trip report: Save the Meadowlands, Save The Hambo

[The_Knight_Sky]

http://i35.tinypic.com/1zr14z9.jpg (http://theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/2010/08/save-meadowlands-save-hambo.html)

read and view more images at: http://theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/2010/08/save-meadowlands-save-hambo.html

[onefast99]

During the racing program a small plane flew overhead with some words of wisdom for those in attendance in and around the sports complex. I couldn't agree more, so I snapped a picture of the plane (click image to enlarge).

The message is clear as day. This was is in response to casino interests who are currently bullying the horse racetracks in the state of New Jersey. The message from the horse racing interests should be a message of solidarity and this is was a start.

I am pleased to see The Meadowlands Racetrack (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadowlands_Racetrack) have a successful day. For the past two decades I have met many people at this racetrack, the fans, the employees, the management, and of course seen many great horses both standardbreds and thoroughbreds who have raced here since opening as a grand showcase of racing back in 1977. This racetrack can not and should not go quietly into the night.

I am sure the Governor was at his vacation retreat and didn't partake in any of the festivities. Very nice write up!

[The_Knight_Sky]

I am sure the Governor was at his vacation retreat
and didn't partake in any of the festivities. Very nice write up!



Thank you.
I don't think the Guv got an invitation for lunch in The Pegasus.

I blew up the image of the plane's banner.
It reminds me of when someone hired a plane in California to denounce synthetics.

http://i37.tinypic.com/331mvcm.jpg

[Stevie Belmont]

I love that banner. Owner or trainer of the Hambo winner called out the Gov. That was great.

[The_Knight_Sky]

I love that banner. Owner or trainer of the Hambo winner called out the Gov. That was great.




On national television? What did he say?

It was the third highest handle day in Harness Racing history.
They reopened The Clubhouse level but a vast majority of the were outside in the Paddock Park and the apron on what was a gorgeous Saturday.

This isn't some podunk fair track out in the midwest, it is a racetrack worth saving for horse racing's sake.
The casinos interests cannot be allowed to infringe on what is hallowed horse racing territory.

http://i38.tinypic.com/m8jptx.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)
more images at my Flickr photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)

[David-LV]

On national television? What did he say?

It was the third highest handle day in Harness Racing history.
They reopened The Clubhouse level but a vast majority of the were outside in the Paddock Park and the apron on what was a gorgeous Saturday.

This isn't some podunk fair track out in the midwest, it is a racetrack worth saving for horse racing's sake.
The casinos interests cannot be allowed to infringe on what is hallowed horse racing territory.

http://i38.tinypic.com/m8jptx.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)
more images at my Flickr photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)


Great pictures, brings back a lot of memories of days gone bye.

Hambo day = Great racing at the taj mahal of harness racing.

Keep up the good work Knight Sky we have to keep racing in New Jersey on the front burner and not let a bunch of greedy politicians and casinos owners win the day.
_________
David-LV

[The_Knight_Sky]

Hambo day = Great racing at the taj mahal of harness racing.

David-LV




I remember there was great racing every night at this track. There used to be 15 to 20,000 fans every Friday and Saturday night in the mid to late 1980's. The place had electricity even on non-Hambo Days or Meadowlands Pace days.

Even the post-Labor Day thoroughbred meets were top notch before it started declining in quality. The building itself probably isn't the "Taj Mahal" it once was but it is in pretty good shape. It is clean, air conditioned, in a safe area and has over three decades of top class horse racing memories.


The Big M can't be stopped. It just shouldn't.

http://i38.tinypic.com/33acvn9.jpg (http://www.theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/)

Hambo Day pic courtesy: http://www.theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/

[onefast99]

The Meadowlands puts on a great show for the harness meet. The t-breds just don't seem to draw anymore. I always thought that a nice short 1 or 2 week turf only meet with some very good stakes would be a positive for the track since the turf course is one of the nicest in the tri-state area.

[The_Knight_Sky]

The Meadowlands puts on a great show for the harness meet.
The t-breds just don't seem to draw anymore.

I always thought that a nice short 1 or 2 week turf only meet with some very good stakes would be a positive for the track since the turf course is one of the nicest in the tri-state area.




I agree on the boutique meet concept. A "Turf-Only meet" would be atthe mercy of the weather. And if by any chance there is a string of two good weekends of of sunny weather, I see no reason why that cannot be successful, the same way it was successsful at Atlantic City Racecourse earlier this spring. Short and sweet meets serve the local audience starved for live thoroughbred racing.

Both racetracks have issues however, there used to be a time when the thoroughbreds would be stabled on the backside, horsemen said
no more, and that precipitated a decline in field sizes at the Meadowlands.

I do think it is up to the NJ Racing Commission and the NJTHA to push for such an autumn turf meet at both The Big M and Atlantic City. Come October and November, it is anyone's guess to how well the Monmouth Park turf course will be holding up at Oceanport.

When there are two other pristine grass courses in the state, why no use them :confused:

http://i36.tinypic.com/ndsfnn.jpg

pic courtesy:http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)
pic courtesy:

[PaceAdvantage]

pic courtesy:http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)
pic courtesy:OK, I'll ask the obvious question. If they are your pictures, why do you have to include a photo credit? Odd...

