HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: seen2much on June 25, 2026, 10:28:44 AM
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Look at fields on Friday at Yonkers. Very little breeding in NY. Will that get worse with Yonkers having three years left...at most?
Mohawk has 1 division with 7 horses. That is the 3 year C&G. Every year another track seems to close in Canada. The surviving B & C tracks race less & have short fields.
Hoosier has 1 division for their SS divisions.
Buffalo had 3 year old SS trots yesterday. 4 & 5 were the fields for the C&G. 5 & 5 were the fillies fields. DYING!
Oak Grove has great purses...but races around 40 days. The other Kentucky tracks overnights are not special. I think around 120 race days for the state.
The Meadowlands struggles & Freehold closed.
Harrah's Philadelphia purses are low. PA has regressed.
Ohio is doing the best. However...15 races for around 130K on Saturday. That is less than a 9K average.
The reality is the sport keeps contracting. It needs to keep doing that to exist. There are not enough horses to go around. A huge shortages of quality horses.
Who is doing well? The sports biggest cheats, some trot trainers, and select group of breeders.
THE GRIM REALITY OF HARNESS RACING!!!
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I didn't bother to post the pathetic handles & CAW's ruining the few tracks you could bet.
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Look at fields on Friday at Yonkers. Very little breeding in NY. Will that get worse with Yonkers having three years left...at most?
Mohawk has 1 division with 7 horses. That is the 3 year C&G. Every year another track seems to close in Canada. The surviving B & C tracks race less & have short fields.
Hoosier has 1 division for their SS divisions.
Buffalo had 3 year old SS trots yesterday. 4 & 5 were the fields for the C&G. 5 & 5 were the fillies fields. DYING!
Oak Grove has great purses...but races around 40 days. The other Kentucky tracks overnights are not special. I think around 120 race days for the state.
The Meadowlands struggles & Freehold closed.
Harrah's Philadelphia purses are low. PA has regressed.
Ohio is doing the best. However...15 races for around 130K on Saturday. That is less than a 9K average.
The reality is the sport keeps contracting. It needs to keep doing that to exist. There are not enough horses to go around. A huge shortages of quality horses.
Who is doing well? The sports biggest cheats, some trot trainers, and select group of breeders.
THE GRIM REALITY OF HARNESS RACING!!!
HILARIOUS NONSENSE! ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 You have contracted brain disease LOSER! ngc3 ngc3
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Just facts! We have to eliminate the handouts.
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"The reality is the sport keeps contracting. It needs to keep doing that to exist. There are not enough horses to go around. A huge shortages of quality horses."
I would think the best place to look for proof of a contraction would be at the fall yearling sales. What are the numbers at the big 3 over the last few years? Lexington, Harrisburg and London
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Look at fields on Friday at Yonkers. Very little breeding in NY. Will that get worse with Yonkers having three years left...at most?
Mohawk has 1 division with 7 horses. That is the 3 year C&G. Every year another track seems to close in Canada. The surviving B & C tracks race less & have short fields.
Hoosier has 1 division for their SS divisions.
Buffalo had 3 year old SS trots yesterday. 4 & 5 were the fields for the C&G. 5 & 5 were the fillies fields. DYING!
Oak Grove has great purses...but races around 40 days. The other Kentucky tracks overnights are not special. I think around 120 race days for the state.
The Meadowlands struggles & Freehold closed.
Harrah's Philadelphia purses are low. PA has regressed.
Ohio is doing the best. However...15 races for around 130K on Saturday. That is less than a 9K average.
The reality is the sport keeps contracting. It needs to keep doing that to exist. There are not enough horses to go around. A huge shortages of quality horses.
Who is doing well? The sports biggest cheats, some trot trainers, and select group of breeders.
THE GRIM REALITY OF HARNESS RACING!!!
Correct on the Yonkers part of this! SOA has an offer out to horsemen for $ 2400 to race there 3 times between now and mid August. You don't even have full fields now. Big money and still not enough horses? You need good and fast horses to race there and The track being banked for even more speed doesn't help the cause!
Sires stakes in NY right now.
Look at the Buffalo results yesterday for 3 year old trotters. 9 in sires stakes program and 17 in the excelsior's. Someone said on the thread that only 2 horses wouldn't be getting a check.
