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
CONSOLIDATION IN CHICAGO?
The Chicago Tribune, quoting both HTA director
Tom Carey III and Charles Bidwell III as sources,
says consolidation of Hawthorne Race Course and
Sportsman’s Park into one corporation could be
as close as a month away. Bidwell told the paper,
“We’ve kind of set deadlines for each other to have
something more definitive in writing. I think within
30 days we’re going to be able to show the racing
board some real definitive stuff. We’ve worked
out everything else as far as organization. I think
we’re very close.” Carey also said the merger
could come within a month, indicating that the
problem is in economics and that “certain aspects
need to be attended to.” The “certain aspects”
are believed to involve Sportsman’s debt rising
from its renovation costs in converting the track
to an unsuccessful auto racing track several years
ago and other potential stumbling blocks, including
Sportsman’s right to operate off-track betting
parlors once live racing ceases there; continuing
real estate taxes on the track; and potential revenues
from the Rosemont casino, when and if it
gets built. Under the proposed agreement, all live
racing would take place at Hawthorne, and 780
years of thoroughbred racing at Sportsman’s Park
would end.
HOTEL, SHOPS AT BIG M?
Although New Jersey governor James
McGreevey’s office won’t discuss it, persistent
reports are circulating that the giant Virginia developer
Mills Corporation has submitted proposals
to build a 300,000 square-feet convention center,
hotel and retail shops on the site of the Continental
Airlines Arena adjacent to the Meadowlands
Racetrack at the New Jersey Sports and Exposition
Authority. The most the governor’s of- fice
would say was that discussions are ongoing,
and that further details would not be
forthcoming at this time.
May 6, 2002
NJ WIDENS BREEDING RULES
With the stroke of his pen, New Jersey Gov. James
McGreevey has substantially widened eligibility
rules as to what constitutes a New Jersey-bred
horse. McGreevey signed legislation that allows
foals bred out of New Jersey with semen transported
from that state to be eligible to the rich New
Jersey Sire Stakes program, beginning with this
year’s breeding season. “The elimination of the
requirement that Standardbred horses be bred in
New Jersey will bring additional vitality and competition
to the Sire Stakes races,” McGreevey said
on signing the bill. Until now, horses had to be
bred in the state, but now as long as the stallion is
registered and stands in New Jersey, conception
using his transported semen can be foaled anywhere
and be eligible to the Jersey races. As of
mid-April, the U. S. Trotting Association reports
74 mares bred out of New Jersey by semen from
New Jersey stallions, as opposed to 6 at the same
time last year.
WAR EMBLEM AND ED RYAN
Both were wire-to-wire winners over the weekend,
but only one gets to go to Denmark as the result
of the victory. Scioto Downs’general manager won
the final of the World Cup of Amateur Driving
Qualifying Tournament at Pompano, earning a trip
as U.S. representative in the World Cup of Amateur
Driving in Denmark in July. The other winner
only gets to go to Baltimore.
VARENNE AGAIN, IN NAPLES
The world’s best trotter, American-bred, Italianowned
Varenne, set a track record in winning Italy’s
most prestigious race, the Grand Premio Lotteria
in Naples.
APOLOGIES TO MIKE
Mike Izzo, executive director of HHI, was inadvertently
omitted here last week in a report
on harness racing representatives at the
Medication Summit in Louisville.