New Jersey's Luchento honored

May 30, 2008

Thomas F. Luchento, president of the Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey, has been selected to receive the Stanley Dancer Media Award for 2008 from the New Jersey Chapter of the U.S. Harness Writers Association.

The Dancer Award honors an individual whose efforts on behalf of racing and cooperation with the media are in keeping with the example set by the late Hall of Fame driver and trainer Stanley Dancer, a native of New Egypt, New Jersey.

Luchento was recognized for his positive representation of the Standardbred industry before state lawmakers and with journalists for whom he was a cooperative and quotable source.

�As president of the SBOANJ, Tom Luchento has taken the cause of the health and well-being of harness racing in New Jersey beyond the parameters of his position,� said USHWA-NJ President Moira Fanning. �He has personally written, called, communicated, visited and contacted every legislator and media person possible to enlighten them on just how valuable racing is to New Jersey. He has reached out to various groups and factions to present a unified front in negotiating for harness racing.

�The horsemen of New Jersey are fortunate to have him as an ambassador, and we are delighted to honor him with the Stanley Dancer Media award,� she added.

�I�m honored to be selected for the Stanley Dancer Media Award, named for a native of New Jersey whose achievements on the track and representation of the industry to the public were second to none,� said Luchento. �I want to express my appreciation to the reporters for their cooperation in spotlighting our message on the importance of protecting the health of the racing industry and the preservation of the farms and open space in New Jersey. I thank the members of the New Jersey chapter of the USHWA for this recognition.

�I believe that our partnership with all the other equine groups in the state has been paramount to putting forth one message for the betterment of everyone in the horse industry,� Luchento noted. �I have to thank my board of directors, horsemen�s reps, our lobbyist Leon Zimmerman, our publicist Carol Hodes, the SBOANJ staff, especially executive director Leo McNamara, and all those who helped in making this possible.�

Luchento, 62, was a teenager when he first went to work for future Hall of Famer Anthony Abbatiello in 1960. He opened his own stable in 1968, campaigning horses on the New Jersey circuit until 2001, including New Jersey Two-Year-Old Filly of the Year in 1982, Christine�s Bunny.

He joined the SBOANJ board of directors a dozen years ago and has been president of the organization, which represents thousands of drivers, trainers, owners, breeders and caretakers, for three years.

In 1991, he opened Luchento�s, a popular country Italian restaurant located on Route 33 in Millstone, NJ, walking distance from both Gaitway Farms and Showplace Farms, two of the pre-eminent training centers in New Jersey.

Previous winners of the Dancer Award, which was created in 1991, were drivers John Campbell, Herve Filion, Ray Remmen and Luc Ouellette; trainers Robbie Siegelman, Kelly Stackowicz and George Teague Jr.; the father-son team of Carl and Rod Allen; the duo of trainer Jimmy Takter and owner/amateur driver Mal Burroughs, the Meirs Family of Walnridge Farms for the Niatross Tour and Robert J. Sharkey, the go-to guy at Meadowlands. (USHWA-NJ)

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