Over the decades I have spent a lot of time in New Jersey; first going there as an assistant trainer for Michael J. Ford in ‘68. We raced at the old Garden State Park in Cherry Hill. It was my first taste of big time racing. 

Garden State opened in 1941; the first track to open in New Jersey after pari-mutual gambling was permitted. It was a very successful racing franchise. The Garden State Stakes for 2-year-olds was once Thoroughbred racing’s richest race.

We went to Florida for the winter because there was no racing in the northeast past November in those days.

In the spring, we came back to Garden State then to Monmouth Park, on to Atlantic City and back to Garden State for the fall meet. That was the ‘Jersey Circuit’ and it was a good one.

Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra attended the 1946 inaugural meeting of Atlantic City. It was a beautiful track when I first went there; 700 acres of flowers, trees, shrubs, and lawns. The turf course was 100 feet wide, the same width as Saratoga’s main track. 

It was on that turf where I saw Hawaii win the United Nations and Gallant Bloom defeat Gamely in the ‘69 Matchmaker Stakes. Both of these races are run at Monmouth now.

I came back to Monmouth in the 70’s, and raced at The Meadowlands the year it opened, and several other following meets. I was back at Monmouth in ‘86 and when I stopped training horses in ‘89, I moved to Monmouth County.  To go back there is a bit of a homecoming.  I know of good restaurants off the beaten path and the less traveled routes to the gates of Monmouth Park.

Before my time at Garden State, Citation won the Jersey Derby.  He did it in between his Preakness and Belmont victories! Whirlaway won the Trenton Handicap, Bold Ruler, with Arcaro aboard, defeated Shoemaker, riding Gallant Man, in the ‘57 Trenton and Carry Back won the ‘63 running of that same race.

Cicada won the Gardenia as did Gallant Bloom and Moccasin. Dr. Fager won the Jersey Derby but was DQ’d. Decathlon made 17 of his 42 starts on Jersey tracks. Nashua won the Monmouth Handicap.  Round Table won a $5,000 allowance race at Atlantic City, and five days later, was beaten by Clem in the United Nations. 

Baeza won the Sapling on Buckpasser in ‘65. Mack Miller-trained Assegai won the Long Branch in ‘66. Ten of Kelso’s 63 lifetime starts were in the Garden State. 

In the 70’s, Alydar won the Sapling; Dr. Patches beat Seattle Slew in the Patterson Handicap at the Meadowlands; Foolish Pleasure won the Sapling; Forego ran third  to Hatchet Man and Intrepid Hero in the Haskell; Honest Pleasure ran third in the Monmouth Invitational  two weeks before he won the Travers; Little Current ran second to Holding Pattern and the same pattern developed two weeks later in the Travers; Numbered Account won the Gardenia; Personality won the Jersey Derby; Riva Ridge ran fourth in the Monmouth Invitational; Secretariat won the Garden State; Spectacular Bid won the World’s Playground at Atlantic City by 15; the Young America at Meadowlands and in ‘79 won the Meadowlands Cup. 

I was an assistant trainer to Jack Van Berg when that Hall of Fame trainer won the Meadowlands Cup with Alysheba. Groovy broke his maiden at the Meadowlands.  John Henry made his last start there, winning the Ballantine Handicap.  Lady’s Secret won the Regret at Monmouth. Lord Avie made five of his 16 starts at Monmouth.

Spend a Buck was second in the Young America, won the Cherry Hill Mile by 10 and the Garden State by nine before Cordero guided him to a Kentucky Derby win. The racing world was set on notice when his connections opted for the Jersey Derby in lieu of the Preakness. He ended his racing career with a win in the Monmouth Handicap.

Yes, racing used to be big in New Jersey.  This weekend, it is big again, but can one weekend make up for all the Garden State has lost?

Saratoga is truly a Black Swan and its success should not be taken for granted. Our politicians are playing political football with racing and they are fumbling badly. It’s 4th and long for NYRA and a wrong call could lose the game.

In the Spirit of Stewardship-

Marilyn Lane