Ken Weingartner

By: centraljersey.com
UPPER FREEHOLD – More than 100 supporters of the state’s horse racing industry attended an educational symposium Monday at Perretti Farms in Cream Ridge.
The three-hour event was organized by District 12 legislators Sen. Jennifer Beck, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande and Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon. It was designed to educate fellow legislators and residents about the importance of the horse and horse-related industries to the state’s economy.
Three panels of speakers presented information to the legislators. The first panel’s topic was, "An overview of the current state of the New Jersey equine industry," followed by "A discussion of the many industries that make up the equine industry," and finally, "A blueprint to create a successful future for the New Jersey equine industry."
Dr. Karyn Malinowski, the director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center, said the horse industry in New Jersey is valued at $4 billion and generates $1.1 billion annually in positive impact on the state economy. Of the $1.1 billion, $780 million is due to racing. The horse industry pays an estimated $160 million annually in federal, state and local taxes.
In addition, equine-related professions account for about 13,000 jobs in New Jersey. One-fifth of the state’s 790,000 acres in agriculture is equine-related.
"The survival of the horse industry is integral to the continuation of the trend of preserving land and open space," said Upper Freehold Township Administrator Dianne Kelly, who attended the symposium. "This industry is critical to Upper Freehold Township as we know it now. Without these large farms, I fear for the future of this community and all the progress that has been made over the decades in terms of the preservation of land.
"We’re up to 8,000 acres that have been preserved, one way or another. We’re always concerned about the viability of agriculture. It’s one thing to save land, but if you can’t use it, it becomes questionable as to the wisdom of that. To be able to continue with the success of our area (equine) businesses, obviously that’s of utmost importance to the survival of this community."
Much of Monday’s discussion focused on the addition of alternate gaming at the Meadowlands Racetrack and the timely construction of off-track wagering facilities. State law, enacted in 2001, allowed for 15 OTW parlors to be constructed, but to date only three have opened.
Gov. Chris Christie is opposed to allowing alternate gaming at the Meadowlands.
"We’re in a very compromised position in that we’re unable to give the public what they want," said harness racing trainer Greg Peck, who is stabled at White Birch Farm in Upper Freehold. "And what the public wants is different forms of gambling in one nice place. One of the first rules of marketing is to find out what your market wants and to give it to them, and don’t impose your tastes on them. I would say they want a lot more forms of gambling and I’m sure the racing is the icing on the cake. Other casinos can’t provide the beauty, the elegance, of the horse.
"What the public that goes to harness racing wants is the Meadowlands," added Mr. Peck, who also is president of a media training company. "It’s been unable to change with the times legislatively. We’re not as attractive a gambling product as we could be and as we should be. The world has changed. We should be able to provide our customer with what they want. They want it all under one roof, very convenient, with horse racing being a part of it." Sen. Beck said the state’s failure to react to increased gaming competition from its neighbors is part of the problem.
"I suggest to you that as the negative is stated about our industry, that we continuously remind folks that this industry generated a profit right through 2007," Sen. Beck said. "It wasn’t until that moment in time, when Pennsylvania opened up its casinos, that we saw the decline. Horse racing can be self-sustaining. There is no doubt. But we failed to react to the competition on our borders. New Jersey is to blame, not the horse racing industry.
"We are committed to fight this fight until the end. We will be taking a business plan into the governor that provides a five-year timeline in which we will restore horse racing, not to just being self-sustaining but to maintaining its position as a world-class operation."
After viewing a map that highlighted the numerous locations of casinos in the states surrounding New Jersey, District 30 Assemblyman Joe Malone quipped, "If this was a battle, the state of New Jersey lost. It’s absolutely disgraceful that New Jersey has allowed itself to be surrounded."
He added, "If we can’t come up with an idea to join the horse racing and the casino industry, to come up with a better product, then shame on us. If they don’t combat the casinos along the borders and truly go after the convenience gambling market, they’re stupid. New Jersey ought to be named rather than the Garden State, the Stupid State."
Anthony Perretti, the general manager at Perretti Farms, said the horse racing industry needs to make a stand. With nearly 1,000 acres, Perretti Farms is the state’s largest harness racing breeding farm and third largest in North America.
"People want to be here," Mr. Perretti said. "They want to be in the state of New Jersey. They want to race at the Meadowlands. If they didn’t want to race at the Meadowlands, they wouldn’t stay in the state. You might think my family and the others are crazy for staying, but obviously they have a commitment here and they want to make it work. We want to be here.
"If we don’t stand our ground here in New Jersey, and we don’t make it in New Jersey, the industry will fail."
Ken Weingartner is a former Packet Publications editor who works as the media relations manager for Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association.