When I was living in Canarsie, Brooklyn, my girlfriend, now my wife used to take the long drive down the Belt Parkway, over the Verrazano, over the Outer bridge, onto the NJ Turnpike, driving up Route 9 to Freehold Raceway. I was there for a packed house when Niatross "showed his stuff" in September, 1980. I loved the drive to that part of Jersey. Compared to Brooklyn, it was the "country". I remember betting "under the tents'", after an electrical fire destroyed the main building. The "re-build" was done in 1986. We moved to Florida. Most of my family moved to Jersey over the years and I planned our vacations from Florida when Freehold has live racing. Now living in Maine, we get down to see family and Freehold as much as we can. It's old, tired, and has very few folks attending the live races now. But we love standing at the rail watching the races. And now.....with today's news.....it's all over for Freehold. The sad ending to a long tradition of afternoon racing in central Jersey. I know many in this group will cheer this news. How sad I feel for you. Another track closed. Another sad day for harness racing.
