Harness Racing Update is reporting in Friday's edition that WEG (Woodbine and Mohawk) will be joining in Jeff Gural's program of not allowing the off-spring of 4yo stallions to race in their stakes events (excluding sires stakes races) without a medical exemption. This announcement should take place soon. It may not be an exact duplication of the conditions Gural is putting in place but close enough.
How much is a pacing yearling's price going down if they are ineligible to the Pepsi North American Cup and the Meadowlands Pace? How much is a trotting yearling's price going down if ineligible to the big trotting events in Ontario? I am curious if some of these stallions that have retired will suddenly return to the races for one more year? If not, expect a discounted stallion fee for the first year if there is any hope for a full book.
There has been some talk that Perretti's stallions, some of the best in the nation and the few in the New Jersey may leave the state by the end of the year. Should this happen, New Jersey's breeding program will become one of the poorest in the country. It may very well happen, but there is a chance that Perretti will keep the stallions in New Jersey one more year to see how things play out.
The Meadowlands will open on schedule, but it looks more like it will be with the NJSEA as partners once again as it looks like the contract for the Meadowlands and Monmouth Park may not be finalized until December 5. Even if the deal is complete by December 5, there is the matter of licensing which takes some time. Things move slowly when the government is involved, but the fact is the deal will get done.
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