The 3 year old pacing division isn't much better.
Wasn't New York the place to race sires stakes years ago?
Isn't Oak Grove in the middle of nowhere [like Vernon and Tioga]? Good money but a questionable driving colony at best!
Both Harrah's Philadelphia and Pocono raced for a lot more money years ago. The surface at Harrah's Philadelphia isn't the best either.
Ohio has too many horses! The # of races proves this. In addition, look at the classes they race. A good chunk of them are for lesser horses. If there wasn't such a 'glut' of horses there, what would be the result? Less days? More purse money for the other classes that race there? Wouldn't this be better for the horsemen?
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The only real evidence of contracting is in some of these Ploppers brains. ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
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"The reality is the sport keeps contracting. It needs to keep doing that to exist. There are not enough horses to go around. A huge shortages of quality horses."
I would think the best place to look for proof of a contraction would be at the fall yearling sales. What are the numbers at the big 3 over the last few years? Lexington, Harrisburg and London
Lexington
Year - #sold - Median
2025 - 890 - $40,000
2024 - 910 - $40,000
2023 - 948 - $45,000
2022 - 885 - $46,500
2021 - 863 - $44,000
Harrisburg
Year - #sold - Median
2025 - 864 - $22,000
2024 - 763 - $30,000
2023 - 848 - $28,000
2022 - 904 - $30,000
2021 - 774 - $32,000
-gemini
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The first half of the yonkers Friday night card offers the worst gambling product available worldwide
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The first half of the yonkers Friday night card offers the worst gambling product available worldwide
Also what a horrible field for The Messenger
None of the big 3 in for the first leg of the triple crown
Plus a gimmick having the race go 1.3 miles.
I know Meadowlands Pace elims are next week
Just whoever does the scheduling of some of these races is brain dead
As I've said before the triple crown races should be emphasized in harness racing, instead its gimmicks and a shitty field. Great promotion of the sport
That would be like Golden Tempo, Renegade, and Commandment skipping the Derby..the 1st leg of the triple crown.
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The only real evidence of contracting is in some of these Ploppers brains. ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
Good point, but could you give us some actual facts instead of dozens of ngc3?
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The only real evidence of contracting is in some of these Ploppers brains. ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
I agree 1000%
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Good point, but could you give us some actual facts instead of dozens of ngc3?
I LOVE EMOJIS. And thats only 3 there.
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More Evidence of contracting:
It is the championship meet...at the Meadowlands.
They race 1 day this week.
ZERO stakes races, no Opens, & 9 of the 15 races race for under 10K.
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Oak Grove cancelled 2 dates this week. They only add 1 back. Then they are done till next year.
The Meadowlands pushes back Friday post. That is because of heat. They will have 12 instead of 14 races.
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UH-OH
Prolific Equine
The horse business is DEAD. Here's the truth that nobody wants to talk about. Let me know your thoughts.
Luther could be the sport's biggest owner.
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Also what a horrible field for The Messenger
None of the big 3 in for the first leg of the triple crown
Plus a gimmick having the race go 1.3 miles.
I know Meadowlands Pace elims are next week
Just whoever does the scheduling of some of these races is brain dead
As I've said before the triple crown races should be emphasized in harness racing, instead its gimmicks and a shitty field. Great promotion of the sport
That would be like Golden Tempo, Renegade, and Commandment skipping the Derby..the 1st leg of the triple crown.
7 of them went to race for 200k! tmbz1
This was the race to go to since this race was sandwiched between the Pepsi NA Cup and the Meadowlands pace and if you're not that caliber.
If you are going to have a triple crown:
1----- 1/2 mile track
1----- 5/8 mile track
1------large track [bring back colonial with 1 turn)
different distances like t-breds would be intriguing
you could also 'stack the money on the smaller tracks to give the incentive to make the small track more inviting.
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Saturday is the Meadowlands Pace. The purse is up to 800K. That is well below the million it ran for many moons ago.
WILLIAM R. HAUGHTON MEMORIAL use to race for over 700K. 2 divisions going for 135K a piece.
I'm happy the Meadowlands survived. Even the stakes cards are shell of it's former self.
