LEGISLATORS SALUTED VIA EQUINE NAMESAKES
New Jersey State Senator Jennifer Beck of Red Bank and Assemblyman Joseph Malone of Bordentown have had Perretti Farms yearlings named in their honor this year.

Named BECKRETARIAT after Senator Beck will be the Rocknroll Hanover-Sweet Smilin Lady filly. It was originally hoped to use the name Beck and Call but that name had been used previously.

For Assemblyman Malone, it was hoped to us MALONE RANGER but since that name currently adorns an active racehorse, the Muscles Yankee-Malexandria colt will be known as MUSCLES MALONE.

Both yearlings will be available for purchase at the fall sales.

A REVENUE REPORT
Got some performance statistics on those Revenues sired while still in training who would now be newly turned 4-year-olds in Europe.

There were 67 altogether mostly from older and lower caliber broodmares. Thus far 26 of those have earned in excess of $15,000 kr with a pair of major winners in Reven D’Amour $1,119,000kr and Revenue JR at $558,000kr. In that Revenue JR just won a major race over there, that total could be increased substantially.

In all, eight have earned over $200,000 kr as of this writing.

Don’t give up on Revenue just yet…

McARDLE FEE RESET
In recognition of current market realities, the 2009 service fee for McARDLE has been reset to $5,000 live foal. McArdle stood for $6,000 in 2008 but given the current economic climate, it was decided to reset that fee for 2009.

The foremost son of Falcon Seelster, McArdle has compiled an enviable record getting such major performers as Babic winner Happy Dreamer p,3,1:49.2, New Jersey Classic winner McCedes p,3,1:49.3 and the 07 Sweetheart winner McArts N Crafts p,3,1:50 amongst many other stakes stars.

McArdle stands at Lindwood Farm in slots fueled Pennsylvania.

INTRODUCING
TOUCHDOWN TOWN
Touchdown Town. (Muscles Yankee-Graceful Touch) the full brother to world champion Muscle Mass 2.1:53.4 will stand stud at the new Horseplex facility in Shelbyville Indiana thus bringing true sales topper pedigree to the slots fueled Hoosier state.

Muscle Mass topped the 08 Harrisburg mixed sale at $520,000 three days after younger brother topped the yearling portion at $425,000. With Touchdown Town being a $320,000 yearling at the 07 Harrisburg auction, it provides ample testimony to the commercial appeal of this royal family.

Touchdown Town is by Muscles Yankee, perhaps the foremost trotting sire in the world today from the celebrated Graceful Touch 2,1:56.1, she a stakes winning full sister to World Trotting Derby winner Cobol 3,1:54 ($417,547), they the only offspring credited to the late great Act Of Grace 3,1:52,3 (Valley Victory-Keystone Profile), she a sister to Miss Marita dam of Mr. Vic and Passionate Glide.

Historically unraced horses of this pedigree caliber have been tried at stud-some rather successfully. In fact, Master Glide, the unraced full brother to Passionate Glide is standing his second season at Brittany Farms in Kentucky.

Touchdown Town’s introductory fee has been set at $2,000

FOLLOW THE MONEY
It has long been advocated that in order to obtain the real story, “follow the money”.

That said, perhaps its time to apply it to harness racing.

Just where is this betting handle coming from and how much of it if any is eligible for conversion to active participation within the industry.

Back in the days of ON TRACK ATTENDANCE, you knew where the handle was coming from, as it was right there in the grandstand. There was always some off track layoff action courtesy of those known as turf accountants but the overwhelming majority of handle was attributable to those in attendance—of which a certain percentage would gravitate to participation via racehorse ownership. Virtually anyone that entered a racetrack fell under the heading of a marketable prospect.

Nowadays that’s not the case. For example on Saturday’s card at The Meadowlands the handle is broken down accordingly. $528,000 was bet on the live card while $4,million was listed for the total handle. , There was also an onsite figure of $1.8 million from which suggest that an additional $1.3 million was on the premises but on incoming simulcast. Of that, presumably the overwhelming majority was bet on incoming thoroughbred signals suggesting that those bettors are ineligible to become harness horse participants.

Of the remaining $3.5 million handled on the harness program, where did it come from? And how much of that is siphoned off from what might have been bet on live harness racing at other locales especially those in which the live product pales in comparison the Big M.

It would seem a comprehensive analysis of our rapidly diminishing betting handle is in order.

Perhaps Karen Malinowski and her Rutgers University crew could be commissioned to provide such an undertaking given their masterful Racing Industry Presentation for the State Of New Jersey

MONEY FOOTNOTE
“In 1997, horse racing had 80% of the legalized gambling market in New Jersey: in 2008 horse racing had one percent” Dennis Robinson, CEO New Jersey Sports And Exposition Authority.

These numbers if accurately reported are incredible and someone should be asking where did it all go?

Bob Marks