2002 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

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
ONE DOWN IN INDIANA
The Indiana House yesterday afternoon approved,
by a narrow 51-47 vote, its complex budget bill
that includes 700 slot-like pull-tab machines for
tracks and OTBs, and sent it to the Senate, where
it faces an uncertain fate. In a move that is hard
to evaluate as to consequences, the chairman of
the House Ways and Means committee, Democrat
B. Patrick Bauer, chose senator Robert
Meeks, rather than longtime Senate Finance chairman
Larry Borst, to shepherd the bill through the
Republican-controlled Senate. Borst, whose attitude
toward the bill, at least in these quarters, is
enigmatic, still will have an opportunity to fine tune
the bill when his finance committee considers it.
Asked why he chose Meeks rather than Borst --
who has been a key figure in all racing legislation
in Indiana -- to handle the bill in the Senate, Bauer
said, “We’re in deep, deep trouble, and we do have
to act now.” If the big budget bill, designed to help
Indiana out of a serious budget crisis, passes the
Senate in the form approved by the House, Hoosier
Park and Indianapolis Downs and off-track
betting parlors in Indianapolis and Marion county
would receive 700 pull-tab machines each. Indiana
governor Frank O’Bannon termed yesterday’s
House vote “a win for Hoosiers” and warned that
if he doesn’t receive a bill to consider by the end
of this month, he will call the legislature back for
another 40-day special session until he gets one.
NO GOODLATTE VOTE...AGAIN
The expected House Judiciary committee vote on
Virginia congressman Bob Goodlatte’s Internet
gambling prohibition bill was postponed again yesterday,
this time at the request of Goodlatte. He
said consensus had been reached and, speaking
of Indian opposition to the bill, said it was n o t
designed to put all gambling on the same
footing.
June 7, 2002
RUNNERS AT FLAMBORO?
The Hamilton, Ontario, Spectator, quoting Magna
Entertainment’s vice president and chief financial
officer Graham Orr, says runners might
be added to the menu at the half-mile Ontario track
MEC is buying from owner Charlie Juravinski for
$47 million (U.S.). Orr told the newspaper’s Jennifer
Chiu “There may be an opportunity to run
standardbred and thoroughbred (meetings) in the
future. We are not certain at this point.” Orr said
it was too premature to say how Flamboro might
be changed, which would seem a requisite to accommodate
runners.
BIG RACES THIS WEEKEND
War Emblem and the Belmont hold center stage
without reservation, but some major rich races are
on tap in harness racing this weekend as well. At
The Meadowlands, four $250,000 finals of the
Classic Series for older horses and two $50,000
New Jersey Sire Stakes for 3-year-old pacing colts
anchor a rich million-dollar plus card. Camotion is
favored in the Pacing Classic for older pacers;
Casual Breeze is the favorite in the Classic Oaks
for trotting mares; Plesac is a narrow top choice
over Lyell Creek in the Trotting Classic; and 2001
Horse of the Year Bunny Lake has been installed
as morning line favorite for the Classic Distaff for
pacers, despite a slow start this season.
In Cleveland, Northfield Park’s Miller Lite Cleveland
Classic has been split into two $111,100 divisions,
with full fields of eight in each. Noble Cam
is favored in the first, a narrow choice over Henry
Clay, and Western Maverick is the 8-5 favorite in
the second division. Attesting to his popularity at
Northfield, champion driver Walter Case Jr. was
named on four of eight horses in the first division
before choosing Noble Cam. Purses total more
than $420,000 for the 13-race card.