Atlantic City Race Course

[Zaf]

I noticed Atlantic City Race Course is running a short meet with all grass races. Has anyone attended these races ?

ZAFONIC

[sq764]

no, but I heard they had 5,000 people show up the other day..

(I think part of the crowd was due to Steward Elliot riding there)

[peakpros]

Atlantic City runs the two days to keep similcasting rights.

I didn't get to go but some horsemen I spoke with said there was allot of interest in the races with full fields. The course was OK but I heard the buildings are not holdign up well.

[Zaf]

I think it is more than 2 days.

ZAFONIC

[Zman179]

Yeah, I've attended the AC Races quite a few times. Went last year, but not this year due to scheduling conflicts.

Very bare bones, no frills operation with no tote board, dirt track hasn't been used for races in years, track lighting system is gone, concessions are run by a high school marching band as a fundraiser, TV graphics and odds are very basic and the Daily Racing Form doesn't contain the live races (only simulcast).

They'll get a few thousand people there on average the past couple of years, and 95% of the money there is "square money" since the signal is no longer broadcast via satellite. A very nice place for a regular bettor who's done his homework to make a bloody killing. Went last year and made a fortune on longshots just by reading the Form (via internet).

[Zaf]

Zman,

Do they at least have a decent Simulcasting facility, or is it a bunch of TV's and a couple of Tellers.

They do not sell the drf there ? Do they sell some kind of Equibase Program ???

What angles do you look for when you play ?

ZAFONIC

[Zaf]

I just checked the charts, decent purses , decent jocks, decent sized fields, why don't they send the signal ???

The Chart said 3500 in attendence Thursday.

ZAFONIC

[hurrikane]

They use to send a signal.

Was my favorite track...full fields, long shots, turf, good pays.

They only ran 30 days(maybe it was only 2 weeks). Wasn' t aware they stopped the signal.

[Zaf]

Z-man,

I was able to get there live for the last 2 races of their meet on May 19. Your description was bang on. Very interesting, the whole card was chasers except for the last race which was 1 1/2 mile, no jumps.

I surprised the owner hasn't sold it yet, like Garden State Park. That land must be worth a fortune. I cannot believe that they make money operating as a simulcast facility. The area around the track has been built up extensively over the past years.

ZAFONIC

[Zman179]

Sorry Zaf for the delay in getting back to you...have been roasting in Bermuda.

They (Pennwood Racing....joint venture between Penn National & Philadelphia Park) have been making money at ACRC as a simulcast facility, but in reality, ACRC's days are numbered and it's only a matter of time before the wrecking ball takes ACRC down and an OTB springs up on the location. They've been hanging on waiting for the OTB bill to pass (which it has) and they've been running a handful of dates (10 is the minimum: 4 at ACRC this year and the other 6 at Monmouth) to satisfy NJ State Law which states that in order to offer simulcasting, one must offer live racing as well.

ACRC stopped sending a signal about 3 years ago so as to not pay for satellite costs. It litterally is a bare bones operation. I would say that the next meet will be the last.

[Zaf]

Well there is plenty of room on the grounds to build an OTB and make a killing selling the other 95 % of the land. When will NJ have its first OTB ?

ZAFONIC

[peakpros]

So far this year ACRC has raced two days of flats and two days of jumps. I am not sure if there is any more live racing there this year.



According to the local papers...OTB type parlors should be up and running before the end of the year. None in Monmouth county however.

Monmouth Park has been getting allot of press this week. The horseman and state have reach an agreement with the casinos to keep slots out of the racetracks. The deal was worth $86 million.

The average daily purse total has been raised to 330,000 this year from 300,000 at monmouth. And to 300,000 this year, from 196,000 last year at the meadowlands. There are also incentives for NJ breds, etc.

This may be the best racing monmouth has seen in many, many years.

[BillW]

Originally posted by peakpros
So far this year ACRC has raced two days of flats and two days of jumps. I am not sure if there is any more live racing there this year.



The 2004 race dates show 5/5 thru 5/19 only

Bill