2005 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, Editor“USE A CLUB” IN MARYLANDThe state controller of Maryland, William DonaldSchaefer, who is former governor, has suggestedthe present governor, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., bringin House Speaker Michael Busch “and club himwith a club” to get slots at tracks. Busch was quickto reply, saying that if Ehrlich took Schaefer’s advice,he should train the weapon on Senate presidentThomas V. Mike Miller. “If the governorwants to execute the suggestion to use a club,he should point it in the direction of the otherMike, the president of the Senate,” Busch said.Schaefer, in addition to suggesting the governorclub Busch, had a more positive idea. “Myadmonition is to ask the business community toget involved. The Greater Baltimore Committeeis sitting on their hands. There’s time yet todo this.” Schaefer was referring to the threatof Magna Entertainment to move Maryland’sgreatest race, the Preakness. Schaefer saidbusiness leaders don’t believe the threat, butobviously he does. Gov. Ehrlich did not agreewith Schaefer on losing the Preakness. “We arenot going to lose the Preakness, but I need alittle cooperation from downstairs to get it done,”he said, referring to the House and SpeakerBusch.A LESSON FOR HORSE RACINGGary Tanaka, the co-founder of Amerindo InvestmentAdvisors and a major figure in thoroughbredracing, has been charged with fraud and, accordingto The Blood-Horse, is being held at a federaldetention facility pending bail, with a hearing setfor tomorrow. The Securities and Exchange Commission,meanwhile, has filed a lawsuit in federalcourt asking a judge to appoint a temporary receiverfor Amerindo. How refreshingly differentfrom horse racing itself. If this were a rac- i n gmatter, instead of a major fraud case,Tanaka would still be running Amerindoon appeal.June 2, 2005JOCKEY CLUB V. HEMINGSEvery so often racing takes itself so seriously thatit looks ridiculous. Here’s the latest instance: TheJockey Club, which has approved a few doubleentendre names with salacious interpretations inrecent years, has taken great offense that GarrettRedmond, owner of Ballycapple Farm in Paris,KY, asked to name a runner Sally Hemings, theslave who was reportedly the mistress of ThomasJefferson, and whose descendants surfacedin the news with fanfare in the last year. TheJockey Club first had no idea who Sally Hemingswas, telling Redmond he would have to get herpermission to use her name. Redmond wroteback that “I will gladly get her permission if youcan dig her up.” And he asked, with good cause,if the Jockey Club had required written permissionwhen it approved Louis Quatorze, theFrench king Louis XIV, or Buddha? Chastenedbut unbowed, the Jockey Club then decided SallyHemings was notorious, or at least famous, anddenied Redmond’s application. Redmond hasnow filed a federal lawsuit. If there ever was acase where we hoped an owner would win, thisis it. Racing has enough problems without absurditybeing added to the list.CONRAD SETS US STRAIGHTTwo days ago we reported here that 96 of 318school districts in Pennsylvania had rebuffed thegovernor, Ed Rendell, by rejecting participationin Act 72, the property tax relief program tied toslots at Pennsylvania tracks. Our trusted directorfrom The Downs at Pocono, ConradSobkowiak, responded before the ink had driedon the release that “It’s worse than that. Thereare 501 school districts in Pennsylvania, with only96 voting to take the slots money.” Gov. EdRendell responded, too, but not to us. He toldAssociated Press he would “have to look for anothervehicle to provide Pennsylvania withproperty tax relief.”