New Jersey Racing

The Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey (TBANJ) has announced that it has reached an agreement with Darby Development, the management company that oversees operations at Monmouth Park, that should end what had been a stalemate concerning future racing dates at the seaside track. In a statement released Wednesday, the TBANJ said it was supporting "an amended bill that protects Thoroughbred racing and breeding in New Jersey." With the possibility that a $10-million subsidy that had been used to enhance purses at Monmouth Park might not be available in the...

It was a good year for the new management team at the Maryland racetracks, where the average daily handle at Laurel was up 13.49 percent and average per-race handle increased by 14.29 percent. To talk about what went right for Maryland racing last year, the future of the GI Preakness Stakes, the decision to form a circuit with Colonial Downs, and to report on the rebuild of Pimlico, Bill Knauf, the president and general manager of the nonprofit Maryland Jockey Club, joined the team for this week's TDN Writers' Room...

The already struggling racing and breeding industries in New Jersey were hit by potentially devastating news on Wednesday when it was reported that there are bills afloat in the state capital in Trenton that could eventually allow Monmouth Park to reduce its meet to 25 days a year. Is this the beginning of the end for one of the sport's most iconic and picturesque tracks? Not necessarily. (I'll get to that later). But it's hard not to be pessimistic about Monmouth's future. As with so many things that have become...

A vote scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 8 in New Jersey's Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee appears to threaten Thoroughbred racing dates in the state, cutting the required number from 50 to 25. The story was first reported by DRF's Matt Hegarty. Michael Campbell, the executive director for the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association of New Jersey, sent out a letter to Association members Tuesday warning breeders of "serious threat" to the New Jersey Thoroughbred breeding industry if the bill is passed. "This drastic reduction would effectively eliminate the foundation necessary to sustain...

The New Jersey Racing Commission on Wednesday approved a 2026 Thoroughbred schedule of 50 spring/summer dates at Monmouth Park and nine for an all-turf autumn meet at the Meadowlands, mirroring the state's allotment of racing days in 2025. A one-day steeplechase license for Far Hills in '26 is expected to be okayed by the commission at a subsequent date upon completion of local approvals. The exact opening and closing dates for the meets were not discussed at the Nov. 18 meeting. In the post-pandemic era, New Jersey's Thoroughbred dates allotments...

Francis X. "Buddy" Keegan, Jr., a New Jersey Racing Commissioner since 2006 and a breeder/owner who raced horses in the state since 1963, passed away on Thursday, June 5. He was 86. In addition to being a long-serving commissioner on the New Jersey Racing Commission, Keegan was president of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, president of the New Jersey Horsemen's Association and was a patron of Monmouth Hunt. Keegan was also a member of the Thoroughbred Club of America, the Green Mountain Horse Association and the National Hunt Association....

Joining New Jersey and Colorado, West Virginia has become the third state to legalize fixed odds wagering on horse racing. The legislation was fully completed Saturday and the state's racetracks, sports book and gambling apps can begin accepting the bets whenever they are ready to go. The Legislature passed the bill by a 55-43 count. "I am the general counsel and lobbyist for the Charles Town HBPA, and so that was the impetus for me trying to get this started," said lobbyist Philip Reale. "Fixed odds has been popular in...

The John Forbes Memorial, a two-mile flat race to be run Saturday at the Far Hills, New Jersey hunt meet isn't for every horse. The horse needs to be able to handle the grueling distance of two miles and carry as much as 148 pounds. But there are plenty of trainers who believe their horses can handle the test. A race that is getting better every year, the $150,000 race attracted 14 entries, including Thoroughbreds from the stables of Mike Maker, Christophe Clement, Graham Motion and Peter Eurton. The Forbes...

Monmouth Park sits on 310 acres of land in Oceanport, NJ, but, as is the case with most tracks in a modern era where on-track crowds have dwindled, much of the property includes empty stands and parking lots. But that is about to change as real estate developer and horse owner Morris Bailey has unveiled plans to develop 80 acres of the property that will be used to for a 298-unit residential building, a 200-room hotel, a youth sports center and, perhaps, a concert venue. Dennis Drazin said it has...

After a dozen years as lessee of Monmouth Park Racetrack, the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NJTHA), in conjunction with the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority (NJSEA) has transferred the racetrack, effective immediately, to Dennis Drazin's Darby Development LLC, under a new 85-year lease agreement, the track said in a release on Thursday. Darby had been the operator of the racetrack under the NJTHA and will now take full custody of the grounds with sights set on further expansion. "Let me start by thanking Governor Murphy for entrusting me,...

New Jersey owner and breeder John Bowers Jr. of Roseland Farm Stable has been named the 2024 recipient of the Virgil "Buddy" Raines Distinguished Achievement Award, Monmouth Park announced Tuesday. The Raines Award, in its 29th year, honors men and women who have demonstrated a continuing commitment to the sport of Thoroughbred racing as an owner, trainer or administrator, and whose conduct has been exemplary for professionalism, integrity and service to the sport. Bowers has twice been honored by the state's Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association as the Breeder of...

Monmouth Park continued an upward trend by showing an increase in average total handle and average on-track handle for the third straight year as the 51-day meet came to a close Sunday. Paco Lopez claimed his 10th riding title and Claudio Gonzalez was the leading trainer for the second straight summer. The average total handle was $4,032,648 this year, an 11.4 percent increase over last year's average of $3,620,719. The on-track handle rose 15 percent to $340,257 compared to the 2022 average of $295,896. In addition, the average field size...