Meadowlands Harness Racing Track
Meadowlands Harness Racing Track is a harness and thoroughbred racing facility in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is one of the East Coast's most prominent horse racing tracks.
A two-track facility, it hosts some of the nation's most prestigious racing stakes, including the Meadowlands Harness Racing Track Pace, the Woodrow Wilson, the Stanley Dancer Trot, the New Jersey Classic, Breeders Crown Trot, and the biggest and most respected stakes event in harness racing, the Hambletonian.
History of Meadowlands Harness Racing Track
1976
A crowd of 42,133 attended on opening day. Rambling Willie took the opening night feature in 1:553.
- Ray Remmen won the very first race with Quick Baron.
1977
- The Meadowlands Harness Racing Track Pace and the Woodrow Wilson were born. Escort took the inaugural Meadowlands Harness Racing Track Pace while No No Yankee got the first Woodrow Wilson.
1981
- The most esteemed trotting event in the world — the Hambletonian — transferred to the Meadowlands Harness Racing Track. Ray Remmen guided Shiaway St. Pat to victory on August 8.
1982
- The all-time Meadowlands Harness Racing Track record crowd of 52,974 watched both racing and the Gerry Cooney—Larry Holmes boxing fight on June 11.
1985
- On March 28, New Jersey declared simulcasting unconstitutional. It was discontinued on November 5th. However, the voters approved a referendum on simulcasting and it was reinstated on December 3rd.
1987
- On August 8th, the horse Mack Lobell dominated the Hambletonian with driver John Campbell. Campbell, in winning the first of a record five Hambletonians, called Mack Lobell the greatest horse he had ever driven. Mack Lobell went on to become a two-time Horse of the Year honoree.
1988
- John Campbell won his second straight Hambletonian with Armbro Goal and his third straight driving title.
1990
Beach Towel, with trainer-driver Ray Remmen in the bike, won the Meadowlands Harness Racing Track Pace on his way to capturing Horse of the Year honors.
- John Campbell captured his third Hambletonian with Harmonious.
1992
- The new Hambletonian race format was introduced. The three-year-old trotters now raced in eliminations, and the final would determine the winner, regardless of whether he or she won their elimination. The barefoot Alf Palema and Mickey McNichol took the big prize in an upset.
1995
- On Meadowlands Harness Racing Track Pace night, guests wagered a total of $6,771,499 to top all records in the industry, and Hambletonian Day produced the second-highest handle to date at $5,828,749.
1997
- The Meadowlands Harness Racing Track introduced its Championship Meet, featuring more than $13 million in stakes purses.
1998
The Hambletonian Day handle was more than $6.5 million, the highest Hambletonian handle ever and the second highest in harness racing history. Meadowlands Harness Racing Track Pace night produced a total handle of more than $6.3 million, the third highest handle ever. For the entire meet, the average total harness handle set an all-time high at $3,173,098.
- John Campbell won his record fifth Hambletonian with Muscles Yankee and won his 15th Meadowlands Harness Racing Track driving title.
1999
Two industry records at the Hambletonian fell as Self Possessed posted the fastest trotting mile in history with a 1:51.3 victory, and the total handle of $7,218,518 million set the mark as the highest in the sport.
- More than $540 million was wagered on 150 dates of Meadowlands Harness Racing Track harness racing, for an average of $3.6 million daily, a 15% increase from the previous year.
2000
The 2000 Hambletonian drew a crowd of 30,026, the best in six years, and the total wagering of $7,724,420 on the 15-race card was a Hambletonian, Meadowlands Harness Racing Track and harness racing single-day record.
- Hall of Fame driver John Campbell reached $100 million in career earnings at the Meadowlands Harness Racing Track, an unprecedented achievement for a driver or jockey at a single track.
2001
- After runner-up finishes in 1999 and 2000, Campbell rebounded with 211 victories and $6.9 million in earnings for an unprecedented 16th driving title