NEWS
Drazin named to N.J. racing commission
Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 3:01 PM
by Tom De Martini
Longtime Thoroughbred owner and breeder Dennis Drazin was confirmed on Monday by the New Jersey Senate as a member of the state's racing commission. He reportedly is in line to become its chairman.
Drazin, a Fair Haven, New Jersey attorney who was general counsel for the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association before taking on the role of president five years ago, was nominated to the post last week by outgoing Gov. Jon S. Corzine. He is expected to replace chairman John Tucker, who resigned from the board late last year.
Drazin and the state racing commission have worked together on several major issues, including bringing the 2007 Breeders' Cup World Championships to Monmouth Park and key purse supplements from Atlantic City casino interests.
However, Drazin and the racing commission also have had tempestuous differences on several occasions.
In 2005, the racing commission's ’02 lawsuit alleging that leaders of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association misappropriated nearly $1-million in funds on legal and lobbyist fees while cutting health care benefits to low-income stable employees was settled with no wrongdoing or admission of liability.
In 2004, the commission was denied by a Superior Court judge when it sought to limit horsemen's rights to retain legal counsel and pay fees for the services [such as legal fees and political contributions] in the future and asked the court to review Drazin's fees for his services between 1998 through November 2003.
In 2001, Drazin was awarded the Virgil "Buddy" Raines Award by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority for meritorious service to New Jersey Thoroughbred racing. He continues to operate a New Jersey-based racing stable at the Monmouth Park and Meadowlands meetings.
Tom De Martini is a New Jersey-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
