Freehold tragedy a spreading cancer

The closure of Freehold Raceway is a tragedy that is a “cancer” to harness racing that, some fear, could eventually prove fatal to our grand, historic sport.

Hindsight is always too late but, in reality, this “cancer” started decades ago as we began to lose our racetracks—all being pari-mutuel facilities.

Just since the year 2000, more than 40 tracks have closed—over 25 of them in the past decade or so as the industry—with few exceptions—can no longer support itself on a customer base that is dwindling rapidly with their pari-mutuel dollars unable to support purses.

Yes, the influx of casinos have helped but, the truth is, without life support from legislatures and casinos, just about our entire industry would have a headstone above a gravesite in a cemetery somewhere.

We should have seen this when the iconic track Washington Park was not rebuilt after a fire in the late 1970’s.

That may have been the first “cancer cell” appearing unnoticed as the rest of the industry seemed to be in a healthy state, especially with the opening of The Meadowlands.

In 1988, the granddaddy of the all, Roosevelt Raceway, was closed with development of the land more viable than the rescue of a deteriorating venue, especially with The Meadowlands in the picture.

Yes this iconic facility opened in 1940 and was the track that popularized harness racing by introducing Steve Phillips’ mobile starting gate in 1946—earning a cover feature on Popular Mechanics Magazine that year, as well.

Some of the many other tracks gone and remembered by so few are Hollywood Park, Arlington Park, Balmoral Park, Sportsman’s Park, Maywood Park, Suffolk Downs, Readville Race Track (where Robert J recorded the first 2:00 mile in 1897), Atlantic City Race Course, Garden State Park, Liberty Bell, Arlington Park (yes, they had harness racing way back when), Bay Meadows, Bay State Raceway, Freestate Raceway, Hazel Park, Louisville Downs, Rockingham Park and, reaching way, WAY back, Phoenix Trotting Park.

There are dozens of others…but one can get the idea of where we are headed.

It’s not just confined to our standardbreds.

Take iconic Churchill Downs…you would think that their dedication to thoroughbred racing would be unwavering but…

The iconic Arlington Park…gone.

Calder Racecourse…gone…

Illinois racing…once among the kingpins…now decimated!!!

What’s next? Who’s next?

Some political clout in the form of the almighty dollars and, all of a sudden, the “cancer” cells spread, leaving an industry decimated and on chemotherapy and radiation—assistance from sources that may dry up at any time, causing the demise of an iconic sport and industry with hundreds of years of history.

In Pompano Beach, Florida, the Governor threw away the history and contributions of Frederic and Francis Dodge Van Lennep—the folk that put Pompano Beach on the map with millions of dollars of investment 70 years ago—with a two-second signature nullifying the deal protecting harness racing by allowing de-coupling.

How strong is political clout?

It was the VOTERS that got the referendum passed to build the casino in Pompano Beach and the VOTERS DID NOT HAVE A SAY in the decoupling measure that killed our sport in Florida and cost 10,000-15,000 their livelihoods.

Back in 2004, at the time the horsemen and women went “barn”storming for the casino referendum, it seemed viable that some casino outfit would jump at this chance in South Florida…after all, supporting racing for $15,000,000 or so a year would be a great trade-off to earn 10 times that or more a year on slots, poker and simulcasting.

The Pompano situation and its predecessors of past should have warned all of us that the love of our sport and industry is fragile…but, obviously, it didn’t.

Who is at fault here? The patrons of the casinos as their nickels, dimes and dollars have partially funded their political clout to our “leaders.”

Now, with the Freehold situation, another “cancer” cell has killed the (at least) this 170-year-old iconic track.

It is incredulous that those who profess to be enamored with our sport can throw it away like a piece of rubbish and dump it in the trash.

States that licensed our sport and any pari-mutuel facility did so protectively when the grass was green with dollars reaped from license fees and taxes…but thrown away when something “greener” came along!

How sad!

It’s no wonder that we, as citizens, can no longer trust the word of government and the gaming industries that say anything to get a foot in the front door…yet can run out the back door faster than a “BULLDOG”…all because of the almighty dollar—where our industry can no longer compete.

But, back to Freehold.,,

The backbone of our industry is NOT the $100,000 plus stakes races.

Yes, those Stakes provides riches to the rich…and while it’s prestigious to have a horse entered in one of them, the benefit is to the lucky few.

This year, 2024, there were about 45 tracks conducting pari-mutuel meetings that had some 3,100 racing programs.

Some tracks, in the heart of our land, had 14, 15, 16 races.

Some, had to be satisfied scrounging up seven, eight or nine…maybe one or two more.

For every $100,000 plus stakes race, there are, probably, several hundred that go for 4-5-6-7-$8,000 as horsemen and women fight to scrape out a living in an industry they love and have supported—some for many decades.

While the owner of a $100,000 stakes winner gets the major share of the $50,000 winner’s award (even if it’s a net $40,000 it’s great) and the driver gets his $2,500 (pretty awesome for a 1:52—or faster—mile), there are hundreds and hundreds of drivers, trainers, owners and caretakers that get the siphoned down earnings for the same work…and risks.

If it’s a $5,000 race, the winner’s share probably comes down to $2,000 and change for the owner, $125 for the trainer, $125 for the driver and a few bucks for the caretaker…

…for the same risks.

If a horse finishes fifth in one of those “4” claimers, it’s, maybe, $200…meaning $10 for the driver…$10 for the trainer…and a “fin” for the caretaker…FOR THE SAME WORK, EFFORT AND RISK.

The monthly bill are still there to keep ‘em going…feed, vet work, equipment, sawdust, paddock fees, lasix, if needed, etc.

Losing Freehold is losing another battle to cancer in harness racing’s flesh to support the 98% of the horse population that cannot pace a mile in 1:49 or trot a mile in 1:52.

When the announcement was made that their sports book was closing AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NFL SEASON (the most lucrative time), it should have sent up some black smoke.

Then, BOOM…the dagger!

Yes, there are drivers and trainers in this industry that make very good money—several hundred thousand dollars…and, yes, they can witness a driver getting a check for $10,000…or $25,000 for winning a major race…

But 90% of our drivers and trainers struggle to make a living and keep their heads above water at tracks just like Freehold Raceway.

When we lost Pompano…and now Freehold…hundreds of drivers, trainers, caretakers AND HORSES, lose their ability to earn a decent living and, in the case of the members of our family—our EQUINE FAMILY—it puts them is jeopardy of their next journey being to a kill pen.

Yes, there are sanctuaries…yes, there are owners with hearts and big backyards…but, when an iconic place like Freehold Raceway closes, HUNDREDS OF HORSES have been put in jeopardy…and there aren’t enough Mike Murphys of J.W. Fox(es) to pluck them off the kill pen trucks.

There aren’t enough Standardbred Retirement Foundations or New Vocations or rescue organizations or sanctuaries…

Could New Jersey’s Ronald S. Dancer have saved them?

No one will ever know.

It seems that there are plenty of questions that lie ahead…but no answers!

MAY THE HORSE BE WITH YOU…

by John Berry, for Harnesslink