersey. They are Hey Chub, who is 19 years old and is standing for $1,000, King Puma, who stands privately, and Il Postino, who stands for $1,000. Even the New Jersey bred Irish War Cry, a Grade 1 winner who is owned by the family the Haskell Invitational is named for, retired last year and is standing stud in Maryland in 2019.

But again, the Standardbreds are the ones making more noise. While there may be only three thoroughbred stallions standing in New Jersey this year, there are 15 standardbreds servicing mares in the state.

Walnridge Farms is standing four stallions, three of which are pacing stallions that own marks of 1:49 1/5 or faster. The other is the trotting stallion Rock of Cashel, who owns a mark of 1:51 3/5.

Two other farms are standing stallions whose names leap off the page at you.

Southwind Farms is standing three trotting stallions you may have heard of. The first is Muscle Hill, who has produced eight millionaires from his seven crops that have hit the racetrack, including two Hambletonian winners (it would have been three if not for What The Hill being disqualified). The other two are Tactical Landing and Walner. Tactical Landing erupted at the end of his 3-year-old season, sweeping the Breeders Crown and defeating older trotters in the TVG Free For All Championship. Walner was one of the fastest trotters we have ever seen and would have been an overwhelming favorite for The Hambletonian had he made the race. They stand for $15,000 and $20,000 respectively and both have books that are full and closed.

Next is Deo Volente Farms. No one can argue whether Mike Gulotta has been the leader in taking risks and betting on the future of racing in New Jersey, and those risks are reaping serious rewards. Trixton had a great first year with his initial crop, landing himself high on the leaderboard of sires of 2-year-old trotters. He was also the best freshman trotting stallion in 2018. He is standing out with fillies, producing the likes of Princess Deo (1:55 1/5, $289k) and Evident Beauty (1:53 3/5, $260k). Furthermore, his fillies dominated the first leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes as Evident Beauty and Starita finished first and second in their division while Queen Of Trixs and Marveloustrix swept the exacta in their division.

Deo Volente also collaborated with Taylor Made Farms and brought Lazarus N to New Jersey. Lazarus N has been syndicated, with all shares of his syndication sold. It should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed this horse that he was in high demand as a stallion prospect. His record in both New Zealand and Australia speaks for itself. But he also made his presence felt against the best pacers in North America, including defeating the 2018 Horse of the Year, McWicked. Some of the mares Lazarus N is being bred to this year are Worldly Beauty, Rocklamation, Artstopper (the dam of Always B Miki), West Side Glory (the dam of See You At Peelers) and sisters to champions Captaintreacherous, Always B Miki and Betterthancheddar. In addition, Shartin N, the best pacing mare of the last 16 months, will be bred to Lazarus N in 2020. Without question, Lazarus N is in a great position to succeed as a stallion, not just in New Jersey but on the Grand Circuit as well.

As it stands right now, when the Standardbred industry has to present its case to continue the purse subsidy, they have more than a leg up. Field sizes are up dramatically. Handle is not only up, but the increases are accelerating and there has been a complete rejuvenation in the breeding industry, which will not only improve the racing product in New Jersey but will lead to far more horses in the state as well.

It will be very interesting to see how these stallions are received at the yearling sales going forward. Trixton should have a great year and Muscle Hill of course is always well-respected. But the real fun will come in 2021 when Muscle Hill, Trixton, Walner, Tactical Landing and Lazarus N will all be represented at the yearling sales. Lazarus N may reap the most rewards as he is by far the most renowned pacing stallion in the state and will have a near-monopoly on the New Jersey Sire Stakes program which will be even more lucrative come 2022. A Garden State Standardbred Renaissance is upon us.