I HAVE CHANGED MY MIND ON JEFF GURAL.

[bond]

Not that anyone gives a shit about what I think-but here goes anyway.

I used to admire Gural when he first came on and "saved" NJ Racing. Was impressed by his desire to keep racing alive,improve the sport and even to clean it up -when the NJR Commission failed to do it.

Now-NJ Breeding Industry and racing hangs in the balance once again-with the State willing to place 100 MILLION into it over the next 5 years to encourage breeding and racing--something NJ needs and wants to help the farms and 100's maybe 1000's of participants.

Now everyone is on board to getting this money with one proviso-the State wants Gural to put some of the Sports Betting money into the pool-seeing that the money is coming from the very Racetrack Gural "Saved"

Gural so far-has refused-saying he wants ALL the profit from the Sports Betting to refund him the 80 MILLION the Meadowlands has cost him.

So Gural is willing to let the Industry to go down the shitter-so he can collect his money and probably even make profits-despite the fact that the 80 Million he said he is owed is BS as I personally know many Investors invested in the Meadowlands  who will lose money-big money-if Gural sticks to his Guns.
The way he has run the show also leaves a lot to be desired-as by banning many trainers from competing at the Big M-Gural has weakened the NJ industry as these trainers are now at NY or PA-raking in the $$$ instead of NJ where they surely would have raced stock.
Breeding centers will close-and already places like Showplace are gone-thanks to bureaucratic BS and a corrupt NJ RC.
Bryce Cote has poisoned the waters-racing would be better without him and his BS-and the NJRC should be closed up permanently.
Gural now appears to me to be all for himself-and until he does the right thing by racing which he swore he would support-Im in the opposing camp.
Gural has become a dictator.

[LUCPARK]

THE MAN OF JEWISH FAITH IS A DECENT GUY

BUT VERY GREEDY

SELF SERVIN AND NEEDS CRYS ALOT

 

[M P]

Let's agree that his methods are tyrant and self centered. But, has everyone forgotten what the alternative was before he stopped the wrecking ball? Was anyone else in line to save the place? And not long after he took over restructuring purses to reflect the actual income horsemen ran and he couldn't fill a box. I know this bothers some people, but why is it always entitlement? He's in it for the money, ok he's a businessman. Yes he runs the place in a way people aren't used to, but in the end he really was the only guy who stepped up and got the job done when everyone said he couldn't. Is it possible Governor Christie was right? The place ran it's course living off state funding and time to stop continuing to support a business that can't support itself.

[bond]

Let's agree that his methods are tyrant and self centered. But, has everyone forgotten what the alternative was before he stopped the wrecking ball? Was anyone else in line to save the place? And not long after he took over restructuring purses to reflect the actual income horsemen ran and he couldn't fill a box. I know this bothers some people, but why is it always entitlement? He's in it for the money, ok he's a businessman. Yes he runs the place in a way people aren't used to, but in the end he really was the only guy who stepped up and got the job done when everyone said he couldn't. Is it possible Governor Christie was right? The place ran it's course living off state funding and time to stop continuing to support a business that can't support itself.

Good post and points-BUT he was NOT the only person who saved NJ racing--there were MANY Investors who chipped in big $$$ to help Gural in this quest. Among them some breeding farms-who stand to lose MILLIONS if Gural sticks to his Guns and takes the Sports Betting money for himself-as this does NOTHING to help to continue NJ Breeding and Sire Stakes programs-which NJ needs to compete and encourage racing.
If Gural takes the Sports Betting money for himself the farms go broke and NJ racing goes down the toilet-less horses to race no sire stakes no purse money to speak of-so Gural will be sitting in his Ivory Tower collecting Sports Betting Funds and the very sport he says he loves-goes down the shitter and 1000's of people lose jobs and SB Breeding farms turn into housing projects-with NJ not being a place any SB horse loving person would like to live in.

[bond]

Dont get me started on Christie-the FF.

What a hypocrite to deny Racing a meager 20 mill to help it along--then hand out BILLIONS to Atlantic City-with most of that money going into the pockets of a few wealthy individuals? Those Billions Christie handed out was just a payback to get him/keep him into office. Did nothing to create jobs
did 0 to help New Jersey. Horse racing employs people,entertains people,keeps NJ green--a much better return of $$$ than to hand it to some fat cat in Atlantic City-robbing senior citizens of their social security-and making households all the more poorer.
I didnt like Christie then-even less now.

[M P]

Good post and points-BUT he was NOT the only person who saved NJ racing--there were MANY Investors who chipped in big $$$ to help Gural in this quest. Among them some breeding farms-who stand to lose MILLIONS if Gural sticks to his Guns and takes the Sports Betting money for himself-as this does NOTHING to help to continue NJ Breeding and Sire Stakes programs-which NJ needs to compete and encourage racing.
If Gural takes the Sports Betting money for himself the farms go broke and NJ racing goes down the toilet-less horses to race no sire stakes no purse money to speak of-so Gural will be sitting in his Ivory Tower collecting Sports Betting Funds and the very sport he says he loves-goes down the shitter and 1000's of people lose jobs and SB Breeding farms turn into housing projects-with NJ not being a place any SB horse loving person would like to live in.

