For those of us who remember Atlantic City in its glorious heyday, it is disturbing to see how it has been allowed to deteriorate by parent company Greenwood Racing, Inc. The track was once the playground of the rich and famous, and huge crowds would pack the open-air grandstand, constructed in the mid 1940's. Located only seven miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the racetrack was a perfect summer destination, and it was beautifully maintained, with a grass course that was considered the best on the East Coast. It was always so much fun to spend an evening at AyCee, betting the ponies under the lights. Here's a shot of what it used to look like:
But the opening of the Atlantic City casinos in 1976 caused the racetrack to begin a slow and steady decline. Huge chunks of acreage that surrounded the oval were sold to keep it afloat. Rumors began flying that the old girl would be shuttered, but in 2001 owner Bob Levy announced he was selling the track to Greenwood Racing, which also owned Philadelphia Park. Greenwood keeps the track primarily to retain simulcasting and off-track wagering rights in the state of New Jersey; it reduced Atlantic City's annual dates to just a handful in order to satisfy Racing Commission regulations.
To presumably save money on maintenance costs, Greenwood only utilizes Atlantic City's turf course and does not use the main track, and tomorrow six races have been carded, as well as on Monday and Tuesday. No claiming races have been written, and that's most likely to avoid the restrictions that would come with claiming a horse out of a six-day venue, as well as to save the racing office a lot of headaches. While the Atlantic City programs offer good betting value and are entertaining contests, many trainers take the opportunity to enter horses with horrendous dirt form in the hopes that they will suddenly wake up and become the next John Henry. A handicapper needs to whip out the crystal ball and tea leaves in order to discern whether a horse with bad dirt form has been entered because the trainer really thinks he will run well on turf, or if it's only a last-ditch effort by the trainer to earn some purse money before donating the horse to a retirement program.
It's always a painful experience to see how badly Atlantic City has been cared for the last few years - groundhogs running wild in the grandstand, the tote boards full of holes, the backstretch reminiscent of a scene straight out of a Wild West movie - complete with dirt clouds, abandoned buildings and tumbleweeds - but I try to console myself with the thought that the track could easily be the site of more uneccessary condominiums and Wal-Marts. There's always hope that one day Greenwood will unload the track to someone who actually wants to revive the South Jersey racing circuit, but in reality those dreams are a longshot, at best. Given the precarious nature of the entire New Jersey racing industry, we wouldn't be shocked if this season was Atlantic City's last.
If you're planning a trip down to McKee City this week, don't forget that first post is at 3:30 p.m. each day, and may all your bets be winning ones.
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