HORSEPLOP.COM
General Category => Harness Racing => Topic started by: Sunmoon 1219 on December 12, 2024, 11:43:33 PM
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Our friends out East say they are now putting in new gates to lock up the place in 2 weeks he said they have heavy duty chains and locks as well. Guess they want to keep out the hobos . Shame it ended like that . Howard was a nice guy touring us a few weeks ago .
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I've known Howard for over 20 yrs, he's a complete scumbag. It was management not Karen or anybody else. Don't think any of them wanted it closed.
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As someone who's gone to Freehold for over 50 years, it's closing is a sad event. The facility has been falling apart for years due to lack of any real investment. A lot of great horseman rode up Route 9 and raced there. But Penn Gaming knows that property which the track sits on is prime real estate. So I guess they'll have another strip mall or $800,000 condos built on that land. I wish all those employees and horse folk associated with the track the best of luck.
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As someone who's gone to Freehold for over 50 years, it's closing is a sad event. The facility has been falling apart for years due to lack of any real investment. A lot of great horseman rode up Route 9 and raced there. But Penn Gaming knows that property which the track sits on is prime real estate. So I guess they'll have another strip mall or $800,000 condos built on that land. I wish all those employees and horse folk associated with the track the best of luck.
I live in Monmouth county, Mcmansions being erected all over the place, anywhere they can wedge one in. Real estate is booming. They will have that track demolished and condos/mcmansions erected in the blink of an eye.
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There was a guy must have been 20-30 years ago that proposed to build a harness track in PA. I believe he was going to call it "Stars & Stripes Downs" or some such thing. It was going to be a bare bones track with no real accoutrements, basically it was going to exist for simulcasting.
That gentleman was way ahead of his time. You could fit the daily live audience at most raceways into a modest high school gym. No more restaurants, food service of any kind really, they just put up with you. My wife and i used to go to Monticello and the Meadowlands as a night out...gotta believe those days are over forever. All of us have fond memories of these tracks, but I have to tell you at this point in my life I'd rather bet from my living room recliner then "enjoy" what passes today for the live race experience today.
It really is quite a shame. Harness racing still has strong county fair roots, especially compared to the runners, where almost all fair racing has ceased. And it truly is the sport of the people. Growing up in Hudson Valley I recall that many bars and pool halls would have winners circle pictures displayed, and you didn't have to scratch too far under the surface to find someone you knew, or someone you knew who knew someone in the industry.
RIP Freehold. Soon to be followed by Vernon Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Raceway, and Monticello or Yonkers.
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There was a guy must have been 20-30 years ago that proposed to build a harness track in PA. I believe he was going to call it "Stars & Stripes Downs" or some such thing. It was going to be a bare bones track with no real accoutrements, basically it was going to exist for simulcasting.
That gentleman was way ahead of his time. You could fit the daily live audience at most raceways into a modest high school gym. No more restaurants, food service of any kind really, they just put up with you. My wife and i used to go to Monticello and the Meadowlands as a night out...gotta believe those days are over forever. All of us have fond memories of these tracks, but I have to tell you at this point in my life I'd rather bet from my living room recliner then "enjoy" what passes today for the live race experience today.
It really is quite a shame. Harness racing still has strong county fair roots, especially compared to the runners, where almost all fair racing has ceased. And it truly is the sport of the people. Growing up in Hudson Valley I recall that many bars and pool halls would have winners circle pictures displayed, and you didn't have to scratch too far under the surface to find someone you knew, or someone you knew who knew someone in the industry.
RIP Freehold. Soon to be followed by Vernon Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Raceway, and Monticello or Yonkers.
I went to Dover Downs in the 90's. I think the grandstand held 800 or so max. The place was full of farmers and flannel shirted guys. The walls were covered in cheap brown paneling. When I bet 200 the teller almost had a heart attack.
I remember when the big M was jammed to the gills at that huge prior grandstand, you would be extremely lucky to find a seat on any level. Even the Hambletonian was packed in the old grandstand up to 2013.
I also remember Monti being packed with very long lines at the betting windows.
Yonkers was also packed and even had an ushered reserved area in the outside grandstand.
Those days are gone and will never return.
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I will miss Freehold.
