Jason M. Settlemoir is COO/GM of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC and Winners Bayonne OTW in New Jersey, and serves as vice president of racing, simulcast, and sponsorship for American Racing and Entertainment (Tioga Downs and Vernon Downs) He is also simulcast and sponsorship director for the Little Brown Jug, announcer in his home state of Ohio, USTA director, Grand Circuit director, and a member of the Little Brown Jug Society.
An active Standardbred owner, Settlemoir has been part of many successful horses, including world champion trotting mare Perfect Alliance and Ohio Sire Stake champion Drunk On Your Love His contributions to the sport have earned him major recognition, including the Lew Barasch Breakthrough Award, the USHWA “Good Guy” Award, the President’s Award, and the prestigious Stanley Bergstein Proximity Award in 2023.
Beyond racing, he has supported organizations such as Toys for Tots, Make-A-Wish, Wounded Warriors Ranch, and the Red Cross A proud Ohio native, he follows Buckeye sports and the Cleveland Browns, enjoys time with family and friends, and loves fishing the ocean He lives in Allentown, N J with his son Travis
Jason Settlemoir - GM of Meadowlands (Jay Shapiro on right)
Florida Horse Racing News
Enter Autumn 2025, Florida’s Thoroughbred racing community is locking in key fall meets and preparing for a pivotal stretch. The months ahead won’t just set the tone for 2026 they may determine whether the industry can maintain its footing amid legislative uncertainty.
Autumn Stakes and Live Cards
Tampa Bay Downs’ 2025–26 meet rolls out in August with live racing dates beginning that fall and early winter. The track has announced purse enhancements for Florida-bred horses to boost local participation Gulfstream Park continues to accept entries for late summer and early fall events, with emphasis on stakes races that bridge into the winter season
Highlighted races to watch include:
Kitten’s Joy Stakes a Listed turf event at Gulfstream that often draws strong milers ready to test form before the winter campaign
J.R. Malouff Marathon Claiming August 29 on the national stakes calendar, part of the late-summer stretch build-up
FTBOA Florida-Bred Stakes Series Florida-only stakes in November spotlighting homegrown talent
These fall races serve more than prestige; they act as litmus tests for wagering volume, spectator engagement, and the viability of expanded or sustained racing calendars into 2026
Fall 2025 Florida Racing Calendar
August / September
Tampa Bay Downs launches live racing & Florida-bred purse boosts Early season cards build momentum for the fall slate
October
Gulfstream stakes cards, including mid-fall feature events
A key month for bridging to higher profile winter meets
November
FTBOA Florida-Bred Stakes Series begins A spotlight on local talent and state pride racing
The Decoupling Shadow
Even as fall racing ramps up, the question of decoupling looms large The 2021 Decoupling Law in Florida freed many pari-mutuel operators from the requirement to run live races to maintain their casino or slot machine licenses but notably excluded Gulfstream Park This created a regulatory imbalance that Gulfstream is now challenging in court, arguing the law unfairly singles it out.
Earlier in 2025, the Florida House passed a bill that would allow Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs to decouple after five years, meaning they could operate casino or card-game offerings without hosting live races That proposal drew fierce opposition from breeders, trainers, and industry advocates While the Legislature did not ultimately pass a decoupling measure in its spring session, the threat has not disappeared. In fact, Gulfstream’s lawsuit underscores just how central this issue remains. For fall 2025, the stakes aren’t just on the track. Every race-day handle, every attendance figure, and every purse payment will be closely watched not only for competitive success but for their symbolic value in the fight against decoupling attempts
Jay Shapiro to Produce “Buddy Jacobson The Movie” based
Publisher Jay Shapiro has announced the production of a new film chronicling the controversial life of Buddy Jacobson once the most successful racehorse trainer in the United States and a flamboyant figure in 1970s Manhattan nightlife. Shapiro’s connection to the story is personal. His mother, Dawn Eve, was one of Buddy Jacobson’s fashion models in New York during the height of Jacobson’s modeling agency years. At one point, Dawn was even offered the lead supporting role in Taxi Driver alongside Robert De Niro. Recently, in a twist of fate, Shapiro took a maternal DNA test and discovered that famed racing mogul Jeffrey Gural is a close cousin match Shapiro was stunned to learn that Gural was once a business associate of Jacobson’s in the horse racing world
Further deepening the synchronicity, Shapiro had a chance encounter with Robert, a long-time friend of Jacobson and a respected executive in the racing industry, at Matteo’s Trattoria in Hallandale Beach “It was more than coincidence it felt like a calling,” said Shapiro “Meeting Robert and finding out about Jeffrey Gural being family solidified my decision to bring Buddy’s story to the screen ”
The action / drama / mafia film will explore Jacobson’s meteoric rise from Brooklyn stable boy to real estate millionaire and modeling agent, his notorious 1980 trial for the murder of John Tupper, and his daring escape from the Brooklyn House of Detention events that captivated national headlines and shook the city’s elite It will also probe the controversial conviction, alleged prosecutorial suppression of evidence, and the prison interviews where Jacobson, battling cancer, proclaimed his innocence until his last breath Shapiro’s vision is not to glorify or vilify Jacobson, but to portray him as the complex, driven, and charismatic figure he was flawed, brilliant, and unforgettable. “This isn’t just true crime,” Shapiro explains. “It’s about the American dream, ego, love, betrayal, and the thin line between genius and madness.”
Casting and production dates will be announced very soon at: www.BuddyJacobsonMovie.com
