Report: Some purse, claim money from Monmouth is late

Purse and claim money owed to some Monmouth Park horse owners has yet to be paid reportedly because of delays in moving money between some of the government middlemen.

Track boss Dennis Drazin told Thoroughbred Daily News that money bet on and off the track still was being processed by the New Jersey state government with some of those dollars still moving from point A to point B as late as last week.

“We do seven-day reports and send them to the state, and they have to reconcile all the numbers,” Drazin told TDN’s Bill Finley for a report posted Wednesday. “Then they send us money back. I think we sent them money again last Friday. We’re waiting to get more money from them, and then we will pay purses. There should be no concern whatsoever that purses won't get paid.”

TDN said one horseman said he has been waiting more than seven weeks for the money he is owned.

The issue has come to a head in part because horses who have been racing this summer and fall in New Jersey are about to relocate around the country for the winter. Horsemen count on purse and claim money to help pay for all the moving.

“It’s not just us,” Drazin told TDN. “It’s the Meadowlands and all the (off-track wagering sites) that have money coming to them.”

According to Paulick Report, a state official said a big part of the delay may be blamed on the slow transfer of money between two off-track betting sites and the New Jersey Racing Commission.

“Ultimately,” the unnamed official told Paulick Report, “it is the responsibility of Monmouth Park to pay purses.”

The Monmouth Park meet ended Sept. 14. The Monmouth at Meadowlands turf meet closed Friday.