GIANTS/EAGLES
Let me get this straight. The State of New Jersey is basically held hostage as far as the relocation of some gaming facilities to its densely populated Northern regions like The Meadowlands-which just happen to be at the doorstep of New York City- by its southern region-long considered the playground of Philadelphia.

Moreover the advent of casino gaming in that Philly area has negatively impacted its Jersey playground namely Atlantic City.

In other words, The Giants and The Jets prime residents at the embattled New Jersey Sports and Exposition authority are actually the mercy of an area that considers The Eagles and The Phillies as their hometown teams.

Try shoving that scenario down the collective throats of the legions of loyal Giant fans whose vocalization crescendos drown out the planes landing at nearby Newark Liberty Airport whenever the hated Eagles are in town.

Something tells me that under those circumstances any referendums to locate casinos with the revenues they’ll attract to the Meadowlands area would receive landslide pluralities from the local populace.

STRANGE UNCOUPLINGS
Noticed some rather curious uncoupling for wagering purposes on stable entries attributed to “bona fide separate ownership”.

In one the trainer owned a good piece of one of the participants though the other half was owned by other people.

Still it seems a stretch not to label that a common interest entry seeing as how the trainer has more than a training stable interest in the outcome.

In another uncoupling it was mentioned that the “common interest” had less than a 5% holdings in the other horse, therefore it was designated a bona fide separate ownership.

Of course those who got burned in the Nihilator-Shannon Majority incident might not see it that way.

And in another scenario, two horses from the same stable with the same owner were also uncoupled in accordance with racing commission regulations. It should be noted that this occurred in a modestly pursed elimination race for a major stake- always a questionable betting proposition at best.

And some wonder where the handle went.

TURF WARS
So the much ballyhooed harness race on turf finally happened.

Reading the releases it seemed all went well.

Thus far it has not been disclosed just how the public reacted to incident via handle comparison with a normal $15,0000 claiming race from other nights, though in comparison with other races on the card it received solid wagering support.

Understandably some other details were glossed over such as the bouncing starting gate-which caused at least one starter to break stride during what became a bumpy start.

Fortunately customer monies were refunded on the bothered horse.

It was not mentioned that only one of the starters, the eventual winner- actually bothered to “warm up” over the turf course probably because the trainer-driver had some experience in this sort of thing in his native New Zealand,

There was also whispered mention that the grass exceeded six inches in spots suggesting that the course had not been manicured prior to the event.

The roller coaster like manner in which the starting car and starting gate performed suggested that the vehicle had not received a trial run over the course prior to the event.

To think, public money was invited on what should have been an exhibition until at least the kinks had been ironed out.

A HANDLE ON HANDLE
It was widely published that live handle was on the upswing at a track although the figures released did not include any from this year.

The purpose of the piece was to illustrate how aggressive marketing on the part of an association was working and that is to be applauded. Obviously they’re doing a noble job and that is indeed commendable.

Of course mere digestion of the anemic figure announced, makes one wonder why the roof had to literally collapse before this action was taken.

Still it’s better late than never.

INTROSPECTION
Sooner or later it would appear a modicum of surgical introspection on the part of the good ship harness racing is in order.

Of course in order for that to happen- an honest acknowledgement that the virtual extinction of what used to be loyal legions of spectators just might be related to the actual conduct of the product.

We have indeed met the enemy and it is increasingly obvious just who that enemy happens to be.

Bob Marks