Ironically, it was the first track I ever saw from the comfort of my living room. Well, actually backyard. Around 1998 when TRN (the precursor to RTN) first was offered, I jumped at the chance to harness racing in my home. I ordered the dish and decoder (back then it was their own, not part of DISH network, etc) and the day it came I found a spot on my garage for the dish, and had to run about 100 feet of cable to my house. Because you had to adjust the angles of the dish and LNB, I needed a monitor out with me. When I heard those beeps accelerate to the needed speed for the signal, I locked down the dish and went to change the channel from the setup page. The very first race I ever saw was one from Freehold. It was fucking glorious!
And now, a quarter century later, I'm older, Freehold is closing, and the world seems a bit less fun!
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I have to admit that I will miss it as well. The only person who delights in its closing is Howard Bruno. He did everything he could to get it shut down and must feel very contented on the insides. On the exterior he has to put on a false front and try and make it look like he is sorry.
On the opposite end, I won't feel sorry for the scumbag teller, Bobby, who works the dining room on Saturday and helped the juicers, crooks and other scumbags place their bets.
Also if you are a regular you must be familiar with a douche bag named Al, who sits in the glass enclosed room and bets only harness seven days a week. Supposedly this POS is married and I wonder just how beat his wife is.
Another POS is a small guy named Kevin who roams the facility sticking his hand in every garbage pail desperate to find a winner after he loses his entire paycheck.
These people are losing their entire life now and I wonder how many suicides there will be.
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RIP Freehold. Soon to be followed by Vernon Downs, Buffalo Raceway, Batavia Raceway, and Monticello or Yonkers.
I think this quote from a fellow "plop artist" is exceedingly poignant.
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kantseeback.....y ou are so right. I have family living in Marlboro, Freehold, West Morganville. They drive me around when we come down from Maine. The houses are simply amazing. I shutter to think what they cost.
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seriously, my brother-in-law Maxie (Rest In Peace) lived in Covered Bridge and shot over to Freehold when he wanted some action. I used to come visit around when Freehold was open. Just loved it. A great track for the locals.
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I loved going to Freehold . Won quite a few races there and spent time with a lot of great friends!! I find this very sad.
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The one thing that seems to ring constant is that every one chiming in sounds at least 50+ that’s the sports problem not just freeholds . We flew out there last month there wasn’t a soul among the hundred in attendance not collecting social security. Freehold is done . Go say your goodbyes even drop a bouquet of flowers. We will be out for the auction next month . Good luck homeless people.
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Very true. Harness racing is dying a slow death in the USA. The only people in attendance are senior POS who have an ugly wife to go home to or none at all. At Freehold many of them old POS come there to hang out and talk, but not bet. They come for a couple of hours, buy a small coffee and talk about their aches and pains and then go home and wait to croak.
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kantseeback.....you are so right. I have family living in Marlboro, Freehold, West Morganville. They drive me around when we come down from Maine. The houses are simply amazing. I shutter to think what they cost.
I am near the Keyport/Hazlet/Holmdel/Matawan/Middletown area. A 2 bedroom small house on a regular sized lot is about 560,000.00 right now. New construction everywhere. This is an extremely low crime clean area.
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kantseeback.....I know your area. A lot of people talk bad about Jersey, but we love going to visit there. It's much busier than Maine. I enjoy visiting family and the amazing amount of restaurants. LOL!
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Maybe we should have a meet up at the Monmouth meet. Bro about 5 miles from Freehold ad mom in Freehold.
I know Dougie likes the flats
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bello.....we should do that! I love that area.
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I was there a couple of months ago and ate at Frdericis downtown. Downtown was booming.
Love Monmouth!
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If there are enough plopsters in that area we can rent one of those sections for a private party.
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kantseeback.....I know your area. A lot of people talk bad about Jersey, but we love going to visit there. It's much busier than Maine. I enjoy visiting family and the amazing amount of restaurants. LOL!
When I came to this area in 2016 I thought it was great and I still think it's great. No crime, extremely clean area. Every store you can imagine very close by.
Freehold is great too
Like any state new jersey has bad sections but in my long life I have never lived in such a great place. The town is roughly a mile or two square and has a police force of 40.
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kantseeback.....b ello..... we should all meet for lunch when Momouth opens next summer.
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Take your last pictures of the place grab a program for the time capsule . 2 cards left sayonara.
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Take your last pictures of the place grab a program for the time capsule . 2 cards left sayonara.
There's actually 4 cards left..
