2002 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

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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 CHARLES DAY DEAD AT 73 Charles E. Day, one of New England’s best known harness racing figures, died Wednesday, a day after his car rolled over in a one-car accident in Monmouth, Maine. Day, 73, was the former CEO of Lewiston Raceway, a major owner in an earlier day in harness racing, and a highly successful entrepreneur who founded and operated a wide variety of companies up and down the east coast. His best known horses were the half-mile track world champion and sire Falcon Seelster, and two million-dollar winners, the pacers Incredible Finale and Pacific, which Day co-owned with George Steinbrenner. Funeral services were held today at the Temple Sholom Synagogue in Auburn, Maine. NTRA, CUP FLEX MUSCLES When you’ve got it, flaunt it, and the powerful partnership of Breeders’ Cup Ltd. and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association is making sure its monies go to racetracks that belong to NTRA. John Harrell, writing in the Louisville Courier- Journal, says Breeders’ Cup is threatening to withdraw the very substantial financial support it provides to tracks to enhance their stakes programs unless they join or rejoin the NTRA. Harrell quoted Charles J. Cella, president of Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, AR, as saying he plans to rejoin after two years of non-membership because he is being pressured by the Breeders’ Cup-NTRA membership requirement. Tampa Bay Downs, whose horsemen do not belong to NTRA, also announced it was rejoining, but GM Peter Berube, in announcing the decision to recommit, declined to comment when asked if the Breeders’ Cup had discussed withdrawing its funds from his Breeders’ Cup special stakes, a race that receives $35,000 in Cup money. A Breeders’ Cup spokesman said it made no sense for the Cup to fund stakes at non-member tracks. October 11, 2002 NEW HIPPODROME HIERARCHY Jean-Pierre Lareau has left Hippodrome de Montreal as general manager and reportedly may take up a new career as an agent representing major league hockey players. The new top executives representing SONACC at the Montreal track are Denis Gauthier, president chairman of the board; Constant Bergeron, president; and Stephane Bibeau, executive vice president and CEO. Yvon Giguere, who has served as the track’s alternate director on the HTA board, remains as simulcast and data system manager for SONACC and its subsidiary companies. DON’T MESS WITH THIS DRAW When post positions are drawn for Woodbine Entertainment’s $7 million Breeders Crown events next Tuesday, owners and trainers better take what they get without moaning or complaining. The special guest drawmaster will be Lennox Lewis, undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Lewis, raised in nearby Kitchener, Ontario, but now living in England, has recorded 31 knockouts among his 40 boxing victories, and gained innumerable new fans last June 8 by disposing of Mike Tyson by knockout in eight rounds. We suggest if you draw the outside in any of the Crowns, just walk away quietly and tell the wife life’s terrible. HIGH STAKES IN WASHINGTON The state of Washington, faced with a $2 billion budget shortfall, is considering breaking the Indian monopoly on slots in the state and opening the gates to 37,000 machines in bars, card rooms, restaurants, bingo halls and racetracks. Indian tribes naturally are fighting the proposal vigorously, but one Seattle legislator said he thought a lot of legislators “will be holding their nose with one hand while they push the yes button with the other.”
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 October14, 2002 WISCONSIN DOGS BARKING Charles Town purses, which averaged between Not only barking, but barking loudly, trying to take $30,000 and $40,000 a day pre-slots, now average their case against Indian gambling directly to the between $130,000 and $140,000 a day. Some 5,500 Wisconsin Supreme Court. Lawyers for Dairyland of the track’s 25,000 Saturday attendees are racing fans, and 2,000 of the 12,500 on weekdays. Greyhound Park asked the state’s highest court last Friday to take the case, which seeks to stop Washington Post columnist Andy Beyer, commenting on the devastating effect West Virginia racing the governor from renewing tribal gaming compacts. The track scored an appeals court victory with slots has had on Maryland’s non-slots racing, last month when that tribunal overturned a county noted that purses for last Saturday night’s eight court judge’s dismissal of the suite and sent it back West Virginia Breeders’ Classics totaled $850,000, to the trial court, but Dairyland says it doesn’t have and $5,000 claimers raced for a $14,700 purse last enough time to litigate the dispute before gambling week. agreements come up for renewal in mid-February, 2003, and it wants the Supreme Court to accept the case and cut short the appeals process. As matters now stand, if Wisconsin’s governor does not give a notice of non-renewal by the mid-February date, the compact automatically renews for another five years. REALITY IN WEST VIRGINIA If there are doubters out there who still question what slots can do for racetracks, today’s lesson is West Virginia, or more specifically Charles Town Races in that state. The track draws 25,000 on Saturdays, approximately half of that on weekdays, and most of them are not West Virginians. Charles Town says 36% come from Virginia, 34% from Maryland, 17% from Pennsylvania, 6% from the Washington DC area, and the remaining 7% from West Virginia. Gross revenues last year were $7.8 million from racing, $81.3 million from slots. Each of the track’s 2,567 slots averages $267 a day, and Charles Town is just one of four state tracks with slot machines. Overall, West Virginia tracks and horsemen shared $344 million last year, 58% of the state total, with $256 million going to the tracks and $74 million to purses. Another $14 million went to track improvements. Maryland’s problems are not limited to West Virginia purses. A Post story this morning says that 1.2 million Marylanders visit Delaware casinos each year, and that to protect that advantage Delaware is considering professional sports betting to its wagering menu. State representative Bill Oberle, who has spoken at HTA meetings and was instrumental in getting slot legislation introduced in Delaware, is supporting the idea, saying, “Once you’re in the gaming business, quite honestly, you have competition to think about.” ALL STOCKS ARE NOT DOWN Perhaps the least likely source to tout Las Vegas stock -- Fortune magazine -- gave the gambling stocks a thumbs up this month, noting that while the S&P has plummeted 27% this year, Mandalay stock is up 63%, Harrah’s is up 29%, and MGM Mirage is up 28%. Fortune says the reason for the hot streak is simple: business is booming. BROWN WINS 3-WAY RACE Breeder Martha Brown of Walnut Hall Stud is returning to the USTA board of directors. Mrs. Brown defeated incumbent Brooks Wells and fellow breeder Alan J. Leavitt in the District 6 elections in Lexington, KY.
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2002 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

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