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, EditorINQUIRY ON POSITIVES IN KYJim Gallagher’s charges that the former KentuckyRacing Commission overlooked drug positives andthat commission policies never went through properadministrative review have gone to the Office ofInspector General. Bernie Hettel, who was firedfrom his former job as executive director and chiefsteward in Kentucky, denies Gallagher’s charges.Gallagher, for his part, says he “just wants to moveforward...to make sure this sort of thing never happensagain.” He followed up on that statement bytelling the new Racing Authority he would like toupdate all of Kentucky’s pari-mutuel rules andregulations and make them applicable to all threebreeds. This would be a welcome change from thepast double standard, where harness horses andthoroughbreds were subject to different standards,with full approval of the former commission andits executive director.OK FOR GOOSE, NOT GANDER?The Indiana legislature refused to approve slotsfor the state’s two racetracks, but now the HoosierLottery is asking for the same thing. Thelottery’s executive director, Esther Q.Schneider, has asked the Indiana attorney generalfor a legal opinion on whether current lawallows the lottery to offer new games, includingelectronic gambling devices. She added thatnew games would be implemented only with legislativeapproval. Assuming that what is goodfor the Indiana goose would be good for theIndiana gander, it seems a favorable decisionon Ms. Schneider’s request would be the heightof inequity. Lottery profits are expected to fallabout 5% in the budget year that ended June30, and Ms. Schneider says, “We’re looking atall the different ways we can increase revenueand our bottom line.” We’re pretty certain,Ms. Schneider, that’s exactly whatHoosier Park and Indiana Downs werehoping to do.July 13, 2005OHHA ISSUES ULTIMATUMThe Ontario Harness Horse Association and anorganization called National Capital Region HarnessHorse Association, representing horsemenin the Ottawa area of Rideau Carleton Raceway,are tangling over membership. OHHA presidentJim Whelan sent a letter to OHHA members inDistrict 1, covering that area, telling them theycannot be members of both organizations, and askingthem to make their choice. Whelan explainedthat OHHA needed to confirm its membership, andthat only those who chose OHHA as its sole andexclusive bargaining agent would continue to receivebenefits of OHHA membership. His lettersaid members of the NCRHHA could not continueto be members of OHHA and would have to maketheir choice.NEW BUSINESS FOR MAGNAAdd a new product to Magna Entertainment’s inventory.The company has announced it has builta plant in Lumberton, North Carolina, to manufacturea pellet form of straw to be sold for beddingunder the brand name STREUfex. TheLumberton plant will process local straw into pelletsthat “work almost like kitty litter.” The newbedding was the only product allowed for stall beddingat Magna’s Palm Meadows training facilityin Florida this year, and the results led to Magnaproduction of the pellets.PIERCE NOW OWNS A RUNNERHarness racing’s hottest driver now is a thoroughbredowner. Ron Pierce, inducted into theHall of Fame in Goshen a week ago Sunday, issending out a 2-year-old called Blackout OThree in Monmouth Park’s fourth race tomorrow.Ron bought the Louis Quatorze-Quiet Expressby Quiet American colt for $20,000 as aweanling, after stopping at neighboring farm inClarksburg, NJ, when a flight taking him toToronto for a race was cancelled by ablackout.