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
FIRE DISASTER AT WOODBINE
The greatest fear in racing -- fire -- struck Woodbine
in Toronto early Sunday morning, with estimates
of up to 32 thoroughbreds lost in the blaze.
The count was uncertain, since some horses were
turned loose from the 126 stalls in barns 7 and 7A
that were destroyed at the track and others were
taken to veterinary centers for treatment. One
groom, 38-year-old Ernest Tambwe from Zaire, the
father of five children, was hospitalized for smoke
inhalation after being credited with saving 56
horses. He lost $600 and a cell phone from his
pocket during the 20 minutes he spent freeing
horses after calling 911, and was most concerned
in his hospital bed about buying school clothes and
supplies that he had promised his children Sunday
morning. Woodbine, which cancelled Sunday
afternoon’s card, lost major revenue in addition to
the two barns, but spokesman John Siscos said,
“The last thing on our minds was the bottom line
and how much money we’d be losing.” The loss to
owners and trainers of the dead horses is incalculable.
One trainer, Steve Owens, lost his entire
14-horse stable, including the 4-year-old Highland
Legacy, a $400,000 winner and Canada’s juvenile
colt of the year two years ago, and Legal Heir, a
$191,814 winner that won the last race on Saturday
night’s card, missing the track record by a fifth
of a second. As usual, a number of horses that
had been released ran back into what they perceived
as the security of their stalls and perished.
Woodbine president David Willmot, a major owner
himself, praised track security personnel and
horsemen, saying, “It’s unbelievable how many
horses were saved, thanks to the people of the
backstretch, the security people, the fire department
and the police department.” The only previous
fatal stable area fire at Woodbine, on July 10,
1990, ironically also occurred in barn 7A.
Racing resumed today, a holiday in Canada.
August 5, 2002
HUGE LOTO SUIT IN QUEBEC
A city lawyer who is a recovering gambling addict
is filing a $700 million class action lawsuit in Quebec
Superior Court against Loto-Quebec, the provincial
lottery. Jean Brochu plans to claim damages
and interest of $578.7 million, or $4,863 for
each of the 119,000 claimants in the suit. Brochu
also is seeking $119 million in exemplary damages,
or $1,000 per compulsive gambler, and says that
sum could be placed in a trust for a foundation that
would subsidize research, prevention and treatment
of gamblers addicted to using video lottery
terminals. Brochu is a former municipal lawyer
who defrauded his professional association of some
$50,000 to feed his gambling habit, according to
the Toronto Star. Loto-Quebec’s attorney said the
lawsuit “will be vigorously contested.”
RAZE PIMLICO: STRONACH
Frank Stronach, chairman of Magna Entertainment,
is quoted in today’s Baltimore Sun as saying
Pimlico Race Course, about to become part of
his racing empire, “needs to be torn down and totally
rebuilt from scratch.” Stronach said he would
like to see the track torn down after next year’s
Preakness and have the Triple Crown classic raced
at its sister track Laurel in 2004 while Pimlico is
completely rebuilt. Stronach’s purchase of 51%
controlling interest in Pimlico and Laurel is pending
approval of the Maryland Racing Commission.
NEW TEST IDEAS DOWN UNDER
With support of the Australian Trainers Association,
New South Wales’ thoroughbred racing board
is about to introduce off-competition testing between
races. “It is the performance-enhancing
drugs, such as EPO, that is the thrust of testing
out-of-competition,” chief steward Ray Murrihy
announced. Vets and owners also have approved
the move.