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Desperation setting in . Anxiety 2 cards 4 cards your done . Time to move forward with the rest of the world .
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We are wondering with so many people going to miss there beloved Freehold where were they when we flew out there ? And obviously must all be broke looking at that handle . Last Friday 8 races purse money entire card 35,200 . Handle 197,838.00 and you say that’s such a wealthy area . ngc3
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Despite what anyone says it will be a sad day!
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We are wondering with so many people going to miss there beloved Freehold where were they when we flew out there ? And obviously must all be broke looking at that handle . Last Friday 8 races purse money entire card 35,200 . Handle 197,838.00 and you say that’s such a wealthy area . ngc3
You misunderstand the situation at Freehold.
Track owners are sitting on land that has ballooned to more than double of its purchase price--now worth many millions more.
So in order to cash in-they put 0 dollars into the place-and i believe they had management under control to fail.
This has led to the current situation--where the owners got rid of racing in order to cash in .
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Bond. You are 100% correct. They haven't invested any dollars there or at the OTB Site in Toms River. When they had the sportsbook instead of putting it downstairs. They could have put it in the clubhouse where they had 3 times the room and a bar. Plenty of monitors and could have catered to a younger crowd as well. Quick point.
Last year we had a race for my grand daughter's first birthday. The photographer went above and beyond to make sure it was a memorable day for the family which
it was. I saw the General Manager and wanted to let him know how pleased we were and he showed no appreciation for what I had told him and I was put
off by that. Moving forward that place holds plenty of memories for me personally. Owing horses that raced there and going from the time I was a kid with my
dad to go for the last four races every Saturday. People can say what they want about the place now which is true. I will always remember the good times that
I had growing up and those things can't be erased by a bulldozer or a wrecking ball. So if people are taking joy in the closing of Freehold all I can say is if that what
makes you happy then good for you. Just remember by closing there are plenty of people who are being impacted by this and I assume they aren't taking any joy
in the happiness some people are enjoying.
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Howard Bruno is a putz. But when you are bonussed dearly to get something shut down, that is what he was working on. Letting the plant go to shit. Plenty of nice people who will come out with nothing.
The track could have been successful. I posted the reasons a few months back so I wont dwell on it.
The way business works these days it is all about Private Equity money i virtually every industry. Pennwood does not give 2 shits about owning a track. Their investors want the greatest ROI as possible.
Just remember that all of you Gural haters. He is one of the few owners left that loves the game.
SunMoon...we get it. Enough posting the same shit over and over again. What will you post about when they close?
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That they closed and show a beautiful park or something like that . We are coming for the heritage auction in January
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Howard Bruno is a putz. But when you are bonussed dearly to get something shut down, that is what he was working on. Letting the plant go to shit. Plenty of nice people who will come out with nothing.
The track could have been successful. I posted the reasons a few months back so I wont dwell on it.
The way business works these days it is all about Private Equity money i virtually every industry. Pennwood does not give 2 shits about owning a track. Their investors want the greatest ROI as possible.
Just remember that all of you Gural haters. He is one of the few owners left that loves the game.
SunMoon...we get it. Enough posting the same shit over and over again. What will you post about when they close?
Thanks for the memories—-Bob Hope
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Despite what anyone says it will be a sad day!
VERY!
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What Heritage auction.? You’re the only one making that statement?
Fill a in please, when, where, what etc.
Thx
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Check with the gentleman that we met Howard Bruno . Gave us a v card for the auctioneer.
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We are wondering with so many people going to miss there beloved Freehold where were they when we flew out there ? And obviously must all be broke looking at that handle . Last Friday 8 races purse money entire card 35,200 . Handle 197,838.00 and you say that’s such a wealthy area . ngc3
It is a wealthy area but hardly anyone who lives here goes to Freehold raceway including me, thus the tiny handle.
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That’s why we only saw 100 people in attendance when we flew out . The burger joint across the street had as many .
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That’s why we only saw 100 people in attendance when we flew out . The burger joint across the street had as many .
100 for Freehold is a good crowd right now. I was last there in 2009 and there were much less than 100 people there.
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The crazy thing is that there are a lot of articles nationwide writing about the end of an era . It went from no cars when it opened to where we are today . There were some articles showing of what it was in its heyday . What we saw was a rundown empty shell with no life which is sad . If you live locally you have a week to take a picture or grab something. It’s all over with those large locks waiting to be closed .
