After a September 12 announcement by the Hambletonian Society that said it would open up the bidding process for the right to host the Hambletonian in 2027 and perhaps beyond, Meadowlands CEO and President Jeff Gural issued his own statement about the issue. The Meadowlands has played host to the $1.2 million Hambletonian final and eliminations since 1981 and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with a grand event at The Meadowlands on August 2. While the track is contracted to have the event again on August 8, 2026, that may be the last year for “America’s Trotting Classic” in New Jersey. According to the Hambletonian Society release, The Meadowlands did not exercise its exclusive right to renew its contract and thus other tracks, including The Meadowlands, will now be permitted to bid. According to Society officials, bids will be considered in March 2026. In his statement (which can be read in full below), Gural cited a disagreement with the Society on whether trainers/owners that management feels should be disallowed due to “misconduct” would be permitted to compete in the Hambletonian, Oaks and Maturity races owned by the Society. The Meadowlands has taken a tough stance and banned a number of licensed owners and trainers since Gural took over in 2011. While Society officials received files from Gural on these people, they were not willing to agree to his stipulations. The other issue revolves around the possibility of a casino at The Meadowlands. Gural is unwilling to make a long-term commitment to hosting the three races until he finds out more information on whether a casino will be coming to his property. That may not be known until November 2026, far too late for a new track to come on board and host the 2027 races. “Mr. Gural does allude to the uncertainty of the future of the racetrack and it being dependent upon him getting a casino,” said Hambletonian Society President and CEO John Campbell in a late Monday release. “This was a major concern for the Board and had a huge impact on our ultimate decision as this is an unknown until November 2026.” Whether The Meadowlands elects not to bid on the 2027 Hambletonian or not, the door is in theory open for any operator with a track of seven-eighths or larger. The most likely candidates include Harrah’s Hoosier Park, Woodbine Mohawk Park and The Red Mile. Hambletonian Day is typically part of a stakes-filled card and it would require a massive shift in the current stakes schedule for that to occur. Both Woodbine Mohawk Park and Harrah’s Hoosier Park have stakes that could be moved to the early August date but a track like The Red Mile may have to create new races to make things work correctly. Another issue is handle. Woodbine Mohawk Park has proven it can host a major event and post numbers similar to The Meadowlands. Could Harrah's Hoosier Park or The Red Mile do the same? Hoosier has seen great increases in handle since the arrival of Gabe Prewitt to steer the ship, so perhaps they could come close. Red Mile has struggled on the handle front but maybe an event like the Hambletonian could bring out a huge crowd of horse-loving people from Kentucky to provide huge on-track wagering. There are many unknowns at play.  There is of course a possibility that Gural will change his mind and bid for the races in just 2027, just as the possibility exists that the Society will change its stance or at least bend. As of right now the future of the most prestigious race in North American Standardbred racing is most definitely in limbo. Gural’s statement While I was aware that the Hambletonian Society was not going to offer us an extension of our Hambletonian contract unless we agreed to allow owners and trainers on our exclusion list to enter in the Hambletonian, the Oaks and the Maturity, I made it clear that it was not our intention to allow trainers suspected of using illegal performance enhancing drugs to race against those trainers who to the best of our knowledge are racing under the rules. That seemed to be a major problem, along with the fact that they wanted to be sure that we would be able to host the race if we were not able to secure a casino license in 2027.  I made it clear that I was highly confident that we would be able to receive a casino license, but it would be impossible for me to make a five-year commitment without having a license in hand. I also made it clear to Mr. Campbell that we had no intention of bidding for the Hambletonian after next year so the decision to put it out for bid essentially means that the Hambletonian will no longer be held at the Meadowlands after 2026.  For those people purchasing trotting yearlings this fall I want to make it perfectly clear that if they are lucky like I was this year to have a horse good enough to participate and actually win the race, in 2027 it most likely will be held in Anderson, IN or Campbellsville, ON.  They seem to me to be the only logical racetracks that can host the event since I doubt if the Society is willing to race on a smaller track.  Our plan, if we do get a casino, would be to use the $1,050,000 that we currently allot for added money to the Hambletonian races from our purse account, for other trotting races, but obviously there is no guarantee that we will have a casino. While we all love the sport, the sad part is that most people don’t know we exist.  When I tell someone that I own The Meadowlands the typical response would be that they used to come there with their grandfather.  When I tell them that I race and breed trotters I get a variety of responses: •        Aren’t those races fixed? •        Aren’t those horses drugged? •        What are trotters? In order for me to get a license the state has to pass a referendum that would allow a casino at the Meadowlands.  Currently under state law the only place casinos are allowed is in Atlantic City.  There will be a massive amount of money spent by casinos in NY, PA and Atlantic City opposing the referendum.  It is critical that I show them that it was more important for me to make sure that drug trainers were not allowed to race in the Hambletonian and that is why it was moved out of the Meadowlands.  I cannot afford the animal welfare people to attack me on the integrity issue, and I think this will put that issue to bed. In my opinion, we have gone out of our way since I took over in 2011 to make sure the Hambletonian had a home here at the Meadowlands. Anyone who attended the race this year at the 100th Anniversary was hopefully impressed by all of the events that were conducted along with the large crowd in attendance, not to mention that I actually owned a piece of Nordic Catcher, the winner.  What hurts the most is the fact that had I not stepped up at the very last moment to keep the state from closing the Meadowlands and subsequently building a new $120 Million grandstand dedicated entirely to horseracing, the breeding industry would not be booming the way it has over the last few years. I doubt if anyone other than those on our exclusion list would like to see the race moved so hopefully, they can make their feelings know. While I recognize that the Society determines where the race is located, I hope they will change their mind.  I made it clear that anyone on our exclusion list would be afforded a hearing and that Mr. Campbell can join as well.