First of all, there were 60 race cards where betting exceeded the $3-million plateau, meaning that two-thirds of the time, action went past that lofty level.
Also, after $3,435,939 was bet on the 14-race program during Saturday’s (Dec. 30) 2023 finale, it pushed the grand total for the year to $274,765,520 wagered on Meadowlands’ races over the 89 programs that were contested at the mile oval during the year, establishing a “Jeff Gural-Jason Settlemoir”-era record average nightly handle of $3,087,253, eclipsing the previous best of $3.00 million, which was established in 2021.
But.......While The Meadowlands is pleased to host the 2024 Breeders Crown, the cost of the “Crown” will come at a high cost to a Meadowlands purse account that is already stretched to the limit.
The Meadowlands remains reliant on pari-mutuel handle as the primary source of revenue to purses, a virtually unique situation in these days of large casino subsidies. The Meadowlands receives a total of a $6 million grant from the state of New Jersey, money is legislated to be used for overnight purses only and may not be used to cover the cost of stakes.
The support of those whose business is enriched by as much or more than any facet of the industry by a healthy stakes program, the Standardbred breeders who sold nearly $130 million worth of yearlings at the 2023 public auctions, is solicited, and appreciated.
In other words, even though we're the number one track in the entire sport, we need money!