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The crazy thing is that there are a lot of articles nationwide writing about the end of an era . It went from no cars when it opened to where we are today . There were some articles showing of what it was in its heyday . What we saw was a rundown empty shell with no life which is sad . If you live locally you have a week to take a picture or grab something. It’s all over with those large locks waiting to be closed .
When I was there in 2009 all the green seats in the main grandstand were empty, not one person sitting in the grandstand. there were a fair amount of people milling around by the betting windows on the main floor but a few looked like bums. There was a group of Jamaican guys up on the second floor betting simulcast races from TB tracks. About 3 people or less were on the track apron.
Compare that to the previous time I was there in the early 90's. The place was packed. really good horses and drivers were racing. I remember I was watching a Detroit Lions football game on one monitor and Wayne Fontes was their coach, to give you some idea of the timeframe.
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Lock her up next Saturday. Gates bolted . Sayonara
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Anyone attending the gate locking ceremony?
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Demise of freehold will have to wait. They have buyer they will fix it up. They will put back a nice sports book. Might close for renovations next week but will reopen in near future.
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Doubtful. Nobody cares
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I heard today that it was the Landy family who is bidding on it. My only hope is that they don't bring back Howard Bruno as General Manager. They need someone who will actually do his job and earn his pay which Shithead Bruno did not. I saw him today and he never looked happier. The escalator that was broke two years ago will remain as such since it is a testament to how little Bruno did.
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All the statements about the place being in disrepair are spot on however not sure it’s fair to mock the gm. He works for a sizable corp who approves every dollar spent. I trust that they locked his hands on any expenditures knowing that their plan was to close.
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Landy wants rights to develop all the remaining property minus the track and the boro says that’s a non starter. This will be in ligation . Long time
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They did handle an astounding 211,743.00 dollars today !!!
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Handle over 450k today.not 211 just goes to show us that with an improved facility and mgt this track could be profitable and a mini entertainment showcase. hear that the restaurant has been packed the past few weeks.
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Better do your Math over . Nothings packed there except the overflowing toilets and urinals .
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Better do your Math over . Nothings packed there except the overflowing toilets and urinals .
Those main floor urinals have been overflowing for decades. Back when the place was actually packed the water would run out of that bathroom into the hall.
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Moon, how did you get 211k handle?
Total pool looks like 450+.. what am I missing?
I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer for sure but now I’m curious.
Thx
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Added each pool after each race and added them all up . The double had 6k in it . Purses are huge on closing weekend . They opened the vault . Go say goodbye this week.
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Usta site shows race pool under each result. The 11 race card total pools = over $460,000 Saturday.
Not so shabby.
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Guess there staying open . Oh my bad for 2 final cards . Let the lawsuits begin .
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Guess there staying open . Oh my bad for 2 final cards . Let the lawsuits begin .
Where did you read that Freehold will stay open?
Link please.
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They are not . Listening to this Lar of how outstanding there handle is .
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Time to play Taps
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Final 2 cards are out on the Usta website. Purses doubled for last 2 races .
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Landy wants rights to develop all the remaining property minus the track and the boro says that’s a non starter. This will be in ligation . Long time
He wants to put a trailer park there
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Are you serious ? Trailer park? I thought that area was wealthy
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Lock her up . Utility companies notified disconnect letters issued.
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Rumor has it that the Mega Millions winner of 1.1billion loves harness racing and has ties to the Gambino crime family. What more can we ask for🤞
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Doesn’t look good for the afternoon delight to continue on..too bad..
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Not with utility discount letters served and New Jersey department of transportation stating bridge over highway 9 must be closed to door or horse traffic as of January 1 2025
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Are you serious ? Trailer park? I thought that area was wealthy
There are trailer parks in every state.
Just go to Zillow and search prices in Monmouth County, I'm afraid your eyes might pop out.
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Your correct that place is definitely got some coin but your stuff 30 minutes from the track crazy prices multi million dollar homes . Them folks ain’t betting horses
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Your correct that place is definitely got some coin but your stuff 30 minutes from the track crazy prices multi million dollar homes . Them folks ain’t betting horses
In my area a dinky 2 bdrm small house is 500,000, everywhere I look there is new construction. They are building on every inch they can find. Mostly condos and mcmansions.