$1.1B horse industry may tank in N.J.
Without slots at tracks, state's horse racing, farms in jeopardy
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

Slots at the racetracks. They have them in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New York, strengthening the purse structure and breeding incentive programs in those states. New Jersey does not have slots at its racetracks, due to Atlantic City casino lobby pressures, putting the future of racing, the equine industry, and open space and farmland preservation in jeopardy in this state.

Dr. David Meirs II, owner of Walnridge Farm in the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold, called Upper Freehold "the epicenter of the standardbred world" because of its proximity to the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford and top training centers such as White Birch Farm in Cream Ridge, Showplace Farm in Millstone Township and Gaitway Farm in Manalapan. However, that epicenter is at risk, according to advertisements in regional horse publications.

At the Feb. 1 Upper Freehold Township Committee meeting, Mayor Stephen Fleischacker displayed an ad his father-in-law, Alan Stull, received. Stull is a longtime standardbred owner who has a farm in the township.

The ad urges standardbred owners and breeders to move their horses to "slots-rich" Pennsylvania. Regional horse publications have featured such advertisements since Pennsylvania introduced slots at its racetracks.

Without slots at New Jersey tracks, Fleischacker said, the ability to keep farms viable will be lost.

"We need slot machines in New Jersey so that purses [for races] will be higher," he said.

Committeeman Stephen Alexander said the township's Economic Development Committee (EDC) has discussed the issue a great deal. Alexander said he also has a commitment from Millstone officials to work on the issue.

The EDC plans to have Dr. Karyn Malinowski, director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center in New Brunswick, attend a meeting in April with the results of a survey on the economic impact of racing in the state, according to Alexander.

Fleischacker said that the State Development and Redevelopment Plan (SDRP) encourages development in older suburbs and cities, and encourages farmland preservation in areas like Upper Freehold. In discussing the issue with a state assemblyman, Fleischacker said that if the state really wants to see areas such as Upper Freehold remain as farmland and open space, the state needs to recognize that farming must be kept viable. He also said the state must recognize the link between slots, racing and farmland preservation.

"We need to attack on all fronts," he said. "I hope the community can come together on this issue of maintaining farm viability and agricultural viability."

The New Jersey Horse Industry Alliance (NJHIA) is a not-for-profit coalition composed of representatives of the state's thoroughbred and standardbred industries, as well as the leadership of the Rutgers Equine Science Center. In a letter sent to horse enthusiasts throughout the state, the NJHIA states that its short-term focus is on preserving and strengthening the state's horse racing industry "given the precarious position it is currently in due to increased competition from neighboring racing states."

The letter states the NJHIA's long-term objective is to assess the impact the state's equine industry has on the state's economy and to preserve and strengthen it for decades to come.

According to the NJHIA, the state's breeding and racing industry has suffered greatly over the past two decades, including the closure of two racetracks.

"Competition for the wagering dollar from in-state competition (casinos and the lottery) and out-of-state competition (racetracks with casinos on all of our state's borders) has worsened the situation," the letter states.

Had the Legislature not approved a four-year deal with the casino industry to supplement racing purses, both the thoroughbred and standardbred industries would probably not exist today, meaning a loss of farms, horses and an integral part of the state's equine community, according to the NJHIA.

"This supplement expires at the end of 2007 and unless an alternative revenue source is generated or found, racing will expire along with it," according to the NJHIA.

The organization asks that supporters contact Gov. Jon Corzine and state legislators and tell them to provide racing and the entire equine industry with a solution for long-term survival. NJHIA states that the solution could be either slot machines or video lottery terminals at racetracks, as is done in the bordering states, or another purse supplement.

"Whatever the solution, one has to be found by the end of 2007 or New Jersey will lose this vital industry and the farmland, open space, and jobs - a scenario similar to the dairy, chicken and potato farms, which no longer exist in our state," according to the NJHIA.

The NJHIA cites a $1.1 billion equine industry, 80,000 acres of equine open space, and 230,000 acres of hay/feed farming at risk.

For more information, contact the NJHIA at info@njhia.org.