FREEHOLD, NJ – With an approving nod to Gov. Chris Christie for tackling challenges that confront New Jersey’s gaming, professional sports and entertainment industries, Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry has reconstituted her local “Save the Horse Committee” in an effort to focus the state’s attention on the ailing horse racing industry that is so vital to Monmouth County.

 

“I am pleased to see the Governor recognizes that changes need to be made to protect these industries, particularly horse racing,” said Burry, who created the “blue ribbon” panel two years ago to lobby state lawmakers to help the horse racing industry. “We are losing horse farms and soon there will be no turning it around. This is a quality of life issue that affects every New Jersey county.”

 

Christie has established a new state panel, called the New Jersey Gaming, Sports and Entertainment Advisory Commission, that will advise the governor on how to repair the financial and structural challenges currently facing Atlantic City, the Meadowlands, the state’s racetracks and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.

 

The commission will look at the viability of the sports authority, find a resolution to Xanadu, suggest improvements to make Atlantic City competitive and horseracing self-sustaining, and resolve the competition between the Izod Center and the Prudential Center. Its suggestions are due by June 30, which Burry said gives the Save the Horse Committee an opprtunity to make its concerns known.

Two of New Jersey’s racetracks are located in Monmouth County: Freehold Raceway and Monmouth Park in Oceanport.

“My interest and the concerns of the Save the Horse Committee obviously lie with the saving the horse racing industry,” Burry said. “Right now New Jersey is losing out to racetracks outside New Jersey that offer more opportunities for gamblers. Our racetracks cannot compete and as the purses get smaller, horse owners are moving their operations to neighboring states.

 

 “If something isn’t done soon to help New Jersey’s ailing horse racing industry, the impact will be felt in an eventual decline of the quality of life in Monmouth County and the rest of New Jersey when horse farms close and breeders move their operations elsewhere,” Burry continued. “Agricultural and horse farms will turn into housing developments if we let the horse industry slip away.”

 

Millstone Mayor Nancy Grbelja, who owns several race horses, will once again serve as chairwoman of the reconstituted committee. 

 

“The exodus of horses and breeders will continue until the state establishes a long-term solution to make the racetracks of New Jersey self-sufficient and lucrative for our horsemen,” Grbelja said. “We will be renewing our efforts to make our representatives in Trenton understand so they can take the necessary action to preserve what we have. Once we lose a horse farm, we can never get it back. In New Jersey, horse racing equals open space.”

 

The biggest threat to the state’s horse industry comes from neighboring states such as New York and Pennsylvania, where racetracks have slot machines that are drawing gambling dollars away from New Jersey. Compounding the situation are the Atlantic City casinos, which have lobbied against allowing slot machines and video lottery terminals (VLTs) at racetracks.

 

The “Save the Horse Committee” has endorsed S-685, a bill by Sen. Sean T. Kean, R-Monmouth, that would allow the Meadowlands Racetrack to install video lottery terminals.

 

 

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The members of the “Save the Horse Committee” are as follows:

Lillian G. Burry, Colts Neck, Monmouth County Freeholder director

Nancy Grebelja, Millstone, Mayor of Millstone

 

Michael J. Mahon, Mayor of Oceanport

Greg Dey, Manalapan, veterinarian

 

Tom Luchento, Freehold Township, president of Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association

 

Anthony T. Abbatiello, Colts Neck, co-founder of Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and a current member of the New Jersey Racing Commission

 

John Ryan, Colts Neck, thoroughbred breeder

 

Pat Butch, Millstone, standardbred breeder

Anthony Peretti, Upper Freehold, owner of Perretti Farms

Mark Mullen, Upper Freehold, owner of Fair Winds Farm

John Ciufo, administrative department director, Planning, Economic Development and Regulatory Affairs