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And a million in 1990 is 2.5 million adjusted for inflation today. THRIVE!
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Also what a horrible field for The Messenger
None of the big 3 in for the first leg of the triple crown
Plus a gimmick having the race go 1.3 miles.
I know Meadowlands Pace elims are next week
Just whoever does the scheduling of some of these races is brain dead
Maybe you should apply for the job! ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
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Maybe you should apply for the job! ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
Another idiotic comment. The reason no one is at the track is this mentality. Fix the problems, incompetence, and all that is wrong. NOPE.....it is easier to be a Poser.
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Maybe you should apply for the job! ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
Could not do any worse then the shitshow in charge now
Zip it Poser2 ya fucking misfit ngc3
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I read this on DRF harness.
The 2025 Pace card handle of $5.1 million reflected an average handle per betting interest of $38,636. This year, Pace night handle fell to $4.05 million, or $34,655 per betting interest. Overall handle declined 26% while handle per betting interest declined 11.5%.
WOW
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There's no better place to race than Yonkers
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More evidence of the sport contracting.
Tioga had 11 entries for 2 year filly NYSS TROT. 13 for 2 year filly pacers.
Monticello had a 7 horse field for NEW YORK SIRE STAKES TWO YEAR OLD COLTS & GELDINGS.
Monticello has a 7 horse field for NEW YORK SIRE STAKES THREE YEAR OLD COLTS & GELDINGS.
Saratoga has two 5 horse fields for New York Sire Stakes - 2-Year-Old Colts & Geldings.
Yonkers has two 5 horse fields for NYSS 3 YO FILLY PACE.
There are very few quality horses in the NYSS program. With Yonkers in jeopardy it could get worse. The governor passed legislation to try to save the doomed NYSS program. Is it to late?
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There's no better place to race than Yonkers
tmbz1 tmbz1 Drivers, trainers, owners getting rich!
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There's no better place to race than Yonkers
A fan on Facebook posted this.
I’m at Yonkers for this afternoons racing for the first time since 2023 and it’s great to be here but MGM is literally doing everything to say they hate horse racing without directly saying it.
-Programs are printed and stapled together and I had to go all the way up to the 4th floor to get it
-Only one entrance in and out of the casino which is on the side of the building. All other former entrance/exit doors to the apron are emergency exit only making it a pain in the ass to go inside to cool off or get a snack/drink
And the biggest problem (which plagues the sport in general) is there’s maybe 40-50 people outside max and almost all of them are watching simulcast races on the TVs are aren’t paying attention to the races. I’m 38 years old and am easily the youngest person here by 15-20 years.
I want to see this place thrive but once MGM sells and gets out, I can’t imagine racing continuing on.
Good job Joe Faraldough
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what some of you see as contraction i see as opportunity
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what some of you see as contraction i see as opportunity
Not much opportunity when the industry is supported almost exclusively by government handouts and has little support from the general public and few customers.
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The only real evidence of contracting is in some of these Ploppers brains. ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
tmbz1
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when i see a gravy train i jump on board
things are good
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The sports biggest day & short fields.
