Dennis Drazin

After a two-year absence, the Racing and Gaming Conference is back. The two-day conference will kick off Aug. 16 and will be held in the 1863 Club on the grounds of Saratoga Race Course. With the goal of examining industry trends and challenges facing the sport, the conference was known for bringing together notable industry leaders from across a wide spectrum, including racing officials, regulators and politicians. This year, more than 40 gaming and racing industry professionals will participate in 14 sessions as speakers and panelists throughout the two days....

The accident and disqualification of the winner in last Saturday's GI TVG.com Haskell S. at Monmouth Park has rocketed to the top of racing's recent controversies, chiefly because of the polarizing role that New Jersey's newly implemented anti-whipping role may or may not have played in the stretch-run spill. Since the start of the 2021 meet at Monmouth, whipping a Thoroughbred has been strictly prohibited, except for the express purpose of ensuring the immediate safety of the horse or rider. As three horses battled for the lead in the stretch...

BetMakers Technology Group, in partnership with Monmouth Park, will sponsor a $1-million bonus to a horse that sweeps this year's GI TVG.com Haskell S., GI Runhappy Travers S. and the GI Breeders' Cup Classic. Authentic (Into Mischief) earned the inaugural bonus, which, due to the pandemic, included the Haskell, GI Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic. "We're thrilled to sponsor the BetMakers Bonanza again after the enormous effort by Authentic last year," said Dallas Baker, BetMakers' New Jersey-based Head of International Operations. "We're fully committed to supporting the U.S. racing...

Officials at Monmouth Park have announced an across-the-board increase in purses to begin on TVG.com Haskell S. day July 17 and have added three live September dates on Fridays to the calendar. "We're thankful to Gov. Philip Murphy and to the leadership in the state Senate and Assembly who continue to support racing in New Jersey," said Dennis Drazin, the Chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, the operators of Monmouth Park. "A supplemental appropriation was passed and signed into law, and with rain preventing us from writing more races...

While the 2021 meet at Monmouth Park is less than three weeks old, several years worth of drama has already been packed in at the Jersey Shore staple this spring, and Wednesday morning, the track's chairman and CEO Dennis Drazin joined the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland to discuss it all. Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Drazin talked about the fraught implementation of the New Jersey Racing Commission's whip ban, the latest attempt by the Jockeys' Guild to put pressure on Monmouth...

Dennis Drazin joins this week's TDN Writers' Room in the midst of an eventful meet at Monmouth Park due to ongoing whip rule controversy. The CEO of the New Jersey track discussed news regarding the Jockeys' Guild end to insurance coverage for Monmouth riders and more.

In a June 7 letter, the Jockeys' Guild informed its membership that, starting July 1, Monmouth Park jockeys will no longer be covered by Guild insurance policies. The Guild has been providing temporary disability benefits, life insurance and Accident, Death and Disability benefits to those who have chosen to ride in New Jersey. The Guild has been adamant in its belief that racing has become more dangerous at Monmouth Park because jockeys are no longer allowed to encourage their mounts with the use of the whip. In the June 7...

Because of the pandemic in 2020, six-race cards on Fridays and a run of rainy weather to start this year's meet, apples-to-apples, year-over-year handle comparisons aren't easy to come by at Monmouth. But all indications are that the Jersey Shore track has gotten off to a poor start, and that raises an important question--are bettors staying away because of the new rules that prohibit whipping? Sunday's card was the first of the meet where all the scheduled races were run on the turf and there was not an abundance of...

Cory Moran, the agent for top Monmouth rider Paco Lopez, informed trainers Thursday by text that his client will begin riding at the meet June 5. Lopez's status had been up in the air as he was considering his options in the face of new rules instituted at Monmouth that ban whipping. Some riders have said they would not ride at Monmouth because they felt the whip ban created unsafe racing conditions. Lopez will not be riding at Monmouth this weekend, but that is because he has prior commitments to...

Fixed Odds wagering moved a step closer to becoming a reality during the upcoming Monmouth Park meet after the New Jersey State Assembly approved a bill on Thursday by a 74-0-1 vote that would permit the new betting platform. The bill now moves onto to the State Senate and if successful would then go to Gov. Phil Murphy for a signature. Monmouth Park's 76th season gets underway Friday, May 28. "This is an exciting new wagering opportunity for our fans and we're grateful for the support from our legislators and...

The claiming period for pari-mutuel tickets and vouchers has been extended from six months to 12 months in the state of New Jersey thanks to a bill enacted by the New Jersey State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy May 11. "We appreciate the continued support that Gov. Murphy and our state legislators have shown for horse racing throughout the state," said Dennis Drazin, Chairman and CEO of Darby Development, LLC, the operators of Monmouth Park. "This legislation provides a much-need grace period for people who were...

With 10 days to go before opening day at Monmouth Park, preparations are being made to kick off the 53-day meet that begins May 28. Track officials are ready to go and so are the trainers and about 1,100 horses already stabled at the seaside track. But who will ride the horses? That question remained up in the air Tuesday. The New Jersey Racing Commission has passed regulations that will go into effect on opening day that will prevent jockeys from using their whips, except for cases when there are...