EDITORIAL

(JUST BEGGING TO BE HAD)

Imagine a fully serviced upscale CASINO operation in the heart of New Jersey’s most populated counties-just minutes away from mid Manhattan and easily reachable from the heart of midtown via direct rail. Sounds far fetched? Not really as all the groundwork is already in place at The MEADOWLANDS SPORTS COMPLEX home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.

In fact revenue analysts have indicated that over one billion dollars could be added to New Jersey State coffers just from revenues generated via casino location at The Meadowlands.

You’ve seen the commercials for that nearby casino up at Yonkers but you haven’t actually tried to get there from anywhere in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, Middlesex and Monmouth Counties.

It’s quite a trek from the densely populated areas at any hour and realistically just getting there at any time involves enduring the agonizing Major Deegan Expressway.

Why do you think the Jets and Giants play at The Meadowlands?? Simple the tried and true adage of LOCATION LOCATION and LOCATION was successfully applied.

Sonny Werblin was right with his MEGALOPOLIS vision 1976 when he cited The Meadowlands area as the ideal place to construct a sports complex. Now with direct rail service from mid Manhattan, The Meadowlands is indeed the centerpiece of the tri state region.

In addition, the neighboring states of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut have been siphoning off tax revenues from New Jersey via casino locations at the racetracks and fully serviced hotel casinos.

Philadelphia once considered the backyard of Atlantic City has so negatively impacted AC casinos via it’s own casino locations at Philadelphia Park and Chester Downs that it’s become imperative for New Jersey to counter via additional location at the doorstep of New York City.

Therefore it seems logical to not only replenish but to surge forward with slot locations at the playground of New York--- THE MEADOWLANDS.

THAT YOU
ALFRED?
Might not have the impact of Psycho or The Birds just yet but it was a rather auspicious debut turned in by HITCHCOCK (Windsong’s Legacy-Mystical Oaks) winning his qualifier at The Meadowlands in 1;55.3 over a pair luminaries named Pine After Pine and Citation Lindy. Hitchcock raced but one two trotting in 2:03 but like his lamented father is obviously showing improvement with maturity. Have a feeling that the real windsong legacy is how much he’ll be missed as time goes by.

MORE REVENUES
Twas HOTSHOT BLUECHIP (Revenue-Hustle N Muscle) comfortably over the accomplished Sturm Hanover in a Meadowlands qualifier.

At Cal Expo, CAVIART ANNIE (Revenue-Toss Up) won her third straight in 1:57.2- this time by 16 lengths and reportedly was sold to Eastern interests for a reported six figure sum.

REDDY OR NOT
HERE THEY COME
Starting to notice more prominent Red River Hanover’s at the various emporiums these days.

At Pocono, RIDING THE RAPIDS (Red River Hanover-Riding Around) impressive in a Mohigan Sun series leg in 1:52.2

At The Meadowlands, Bobby Horowitz’s DROP RED (Red River Hanover-Igottwowordsforyou) as billed in 1:51.1 beating accomplished older horses handily.

And at BALMORAL, Erv Miller’s REDNECK RIVIERA (Red River Hanover-Cape Matteras) won his qualifier by five in 1:56.4 -last half an eye catcher :54.2. An impressive multi length winner of the Hanover colt stake at two last year, the colt was shut down thereafter. Thus far it looks like he’s come back good.

Red River Hanover will be a factor in Indiana.

IS ANYBODY BETTING?
Now that the Pennsylvania racinos (Chester and Pocono) have switched from afternoons to evenings, what has been the impact on the betting handle? Chester now starts their evening programs at 5PM while the first race Pocono is at 6:30PM. Both Chester and Pocono still schedule their weekend programs at the customary afternoon post times.

Ditto for Hoosier Park which now gets underway at 4:45PM about two hours earlier than in previous years, although Saturdays are now 12:45 matinees instead of the customary evenings.

Perhaps one of our trade journals can provide digestible statistics as to how the new time frames are being received.

Bob Marks