[The_Knight_Sky]

OK, I'll ask the obvious question. If they are your pictures,
why do you have to include a photo credit? Odd...




Hmmm. Good question.
Just so no one confuses my work with Barbara Livingston's. :lol:

Actually, I've always done that. To credit who ever took the pic in case someone wants to view more from the source.
But it's all in good fun - to keep a camera in the bag.
It's a great thing to be able to document the horses, horsemen, events in the digital age.
I've met some really interesting folks in the process.

Imagine if race-goers did that in the 50's, 60's and 70's?
It's never too late to start doing so and preserve the memories.

[onefast99]

I agree on the boutique meet concept. A "Turf-Only meet" would be atthe mercy of the weather. And if by any chance there is a string of two good weekends of of sunny weather, I see no reason why that cannot be successful, the same way it was successsful at Atlantic City Racecourse earlier this spring. Short and sweet meets serve the local audience starved for live thoroughbred racing.

Both racetracks have issues however, there used to be a time when the thoroughbreds would be stabled on the backside, horsemen said
no more, and that precipitated a decline in field sizes at the Meadowlands.

I do think it is up to the NJ Racing Commission and the NJTHA to push for such an autumn turf meet at both The Big M and Atlantic City. Come October and November, it is anyone's guess to how well the Monmouth Park turf course will be holding up at Oceanport.

When there are two other pristine grass courses in the state, why no use them :confused:

http://i36.tinypic.com/ndsfnn.jpg

pic courtesy:http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)
pic courtesy:

Was this taken last year on a Tuesday afternoon in October?

[LottaKash]

I remember there was great racing every night at this track. There used to be 15 to 20,000 fans every Friday and Saturday night in the mid to late 1980's. The place had electricity even on non-Hambo Days or Meadowlands Pace days.

Even the post-Labor Day thoroughbred meets were top notch before it started declining in quality. The building itself probably isn't the "Taj Mahal" it once was but it is in pretty good shape. It is clean, air conditioned, in a safe area and has over three decades of top class horse racing memories.




The Big M can't be stopped. It just shouldn't.


http://i38.tinypic.com/33acvn9.jpg (http://www.theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/)

Hambo Day pic courtesy: http://www.theknightskyracing.blogspot.com/



Knight Sky, thanks for the nice pix in this thread as well as the beauties at your web holding site...

The Big-M was my "home track" for so, so many years, until I moved away from all the "Mob" corruption and it's hold on the political system....

I have so many memories of the Big-M....I had been a Yonkers & Roosevelt junkie, until I was there on "Opening-Nite" (they ran out of BEER after the 2d race, and the betting lines were 50 deep thruout the nite) and that all changed from that nite on....It's funny, for all the hundreds and hundreds of times that I was there, I never tired of the place....It was always an exciting place for me....Now, I lament the current state of affairs at that place....I was almost exclusively a "Harness" player, and from my chair, they had the best of the best harness horses, competing at that place, bar none.....If you had a horse and you wanted to be and race with the best, the Big-M was the target....

This year tho, with the surrounding Racinos with an hour or two of the Big-M, the place has a hard time competing with the competition, in fact this year, for the first time in my handicapping career, I played oh so litttle at the place....The horses that were presented this year were crap , riddled with so many horses, that were of the sick, lame and lazy variety, plus the shippers conveyor belt seemed to be endless....The good form and angles that I use to make my handicapping way, just never seemed to materialize this season.....What a shame....I lament the status quo there now...What a giant slide...I hope not into "permanent oblivion"....

Knight Sky, it you have another other opportunity to visit the Big-M, would you mind taking some "shots" of the whole insides of the place.....I knew the place like the back of my hand, every nook an cranny.....It sure would be nice to see some glimpses of the entire layout.....The Big-M was always a class act and a great place to bet and watch horseracing....I would surely like to relive some of those memories thru the magic of "photo's"....sure would....Please...

best,

[The_Knight_Sky]

Was this taken last year on a Tuesday afternoon in October?




LOL yes. Either a Monday or a Tuesday last year (2009).
I wonder what gave it away. :)





Knight Sky, it you have another other opportunity to visit the Big-M, would you mind taking some "shots" of the whole insides of the place.....I knew the place like the back of my hand, every nook an cranny.....

It sure would be nice to see some glimpses of the entire layout.....

The Big-M was always a class act and a great place to bet and watch horseracing....I would surely like to relive some of those memories thru the magic of "photo's"....sure would....Please...

best,


Whoa. I'm humbled to see a longtime Meadowlands patron with the same memories that I have of the place. The last major renovations took place around 10 years ago (or thereabouts). The Finish Line Bar was a good addition, so was the Paddock Level teletheater. But since then renovations have been few and far between. The plant is remarkably good condition for the patrons although both the standardbred and thoroughbreds have fallen off in terms of quality.

LottaKash, I will be adding more pics to my Flick r photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_knight_sky/)from week to week, so you can check back and view at your leisure.

Right now SBOA president Tom Luchento is asking that the NJSEA not be disbanded and there is enough time for the Horsemen and management to formulate a plan for survival in the short term. There is a meeting scheduled for next month and hope to get some more information then.

Thanks again. :ThmbUp:

[bitter]

its the best harness racing in the country, why they would want ruin it is beyond me. There is no place in the US that even comes close to the quality of harness racing that the meadowlands showcases