Opening Night Meadowlands 9/1/1976

[SeattleSlew]

Came across the program from opening night.  If there is any interest I can type out some of the information from this and post on this thread.

[old guy]

Came across the program from opening night.  If there is any interest I can type out some of the information from this and post on this thread.

[JL52]

My father and I were there. What a crowd!!

[SeattleSlew]

FIRST RACE “OPEN”

1.) Persuadable     Trainer: James Doherty      Driver: James Doherty
2.) Volos Mike      Trainer: J. Rochz            Driver: James Allen
3.) Quick Baron      Trainer: Ray Remmen         Driver: Ray Remmen
4.) Armbro O’Brien Trainer: O’Brien/Caraway   Driver: Joe O’Brien
5.) Josias            Trainer: Gary Cameron      Driver: Gary Cameron
6.) Currituck Star   Trainer: C. Wingate         Driver: Ben Webster
7.) Napal Dew      Trainer: Greg Wright         Driver: Greg Wright
8.) Taro Hanovre   Trainer: George Sholty      Driver: Buddy Gilmour
9.) Ripping Chief   Trainer: B. Farrar            Driver: Ted Wing
10.) Armbro Ozark  Trainer: R. Myers            Driver: Robert Myers      

Note: Volos Mike, Quick Baron and Armbro O’Brien were racing free-legged!!

Race 2 tomorrow

[old guy]

FIRST RACE “OPEN”

Quick Baron 1:57

1.) Persuadable     Trainer: James Doherty      Driver: James Doherty
2.) Volos Mike      Trainer: J. Rochz            Driver: James Allen
3.) Quick Baron      Trainer: Ray Remmen         Driver: Ray Remmen
4.) Armbro O’Brien Trainer: O’Brien/Caraway   Driver: Joe O’Brien
5.) Josias            Trainer: Gary Cameron      Driver: Gary Cameron
6.) Currituck Star   Trainer: C. Wingate         Driver: Ben Webster
7.) Napal Dew      Trainer: Greg Wright         Driver: Greg Wright
8.) Taro Hanovre   Trainer: George Sholty      Driver: Buddy Gilmour
9.) Ripping Chief   Trainer: B. Farrar            Driver: Ted Wing
10.) Armbro Ozark  Trainer: R. Myers            Driver: Robert Myers      

Note: Volos Mike, Quick Baron and Armbro O’Brien were racing free-legged!!

Race 2 tomorrow

[Gaagoots]

Ray Remmen-Quick Baron won the first race opening night.

[theokodjak26]

Couldn’t wait to attend this big event only to be turned away because there were no parking spots. 50,000 fans were there. That was a major disappointment but came back a few nights later. Obviously I had never seen anything like this place but I wasn’t thrilled I couldn’t make out the horse numbers on the back stretch. Initially I found the track very hard to handicap after years of attending Yonkers and Roosevelt. It took a few visits to appreciate how much better mile racing was versus the half mile. That was until we discovered how many cheats were training for racing there.

[Grandstand Handicapper]

I was there. Had to be 40,000 people there. I grew up on NY half-mile track racing so this was great! LOL.

[Gaagoots]

I remember a crew of guys underneath the TVs in the lower level they were always there one guy always wore bermuda shorts. They would have burping contest in between races who could burp the loudest! That crew was always there.

After one of the races one of the degenerates ran out on the tarmac as the horses made there way back to the paddock and started screaming in front of a packed grandstands "you suck horse cock Manzi!!" That gentleman later turned out to be Hollywood Hayden.

[kantseeback]

Wasn't Teddy Wing the leading driver in 1976?

[wizardofoz]

I was there as well and have the program too.  It was mobbed and Rambling Willie won the feature in 1:55:3 I believe that night.  Someone is selling it on eBay for 119.00. I did not know it was worth that. https://www.ebay.com/itm/364261017942    Program page feature race:  https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images3/1/0713/26/meadowlands-racetrack-opening-night_1_b97b4a222314684e29ac4f622dc8455a.jpg

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

Wasn't Teddy Wing the leading driver in 1976?

I believe Buddy won the first driving title there. Teddy and Benny after that.

[SeattleSlew]

Here is the 2nd Race...

Race 2: Pace-N/W 5000 last 7/winners over $18,000 in 1976 ineligible

1.) Gay Stroller            Steven Demas         Steven Demas
2.) Royal Bret               James Larente         James Larente
3.) Bregman Hanover      Joseph Nero            E. Spruce
4.) Chief Rival            John Patterson Sr.      John Patterson Sr.
5.) Noah Lobell            Ben Stafford            Ben Stafford
6.) Roland Craig         George Berkner         George Berkner
7.)  Cathy’s Cat            Ben Webster            M. Reed Jr.
8.) Royal Raider N.         Edward Lohmeyer      Edward Lohmeyer
9.) Hoop Iron               Tom Luchento         Tom Luchento
10.) Skipper’s Bride      Norman Bradbury      Norman Bradbury

Bregman Hanover, Chief Rival and Cathys Cat raced free-legged

[MIKE CAMPBELL]

Here is the 2nd Race...

Race 2: Pace-N/W 5000 last 7/winners over $18,000 in 1976 ineligible

1.) Gay Stroller            Steven Demas         Steven Demas
2.) Royal Bret               James Larente         James Larente
3.) Bregman Hanover      Joseph Nero            E. Spruce
4.) Chief Rival            John Patterson Sr.      John Patterson Sr.
5.) Noah Lobell            Ben Stafford            Ben Stafford
6.) Roland Craig         George Berkner         George Berkner
7.)  Cathy’s Cat            Ben Webster            M. Reed Jr.
8.) Royal Raider N.         Edward Lohmeyer      Edward Lohmeyer
9.) Hoop Iron               Tom Luchento         Tom Luchento
10.) Skipper’s Bride      Norman Bradbury      Norman Bradbury

Bregman Hanover, Chief Rival and Cathys Cat raced free-legged

Bregman Hanover was a real good horse in his day. Probably made 500K. Another free legged horse Ernie Spruce had was Brigadier General.

[pylon]

ernie raced for a time in Canada......he had a picture of a spruce tree on the back of his driver/trainer suit,,,,you couldn,t miss him