MEADOWLANDS HANDLE

[mtnskipper]

I grew up near Brandywine Raceway, the Publicity Director was Colonel Dave Herman, he was from the South. He was almost bald, was a very flashy dressing with his plaid pants and sports jackets. He used to have promotion all the time including camel races. One year they had a drawing for a Cadillac, they drew 25,000, the handle was just short of 1 million. In those days there was no simulcasting, so you always had a good live attendance especially since it was during the summer. Colonel Dave had an office there where the owners would go to after the races for drinks.

  Brandywine (Star track) was the Meadowland's before the Meadowlands came about but once Atlantic City built the casinos it was all over for Brandywine. The customers fled like rats to go the 30 miles for non stop casino action.

[Lockedin with Pace]

Brandywine was a nice track and had decent horses, but the purses were nothing to write home about and they only handled over a million once in their entire history. Had they not closed down and gotten slots a few years later they would have had the highest purses in the country with that location.

[Papillon]

I heard the then Governor(Carper?) didn't want casinos and that was it for Brandywine

the received casinos a few years later but it was too late

Dover had monster purses in the 90s just after casino funding became available

Luc Ouelette was averaging 6 winners every card

[kantseeback]

I heard the then Governor(Carper?) didn't want casinos and that was it for Brandywine

the received casinos a few years later but it was too late

Dover had monster purses in the 90s just after casino funding became available

Luc Ouelette was averaging 6 winners every card

I was at Dover in 1997, and the purses were nice, roughly 10k a race and up, Luc wasn't there at that time maybe he was there before or after that.