Gopal: “I was not a good student”

Vin Gopal went on the Tommy G Show yesterday, his 32nd birthday, and confessed the obvious—he’s not too bright.

“I’ll be the first to confess that I was not a good student,” Gopal told Tommy.”I liked history and entertainment and art, but wasn’t good at math.”

Gopal spent the majority of his hour with Tommy doing the same thing he’s been doing since he declared his candidacy for State Senate in the 11th District—trying to convince people that Governor Chris Christie and Senator Jennifer Beck share a brain.

Gopal demonstrated his goofy dimness with his recent plan to save Monmouth Park.  In an OpEd published in the Asbury Park Press last week, Goofy proposed that New Jersey save its equine industry by stealing the Preakness Stakes from Maryland.  Gopal accused Christie and Beck (he can’t seem to manage to utter Beck’s name without mentioning Christie in the same breath) of leaving Monmouth Park to crumble.  Then he noted that the owner of Pimlico, the Maryland track where the Preakness is run, is asking the the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland for $300 million for renovations.  Gopal wants Oceanport, Monmouth County and New Jersey to come up with “the right investments” to edge out Maryland to bring the Preakness to New Jersey.

Where would Oceanport and Monmouth County get the money to “edge out” Maryland?  Could we do it for less than $300 million? Gopal said he is not good at math.

Gopal’s OpEd prompted John Forbes, President of the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, to write a column of his own. Forbes laid out why Gopal’s idea is goofy and he praised Senator Beck’s efforts on behalf of the racing and breeding industry.

I read with interest the May 10 oped by state Senate candidate Vin Gopal that Monmouth Park should steal the Preakness from Pimlico. The Triple Crown races, Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont, are not available to New Jersey and it would be impossible to obtain the Preakness, which is controlled by the State of Maryland and the owners of the race tracks in that state who control the Preakness. The Stronach Group, which owns the race tracks, also owns several major race tracks in this country and would never condone the Preakness moving to New Jersey….

…I want to point out that state Sen. Jennifer Beck has been a tireless advocate of horse racing, not only for Monmouth Park, Meadowlands and Freehold Raceway, but also for the entire racing and breeding industry during her tenure as a legislator. Beck has been instrumental in legislative efforts to establish off track wagering, account wagering, expanded coverage under the New Jersey Horse Racing Injury Compensation Board Act, exchange wagering, sports betting, simulcasting and proposals for expansion of gaming outside of Atlantic City. Beck continues to propose solutions to provide alternative gaming at the race tracks.

 Although the Christie administration has ended the subsidies previously enjoyed by the racing industry, it is unfair to tie Beck to the failures of the current administration, as Gopal’s oped did. Beck has been aggressive and vocal in her efforts to preserve and enhance racing in the state and to suggest otherwise is simply untrue.

Nice going, Vin. Happy Birthday.