Head of NJ harness racing association rips owners
May 10, 2011EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The head of New Jersey's harness racing association is angry with owners who race at the Meadowlands after only 65 horses were entered for Friday's card.
In an open letter to the owners late Tuesday afternoon, Tom Luchento called number of entries for the 10 races a disgrace and a slap in the face of real estate investor Jeff Gural, who is trying to work out a deal to privately run what is considered the nation's premier harness track.
Only two of the 10 races on Friday will have full 10-horse fields.
The track was closed from the end of March until this past weekend while Gural negotiated with unions at the track for concessions and worked out a deal with the state to take over the operation of the track.