HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA
Executive Newsletter
A daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyond
Stanley F. Bergstein, Editor
January 9, 2008
DIRT-Y DOINGS IN CALIFORNIA
The California Horse Racing Board yesterday
voted unanimously to allow Santa Anita to run
some or all of its remaining races at Hollywood
Park if it cannot solve the drainage problem
with its Cushion Track quickly. Board chairman
Richard Shapiro said of the decision, “We are
removing any regulatory impediment” for Santa
Anita, including the option to return to dirt until
a new synthetic track could be installed. Shapiro
said the board was not deciding that racing
should be transferred to Hollywood Park, but
rather removing any restrictions “for the benefit
of all parties.” According to the California
Thoroughbred Breeders Association boardwatch,
50% fewer horses have died since the synthetic
track mandate became effective. The newsletter
says before the new surfaces were installed,
there was 1 horse death per 443 starts, and since
installation the incidence of fatal accidents had
dropped to 1 in 913.
FAIRMOUNT SLASHES DATES
Fairmount Park in southern Illinois has announced
it will shorten its season by 33 1/3%
this year, cutting back from 90 racing dates to
60. Track president Brian Zander said financial
strains on the track from competing riverboat
competition was making the move necessary. His
action came as the Illinois legislature continued
its contentious debate about new gambling laws
that could include slots at Illinois tracks. The
casino industry has been bitterly opposing the
idea, claiming oversaturation of the market, as it
has in New Jersey, but one key Illinois legislator
backing the move -- Rep. Lou Lang of Chicago’s
northwestern suburb of Skokie -- said the real
and only reason for the opposition is that the riverboats
do not want the tracks to have slots. The
Illinois House, Michael Madigan, said the
riverboats will have to learn they may
not get exactly what they want.
SCOT WATERMAN THE MAN
Dr. Scot Waterman, executive director of the
Racing Medication and Testing Consortium, is
the 2008 winner of Harness Tracks of America’s
Distinguished Service Award. Waterman will
receive HTA’s equine bronze at the association’s
Nova Awards dinner Tuesday night, February
19, during the joint HTA/TRA annual meeting
at the Renaissance Vinoy hotel in St. Petersburg,
Florida. A graduate of the University of
Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and an
honors graduate of the University of Arizona
Race Track Industry Program, Dr. Waterman
played a leading role in the creation of the Medication
and Testing Consortium and has been its
leader and driving force in the five years since
its inception. He has campaigned tirelessly,
coast-to-coast, urging racing commissions to
adopt RMTC guidelines, and more than 25 have
agreed. Brock Milstein, president of HTA, called
Waterman’s work “inspirational, and of huge
benefit to the entire horseracing industry.”
CLASSIC SERIES: PAY 1 FEE
The Classic Series for older pacers and trotters
will kick off this year on April 7 at Dover Downs.
The series offers a solid deal to owners who nominate,
requiring only a single nomination payment
on February 15 for the three $85,000 preliminary
legs and the chance to qualify for the $250,000 final
at each gait. Mohawk Racetrack will host the
second leg May 31, the Meadowlands will offer
the third leg on July19, and the finals will be held
with the Hambletonian eliminations a week later.
THE RUMOR MILL REPORTS
Rumors from Pennsylvania predict big changes in
the composition of the state’s racing boards can be
expected in the next six months. The harness racing
commission, reports say, will be merged with
the thoroughbred board, and casualties could include
Ben Nolt on the thoroughbred board
and Anton Leppler on the harness side.