With virtually no fanfare, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed S3921/A5090 on January 30, allowing the state funds which formerly went to Freehold Raceway to be used for overnight purses at the Meadowlands. The bills, sponsored by Senator Paul Sarlo and Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese, were passed by the Senate 38-0 and Assembly 70-0-1 on December 19 last year. With the signing, the Meadowlands will now get another $1.6 million to be used for overnight racing only. How that money will be divvied up remains to be seen. First, let's examine the language in the bill, which provides two interesting statements in italic and bolded sections below: In the event that live racing programs cease to be conducted by the permit holder at Freehold Raceway, the New Jersey Horse Racing Commission shall reallocate to Meadowlands overnight purses any and all funds allocated to Freehold overnight purses pursuant to this section <b>until such time as a permit holder resumes live racing programs at Freehold Raceway</b>. It is perhaps hopeful thinking on the part of the legislature, but it is nice that they carved out a resumption of funds to Freehold Raceway should it resume racing at some point in the future. Any funds reallocated from Freehold overnight purses to Meadowlands overnight purses pursuant to this section shall be used for the sole purpose of conducting not less than 35 standardbred race dates at the Meadowlands Racetrack that otherwise would have been conducted at Freehold Raceway. <b>The minimum of 35 standardbred race dates as herein provided may be decreased upon agreement and written consent from the Standardbred Breeders' and Owners' Association of New Jersey</b>, notwithstanding the requirements of section 30 of P.L.2001, c.199 (C.5:5-156).1 While many people assumed that the gaining of $1.6 million would automatically result in additional racing dates at the Meadowlands, the above statement clearly points out that with SBOANJ approval the Meadowlands doesn't have to add anywhere near the 35 suggested dates. The Meadowlands did increase its total dates this year to 94 from 88 last year, and some consideration will be given to adding more programs according to SBOANJ President Mark Ford. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter "I'm thinking we take that money and use it wherever we can. Maybe have a couple more races, add a couple more days," said Ford, who wisely feels targeting quieter times during the year when other tracks are closed is the correct strategy for adding any dates. "There is a big lull in November, December and January. Yonkers is down for a month, Saratoga is down for two months, Pocono and Chester [Harrah's Philadelphia] are down for three months and Plainridge is down for four months." While the original plan was for the Meadowlands to race Sundays in February, Ford said it was premature to publicize that schedule, and it simply didn't make sense considering the horse population during that month. "In theory there are 160 horses a week that raced at Freehold. That's 10 races and eight horses per race. But that's not reality, it was more like 145. If you went through those 145 horses, there were only 25 to 30 that could even race at the Meadowlands. The other ones aren't competitive. If you put it all on a spreadsheet and look at it, it is not enough to fill more cards," said Ford. "You have to have 10-horse fields and be able to fill a card. The first couple of weeks in January there are 500 horses in the [entry] box [at the Meadowlands], but that's not reality because there are horses entered in multiple classes. The following week there are 400, then 300, and you get to today [February 4] when the track is calling for horses [to fill classes]." Reading between the lines, everything appears to be on the table for discussion when it comes to the $1.6 million. If you simply divide the total by the remaining 82 racing dates, there would be just over $19,500 per card available. In reality that number would be even higher considering that the money can only be used for overnight races and the Meadowlands has a number of programs that are almost exclusively for stakes horses. In addition to adding a few more cards to the calendar during the late fall and early winter, and boosting some purses when the horse population is depleted to lure them to the lone remaining New Jersey Standardbred track, Ford mentioned the possibility of writing some series action to attract horses. He said that Meadowlands President/CEO Jeff Gural has been more than accommodating. "I see a big opportunity [racing an extra night or two in December or January], and I'll take my hat off to [Jeff] Gural. He basically told us we could do whatever we want with the stipulation that we can fill full fields," said Ford. "We've already missed those dates [in January] this year. Maybe we can race two more days [a week] in January [2026], but then again, you never know because everything is evolving. "At the end of the day what is important is that we got the money. Everything else we'll work out. We have to pat [lobbyist] AJ Sabath and [SBOANJ Director] Mike Gulotta on the back for getting the legislation done as quickly as we did."