Quote:
Originally Posted by MonmouthParkJoe
Both Hillsborough and Woodbridge are licensed by the New Jersey Thoroughbreds Horsemen's Association. 2015 woodbridge did $67.4 million and 2016 did $60.8 million. Hillsborough did $1.7 million in 2015 when they first opened and $11.2 million in 2016 so combining the two they did better in 2016 but certainly took some steam out of Woodbridge. Still a far cry from 2012 when Woodbridge did $86.8 million. Then again, that was the same year bayonne opened and really hurt them after that.
I agree with you on Monmouth. Cherish it while you can. I havent missed an opening day in 21 years and will be skipping my graduation ceremony here in order to make it. Have to keep my priorities straight. 
|
Darby bought the Hillsborough building formerly a steakhouse that went bust and then leased it to the horseman for the use as an OTW under the racing commission guidelines. The reason the building didn't open on time was due to how the lease was structured. The fact that no other OTWs have opened it makes one believe they aren't as profitable as they once were, as you supplied those numbers in your post to back up that claim. There is a mistrust brewing between the horseman and Darby. This will play out all meet long. What is the impact? Several prominent trainers aren't returning to MP, Eddie Broome is one of them.
What is the future for racing in NJ? According to Pickle it will be like Suffolk, which he is dead wrong but he has his own opinion and that is fine. My take is the state will eventually get the VLTs(under the NJ lottery commission and no vote is needed) into both MP and the Meadowlands which will give enough monies to both tracks to operate in the black.
