Meadowlands Racetrack - History

History

Opened in the mid 1970s, Meadowlands Racetrack held its first-ever harness race on September 1, 1976 while thoroughbred racing commenced on September 6, 1977. With the exception of the opening season of 1976, autumn has been dedicated to the thoroughbreds, while the rest of the year features standardbreds, or harness horses.

The advertising campaign that accompanied the start of thoroughbred racing at the Meadowlands in 1977 was highly sophisticated and well-received, and was chiefly noted for its use of the song "Racing With The Moon," originally popularized in 1941 by bandleader Vaughn Monroe (alluding to the fact that the racing was to be conducted at night - a circumstance that still pertains, although afternoon programs during long holiday weekends are occasionally put on).

More recent advertising campaigns have included a direct and catchy approach to attending live racing -- "It's All About Being Here - The Meadowlands!" With its sweeping curves and wide stretches, the "Big M" has been known for exceptional times for harness racing. Opening night at the track featured the fastest harness mile run in New Jersey to that time, 1:55⅗ by Rambling Willie. The world record for a mile by a standardbred, 1:46⅘ by Holborn Hanover, in rein to George Brennan, was established at the track on August 5, 2006 in a division of the U.S. Pacing Championship.

The Meadowlands Racetrack has been the site of the Hambletonian, the second leg of the Trotting Triple Crown, since 1981. The 2010 Hambletonian was won by Muscle Massive, driven by Ron Pierce, in a time of 1:51.

Leading drivers in recent seasons have included Ron Pierce, Brian Sears, George Brennan, and Tim Tetrick.

The track is operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, also the operator of Monmouth Park.

Sam McKee and Ken Warkentin are the current race callers and announcers for the Meadowlands. Veteran sportscaster Dave Johnson, the track's lead public-address announcer from its opening until the early 2000s (decade), still does promotional events for the track as its "senior track announcer."

In July 2009, the Meadowlands Rail Line opened for event service, but is expected to run daily upon completion of the nearby American Dream Meadowlands.

Bruton Smith, owner of Lowe's Motor Speedway and other motorsports racetracks, has long had his sights on Meadowlands Racetrack for possible conversion into a short track venue for NASCAR events in the New York City area. His most recent of several attempts to purchase the track failed in the late 1990s. A report issued in January 2010 by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie discussed the idea of closing the Meadowlands Racetrack and selling it for commercial development or converting it into a NASCAR facility. Governor Christie has considered selling or leasing the racetrack to a private operator or closing it altogether.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority currently intends to privatize the racetrack, however a leasing arrangement to Jeffrey R. Gural of Newmark Knight Frank has been held up in court. The privatization would include $100 million of improvements consisting of a new 2,250-seat grandstand built on the site of the current backstretch, which is expected to open by 2013. The existing grandstand would then be kept until at least 2014 so it could be used as an event space for Super Bowl XLVIII.