I agree, no man is an island. But when the clock was reaching midnight he did spearhead the idea and was able to accomplish what many didn't think possible. Before he built the new grandstand he was able to keep the place going while his plan was being devised. Of course he had to reach out to investors, but unless they were all blind I think everyone saw the risk. The general public doesn't care that farms, vets, grooms, blacksmiths, etc. stand to lose their jobs and money. Anyone looking from the outside in sees a dying business that used funds to support it while others suffered. That was Christies point. Have his methods been "unorthodox"? Yes, but does anyone truly believe the end result we see as of today would be any different had it not been him? Be real, look around. Harness and T'bred too, horse racing is generally in decline up against more outlets for entertainment than ever before. You see it Hambo day, Pace day, Breeders Crown and down the line. Jug day a shadow of it's former self. Only real racing day exempt from the culture change is Derby day it's woven into us like baseball. But ask 10 people on the street what the Hambo is, you may get 1 or 2 who have an idea. The real problem isn't Gural or M1, it's been proven the sport can survive without the Meadowlands right now. Question is looking ten years down the road, what is being done in general to save what we will see in a decade. This blame game has to stop. If I was Gural, I'd close the damn doors and go home.

[dinkadoo]

I don't understand why NJ is the end all be all of racing ? Today -- in 2018 

How significant is racing in NJ to the big picture ? Could big name races ( Hambo ) which has NO national following be moved to another track and still go for the same money ?

What is the breeding industry in NJ like the last few years ? Dead, plenty of places owners are putting their money in. Breeding farms have top quality studs in states not named New Jersey....


If Meds went away, would racing go on ? Hell Meds are racing today, and I wouldn't even know it if not topics come up on the plop...

Gural -- did he save racing in Jersey or was he gambling on a casino and saw the risk was worth taking. My opinion is that he was looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And I have no problem with that.


Porbably never happen, but would love to see a MILE track built in a casino state and watch it become the a top betting attraction. I think that is the only thing the Meds offers to the customer -- it being a mile track.

[M P]

I don't understand why NJ is the end all be all of racing ? Today -- in 2018 

How significant is racing in NJ to the big picture ? Could big name races ( Hambo ) which has NO national following be moved to another track and still go for the same money ?

What is the breeding industry in NJ like the last few years ? Dead, plenty of places owners are putting their money in. Breeding farms have top quality studs in states not named New Jersey....


If Meds went away, would racing go on ? Hell Meds are racing today, and I wouldn't even know it if not topics come up on the plop...

Gural -- did he save racing in Jersey or was he gambling on a casino and saw the risk was worth taking. My opinion is that he was looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. And I have no problem with that.


Porbably never happen, but would love to see a MILE track built in a casino state and watch it become the a top betting attraction. I think that is the only thing the Meds offers to the customer -- it being a mile track.

My point as well. The business can go on without M1. But it's an emotional thing, it was our Churchill Downs or old Yankee Stadium. Anyone around long enough remembers it as the place to be. Those days are gone and probably for good. He did the right thing downsizing, but without the right handle or another source of income "casino" what you see is what you get.

[HornbyDuke]

Interesting thread.

[Powerful Patricks Ghost]

Why do the farms deserve a penny of sports betting money? What did they do to earn that? give me a break.

[bond]

Why do the farms deserve a penny of sports betting money? What did they do to earn that? give me a break.

Because Farms invested Millions to keep Meadowlands Open-which is where the Sports Betting Money is coming from.

[dollar cigar]

THE MAN OF JEWISH FAITH IS A DECENT GUY

BUT VERY GREEDY

SELF SERVIN AND NEEDS CRYS ALOT

 

        Why bring up the subject he is Jewish, i wonder why

[comeonman]

Don't let facts get in the way. He has stated many times and just last week he will put in  one million  from profits if state gives him the 6 million. Clear as day.

[The Exporter]

..."Because Farms invested Millions to keep Meadowlands Open"...

Farms invest millions to be competitive in the market. Farms invest in their products to be competitive in the Grand Circuit type events. Not The Meadowlands.

[M P]

Because Farms invested Millions to keep Meadowlands Open-which is where the Sports Betting Money is coming from.

Which is protecting their own interests. So drain the main resource, only reason horsemen buy from those farms is what is left of the stakes program in Jersey. Were they investing into The Meadowlands when it was a cash register? No, they made a profit. If they are truly looking out for their best interest doesn't it make sense to not take? I build a strip mall, do I take a cut from the pizzeria leasing space from me? That's not how business works. It's always, well without us. Exactly why the game is in a shambles.