Members of the recently formed New Jersey Horse Industry Alliance, consisting of members of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Standardbred Breeders and Owners of New Jersey, and the Rutgers Equine Science Center were introduced to the approximately 200 participants and politicians in attendance.

"This establishes a group of leaders of racing and non-racing entities to optimize the future of the equine industry in New Jersey," said Karyn Malinowski, Ph.D., director of the Rutgers Equine Science Center. "We want to garner much-needed help and representation from the state of New Jersey."

A majority of the panel discussions revolved around gaining crucial funding for purses in 2008 and beyond to keep both New Jersey Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing viable. The current purse subsidy agreement with Atlantic City casinos expires December 31, 2007. Industry leaders remain concerned about competition from tracks in New York and Pennsylvania, which are slated to begin slot machine and video lottery terminal operations later this year and early next year, respectively.

New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association president Dennis Drazin reminded the audience that live racing has been cut to 120 days and foals bred in New Jersey have dwindled to less than 300 per year.

"We're committed to working with each other to save New Jersey racing," Drazin said. "If we don't have [funding] solutions, we're going to lose it. Our purse level will be $335,000 in 2007, but if we don't get [financial] relief, New Jersey's purses will be minimal and our industry will die."

Michael Harrison, president of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, said the state's breeders must be assured of a stable future.

"We need answers from [the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority] that the tracks will not be sold," he said.

State legislators introduced a bill in January which would allow the authority to install video lottery terminals at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford. The bill has yet to be acted upon by the state's Assembly Tourism and Gaming Committee. State Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (R-Ocean) said during a panel discussion that racing cannot survive and thrive on future Atlantic City subsidies.

"Casinos, racetracks, and lotteries cannot have success at the expense of another," he said. "We have to create partnerships among [gaming interests] for everyone's profit and success."

Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden) said he believes VLTs at the Meadowlands may not be the answer to New Jersey racing's funding problems, but pledged his support to finding funding solutions.

Dennis Dowd, senior vice president of racing for the sports authority, noted that when Aqueduct and Philadelphia Park begin slots operations, Monmouth Park and the Meadowlands will be "in very, very serious trouble.

"States on our borders with larger purses taking our horses away will take away from our racing product; 75% of the authority's bottom line comes from racing," Dowd said, adding that both tracks handle a combined $1-billion annually in live and simulcast wagering.

The sports authority's internet and telephone account wagering has handled $65-million this year. Dowd added that when the first three off-track wagering sites are up and running, they will generate an estimated $50-million to $60-million annually, which will translate to an additional $25-million for purses.

Sports authority Commissioner Joseph Zaro told the attendees that "the stakes are high and failure is not an option at Monmouth Park."

Pointing to the '07 Breeders' Cup at Monmouth, Zaro is part of a host committee of political, racing and local business leaders who are committed to the preservation of live racing and modernization of facilities.

"The Breeders' Cup is not a big deal, it's a huge deal, both for the state and the industry," Zaro said. "The state has $30-million for capital improvements that will last long beyond the Breeders' Cup. Monmouth Park, because of its seasonal nature and disrepair we've allowed it to lapse into, has become a second-tier track. With this Breeders' Cup, we will return it to a tier-one track."

The '07 Breeders' Cup at Monmouth is expected to have a local economic impact of about $50-million, according to Keith Chamblin, senior vice president of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders' Cup Ltd.   

"Monmouth is not part of the typical Breeders' Cup rotation, similar to Arlington Park and Lone Star Park. " Chamblin said. "The Breeders' Cup generated $57-million at Arlington and $48-million at Lone Star Park for the local economy."