The oldest horse racing track in the United States is closing down in December after 170 years. Freehold Raceway in Freehold, New Jersey, will have its final race on December 28. “This was an extremely difficult decision, especially given the historical importance of Freehold Raceway to the local community and the New Jersey horse racing industry,” General Manager Howard Bruno said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the operations of the racetrack cannot continue under existing conditions, and we do not see a plausible way forward. We are incredibly thankful for our dedicated employees, horsemen and fan base for their support and patronage for so many years.” Here’s why the track will soon be gone.
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Hopeful For Buyout
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Penn National Gaming and Greenwood Racing own the track, and there is still faint hope a new buyer will step forward to save the institution. “I really feel that this place, if it was under the proper management, would be a lucrative investment for someone,” local Nancy Grbelja told CBS News.
Horses Will Be Sold
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The horses will most likely be sold. “Where are we going to go? Like you said, you know, some of the horses are in the lower classes,” longtime horse owner and trainer Maggie Romano told CBS News. “And there’s nowhere for us to race. So some have to be sold.”
Standardbred Owners Association Responds
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The Standardbred Owners Association of New Jersey is disappointed at news of the closure. “The SBOANJ has been working extensively with Freehold Raceway’s general management for the last few years to rectify the establishment’s existing conditions, unfortunately to no avail,” it said in a statement. “We will continue to work with Freehold and the New Jersey Racing Commission as advocates to the horsemen/women on all closure issues.”
Shock Closure
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News of the closure came as a shock to town officials. “We’re blindsided here,” Freehold Borough Mayor Kevin Kane told Asbury Park Press. “We’ve not had contact with them about this. We tried to do things in the past, different stuff, contacted Howard Bruno and people in the track to do things, and they really expressed no interest in promoting it. They haven’t done anything, in my opinion.”
What Will Happen Next?
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Officials will try to keep the property as a racetrack. “I was born and raised in Freehold Borough,” Mayor Kane said. “I grew up with the horses, worked as a groom a couple of summers while in high school. I would love to see it remain a racetrack… What we’re going to do is authorize a redevelopment study and make sure we get a handle on it. It’s a similar situation with the Nestle plant. We authorized a redevelopment study so we can control what happens there, and make sure we know what’s best for this town.”
Lack of Customers
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Attendance at the track was dwindling, much to the dismay of locals. “It’s really sad. I’ve been coming here for 40 years,” Alan Zucker, of South Brunswick, told Asbury Park Press. “It’s awful. I think the young people stopped going, that’s what happened. You go to the track now you don’t see any 20-year-olds. I used to go when I was younger, it was packed with young kids. It changed with poker, the casinos, all of this. A lot of people losing their jobs. A lot of people I know are horse trainers or work here. I guess I’m going to have to find somewhere else.”