Jersey law OK's dime supers

New Jersey racetracks could soon offer 10-cent superfectas as a result of legislation signed Thursday by acting Gov. Joseph Roberts.

With Gov. Jon Corzine on a tour of East Asia and former state Senate president Richard Codey out of state, the role of chief executive fell to Roberts for a one-day term.

The most significant change is lowering the current $1 wagering minimum to a dime.

"A 10-cent superfecta is one of the options we will look to implement," said Chris McErlean, the vice president of racing operations for Monmouth Park and The Meadowlands.

Some of the new legislation must be reconciled with current New Jersey Racing Commission regulations, a process that can take six months.

Other provisions of the bill:

* Allows future wagers on races like the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth and the Hambletonian at The Meadowlands.

* Divides uncashed-ticket revenue 50-50 between racetracks and the horsemen's purse accounts.

* Permits simulcast wagering on races that start after tracks and simulcast parlors have closed. In the past, a live video transmission was required.

* Pays bettors who lost winning tickets, if they can prove through account or player-tracking systems that they made the wager.