As the new information emerged at 11 a.m., the Massachusetts Game Commission on November 14 suspended an emergency hearing it had convened to vote on a license application for the live Thoroughbred races of the year. 2023 from the group hoping to develop a racecourse in the town of Hardwick.
The Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center has a purchase agreement for the 360-acre Meadowbrook Farm and plans to build a new track. It has applied in hopes of restoring the race to life and reviving livestock in the Bay State.
According to the state regulations governing racing and simulation, the deadline for the denial or approval of a live racing license is November 15 of each year. The trial has not yet been rescheduled.
The commissioners decided not to vote on the application after receiving late news that a petition signed by more than the town’s required number of voters had been submitted to the Hardwick Selection Board. The petition asks the board to reverse its previous decision to allow tracking.
This is the latest step in the development-related story.
At a council meeting in Hardwick October 25 and amid growing opposition to the project, the three-member council voted to delay an up or down vote so that the people town has more comments to contribute. On October 27, the board changed course and voted 3-0 to reject the project, then on November 9, the board reversed itself again and voted 2- 1 to approve that project.
Following a 2-1 vote to approve the track, the MGC scheduled an emergency meeting for November 14 to review the 2023 race day application from Commonwealth Equine and the Center for Agriculture. Meanwhile, that November 9 vote gave the townspeople the opportunity to gather the necessary signatures on a petition to bring the matter back into force.
After discussion at the November 14 session, MGC president Cathy Judd-Stein read the following statement before suspending proceedings.
“The Massachusetts Game Commission convened today in connection with the application for a license by Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center LLC to obtain a license to hold or conduct a new racing meeting. Pursuant to c. 128A , section 13A, on 27 October 2022, the Hardwick Board of Selectmen initially voted not to approve the location of the racecourse where the meeting would be held or conducted. The co-selection committee then reversed their vote and approved the racecourse’s venue.On November 14, 2022, a petition among the 12% of Hardwick voters was sent to the town clerk. town to object to such approval taking effect, also pursuant to section 13A. With the filing of the petition and with the consent of the applicant, the committee shall suspend the remainder of this hearing until when 13A process is complete.”
According to Hardwick town officials, the council is required to meet again at a future date to vote again for or against the new track. If they do not rescind the proposal, there will be a special election within 45 days after that vote, where voters will have the final say.
Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center headed by Richard Fields. He is one of the owners of Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which owned Suffolk Downs before the East Boston property was sold to a real estate developer in May 2017. The Last In-person Meeting in New England, organized by the New England branch of Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, concluded at Suffolk Downs June 30, 2019.
Paul Umbrello, executive director of NEHBPA, said that the team was pleased with MGC’s action on November 14 to temporarily delay the vote on the racing license.
“We live to fight another day,” he said. “This gives us a chance to come back and make the case for the live race in 2023. Once a day.”
