Breeders' Cup could place $60M into N.J.'s economy
$20M in purses up for grabs in Oct. thoroughbred event
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer

Monmouth Park in Oceanport is gearing up for the richest day ever in the history of horse racing.

That's what Greg Avioli, the Breeders' Cup president, called Oct. 27, when the 24th running of the thoroughbred championships will be held in New Jersey for the first time. The event is expected to carry $20 million worth of purses.

This year, also for the first time, Breeders Cup races will take place over two days. The three races on Oct. 26 will be run for $4 million in purses and will be the second richest day ever in horse racing, according to Avioli.

One hundred and forty of the best horses in the world will compete in the Breeders' Cup races. Famous New Jerseyans, yet to be announced, will present the trophies to the 11 winners, according to Avioli.

Avioli made his comments at a luncheon and press conference held on May 9 at Monmouth Park.

Monmouth Park has the richest purse structure in its history as it started its 62nd season of racing on May 12. An average of $330,000 will be disbursed in overnight purses and 14 graded stakes, worth $4 million, are also scheduled.

"Everyone in this room can feel the buzz. 2007 will be a great year for racing in New Jersey," said George Zoffinger, president of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA), which runs the track

He said racing fans must "stand together to do what has to be done to save the industry in New Jersey."

Zoffinger said the state needs a racing structure that will allow its purses to compete with those being offered in neighboring states such as Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York, which have gotten ahead of New Jersey due to slot machines and video lottery terminals at their race tracks.

Zoffinger said one of his goals during this Breeders' Cup year is to get everyone in New Jersey to learn something about horse racing.

Jerald Zaro, chairman of the Breeders' Cup Committee for the NJSEA, agreed that slot machines or a "meaningful casino [industry] purse subsidy arrangement" are needed to keep horse racing in New Jersey. The decision rests with Gov. Jon Corzine and the Legislature, he said.

"I believe we will have an arrangement in the not too distant future to announce," he said, calling it his "No. 1 priority."

With the Breeders' Cup in New Jersey this year, Zaro said, horse racing has been raised to an equal plateau with other popular NJSEA sports institutions such as the Giants, Jets, Nets and Devils.

"Racing has been a second class citizen," Zaro said. "Now it has its rightful place at the table."

Zaro said it is hard to overstate the importance of having the Breeders' Cup come to Monmouth Park.

According to Dennis Dowd, the senior vice president of racing at the NJSEA, $30 million has been invested in upgrades to the Monmouth Park race track.

"You don't make that [investment] if you're planning on closing the doors," he said.

Among the improvements made to Monmouth Park in preparation for the Breeders' Cup are a new turf course and new main track, a new sound and video system, new elevators and escalators, a new press box and updated bathrooms.

The backstretch, which Zaro said was "appalling," has been refurbished. He now considers it the finest backstretch for employees and horseman in the country.

Dowd estimated that the Saturday Breeders' Cup races will have a $60 million impact on the local economy.

"Everyone in New Jersey will benefit from that. Everyone benefits from horse racing in New Jersey," which Dowd said is a $1 billion industry.

Among the events planned leading up to the Breeders' Cup are a regatta on the Navesink River, a 5K road race in Oceanport and a polo match at Wolf Hill Farm in Oceanport. A highlight of the festivities will be the presentation of a dozen antique coaches, each driven by four horses, to celebrate New Jersey Thoroughbred Festival Day on Aug. 26.

On Oct. 25, a VIP event at the Ocean Place Hilton in Long Branch will include performances by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and Bobby Bandiera. A Breeders' Cup gala featuring Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons will be held on the evening of Oct. 26 in Wilson Hall at Monmouth University, West Long Branch.

Joe Bravo, who has been the leading jockey at Monmouth Park 12 times, said the most special part of the Breeders' Cup for him will be showing the world how nice the Jersey Shore is and what the people at Monmouth Park love about it.