RACE 2 - Meadowlands - NJ - August 8, 2026
Conditions: NEW JERSEY SIRE STAKES - FINAL Platinum Division - 2 Year Old Colts & Geldings (Declaration Fee - $1,500 payable to Meadowlands)
Gait: TrotPurse: 180,000Class: NJSS-PltnmDistance: 1 MilePost Time: 12:25 PM
PP Horse Med 2026 North America YTD Driver Trainer ML Claim
Equip Sts W P S Time Earnings Stable Odds Price
1 Presidente
2, Walner-Grandma`s Moni 3 0 2 1 Q1:57.0M $15500 Scott Zeron Nancy Takter
2 Free Scottie
2, Walner-You Ato Dream 3 0 0 0 Q1:57.4M $4000 Dexter Dunn Marcus Melander
3 Wrong Sounds Right
2, Tactical Landing-
Broadway Jo Ell 3 2 0 0 1:53.0M $26250 Todd McCarthy Jim Campbell
4 Easy Down Blonde
2, Walner-Hey Blondie 3 0 0 1 Q2:00.2F $5000 Tim Tetrick Ake Svanstedt
5 Lifetime Dreamer
2, Ecurie D Dk-
Lifetime Gift 3 1 1 0 1:52.4M $20000 Ake Svanstedt Ake Svanstedt
6 Mats
2, Walner-Beautiful Sin 2 1 0 1 1:54.1M $15500 Yannick Gingras Ake Svanstedt
↑ Top of Page
RACE 3 - Meadowlands - NJ - August 8, 2026
Conditions: CANE PACE (G2) 3 Year Old Open (Declaration Fee - $5,000 payable to Meadowlands - Supplemental Fee $35,000 payable to Meadowlands STAKES BARN - By 8 pm Friday)
Gait: PacePurse: 310,750Class: CaneDistance: 1 MilePost Time: 12:50 PM (Detention Fri 8:00 PM)
PP Horse Med 2026 North America YTD Driver Trainer ML Claim
Equip Sts W P S Time Earnings Stable Odds Price
1 Captain Underhand
3, Captaintreacherou s-
Tall Glass Hanover 8 1 2 0 1:51.3F $16835 Todd McCarthy Tony Alagna
2 Brandon Blvd
3, Downbytheseaside-
Alexis Faith 7 5 2 0 1:47.3M $708405 Dexter Dunn Andrew Harris
3 Gentleman`s Club
3, Downbytheseaside-
See You At Peelers 8 3 2 1 1:47.4M $138965 Andrew McCarthy Aaron Lambert
4 Sweet Lovin Lou
3, Sweet Lou-Lover`s Dream L 8 1 2 2 1:48.2S $127592 Scott Zeron Daniel Lagace
5 Odds On Mr Mamba
3, Odds On Equuleus-
Honky Tonk Woman L 6 4 0 2 1:48.1S $500360 James Macdonald Melanie Wrenn
A 5 horse NJSS Final on Friday too.
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correct
not enough good horses to fill all the regional sires stakes and the grand circuit races
so if you have a decent horse
$$$$$
yes its a long to medium term problem, need more horses bred
yes its absolutely a short term opportunity
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Yonkers is the place of race if you're looking to make some real money
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More Evidence of contracting:
Bob Miecuna Trot and Aria Pace are on the Yonkers International card. In 2024 they ran for 250K. Last year and in 2026 the purse is 200K.
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At one time the purse for the Hambo was 1.5 million, now it's 1 million, and the Hambo Oaks was $750,000 back then, now it's $500,000.
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At one time the purse for the Hambo was 1.5 million, now it's 1 million, and the Hambo Oaks was $750,000 back then, now it's $500,000.
Yes and a 2 million dollar Woodrow Wilson.
Yet the game is thriving and in it's best shape...according to Poser 2. ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3 ngc3
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I use to go to Yonkers. A friend of mine had horses and did well. It didn't end up that way. As more and more cheaters came his winning and love of the game declined. This guy knew many in the game. A rich owner told him a story about his top trainer. The guy told him he never won more races in his 20 years. The kick to the story was he didn't make any money. That is because of horses breaking down, high Vet. bill, & high training bills. There are very few thriving in today's game.
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Anyone who thinks the sport and industry as a whole is thriving is either in denial or simply foolish. Big race here, big day there, and so on, is absolutely not reflective nor indicative of the sport and industry as a whole. That doesn't prevent me from betting, contributing to the sport and industry, and participating in it. The sport and the industry will continue to change, certain aspects will get worse before they get better, but the sport and industry will survive. If you don't think so, pick up your marbles, and go home, and if you don't want to go home, so someplace else. Anyplace else.
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Anyone who thinks the sport and industry as a whole is thriving is either in denial or simply foolish. Big race here, big day there, and so on, is absolutely not reflective nor indicative of the sport and industry as a whole. That doesn't prevent me from betting, contributing to the sport and industry, and participating in it. The sport and the industry will continue to change, certain aspects will get worse before they get better, but the sport and industry will survive. If you don't think so, pick up your marbles, and go home, and if you don't want to go home, so someplace else. Anyplace else.
Add to the fact:
The average age of the owners in the game today.
The average age of trainers in the game today.
Even the drivers—2nd and 3rd generation families.
No new blood at these levels!
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Turn out the lights, it’s over