Harness: Thoughts on the potential absence of racing at The Meadowlands this fall

Recently it was announced by The Meadowlands that it appears likely there will not be a fall harness meet at the East Rutherford oval in 2020. Like anything else, this was met with criticism and skepticism on some channels in social media. People who don’t have an understanding of the Meadowlands Ground Lease Agreement, or agreements between The Meadowlands and Darby Development L.L.C. (the thoroughbred horsemen) were criticizing The Meadowlands for this “decision.”

First and foremost, as someone who knows a little bit about this, this is not a Meadowlands or Jeff Gural decision. The thoroughbred horsemen, per their agreement with The Meadowlands, have the right to race a fall thoroughbred meet. This is not a new revelation since Jeff Gural took over the operations of the facility, but rather a long-standing precedent. However, due to the costs associated with transforming the racing surface at The Meadowlands from a Standardbred to Thoroughbred surface, the thoroughbred horsemen have declined the option to race a full-fledged meet at The Meadowlands in recent years, opting for a turf-only meeting. Without any purse subsidy from expanded gaming, the costs associated with turning the track over were prohibitive and did not make any business sense.

Therefore, for the past several years Jeff Gural and The Meadowlands has stepped up to the plate in a major way during the fall season. They have not just run a meet, but put forth championship-caliber racing in the process. On two occasions, The Meadowlands hosted the Breeders Crown. In addition, they presented the Fall Final Four stakes, the Kindergarten Classic and put forth a new series of races culminating in a Free For All Championship event at season’s end, the TVG Free For All Championships.

Instead of people being grateful for this, some took to social media, criticizing both Gural and The Meadowlands for the changes that will be coming in 2020, as if it were some scheme to hurt the horsemen. Some questioned the timing of the announcement as it came just before the Lexington Selected Sale and could “hurt the breeders,” which after seeing the results of that sale was a comical thought. Not to mention that Jeff Gural is a breeder himself and losing stakes races doesn’t benefit him at all.

I don’t agree with every decision made at The Meadowlands. I had disagreements when I worked there. But this is not a decision. It’s The Meadowlands playing the cards they have been dealt as best they can. By the way, I have heard the thoroughbred horsemen say they plan on turning the track over several times, so I’ll believe it when I see it, but assuming they follow through this time, there is no justification in assigning any blame. Perhaps another track can step up, like the Meadowlands did before, and take on the Fall Final Four.

In regards to The Meadowlands schedule, admittedly, I don’t love the idea of continuing the meet past Hambletonian Day. In years past, those racing dates have not been well-received by the bettors. In fact, in 2011, there were four racing days after the Hambletonian, which averaged roughly $1.8 Million in handle. Those days included great races that year, like the Sweetheart, Woodrow Wilson, Golden Girls and William Haughton Memorial, so the handle figures were very light considering the quality of the races. I also don’t love having the TVG Free For All Championship in September after the Little Brown Jug and before the Breeders Crown. It most likely takes away any chance of a 3-year-old entering to face older horses, which is the most exciting element of those races. I would be concerned about the participation in that series with the timing of the Finals as well. It’s a tricky spot, because it is unlikely that the best horses will stick around until mid-December to race in those events if they were they to be pushed back that far, and holding them in September hurts the races for the reasons listed above.

Perhaps, with the elimination of the Fall Meet at The Meadowlands, the TVG Free For All Championships should be reconsidered, with the sponsorship and added money for those races being used for another cause. The $1 Million TVG Meadowlands Pace has a nice ring to it, I think.

Lastly, a fall thoroughbred meet at The Meadowlands is not a bad thing. Those meets have produced some amazing moments in racing history. The final start for the great John Henry was at The Meadowlands. Horses like Wild Again and Alysheba tuned up for the Breeders’ Cup in the Meadowlands Cup. Spectacular Bid’s dominating Meadowlands Cup win, the battle between Dramatic Gold and Formal Gold in the 1996 Meadowlands Cup, the upset of Touch Gold in The Pegasus Stakes, and Seattle Slew tasting defeat at the hooves of Dr. Patches all took place at The Meadowlands. The best jockeys in the world would often ride at Belmont and Aqueduct during the day and make their way over to The Meadowlands at night. There is a real lack of quality nighttime thoroughbred signals and with the purse subsidy in effect and purses from sports betting in play, a nighttime thoroughbred meet at The Meadowlands will be a welcomed addition by the bettors. After all, they are betting $1 Million on sporadic 6-race programs being run there now.

I for one will look forward to a full-fledged Meadowlands fall thoroughbred meet. It will bring back great memories from my childhood and memories of working with the great Brad Thomas for several years hosting the in-house simulcast broadcast. But most of all, I look forward to it as a bettor, and I think others will too.