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, EditorSUN SHINES IN FLORIDAThe Speaker of the House in Florida, Allan Bense,now says he could call a special session in October,or possibly November, to write rules for SouthFlorida slot machines. “I think it’s going to haveto happen,” Bense was reported to have told histop deputies, a pleasant change from thelegislature’s adjournment last spring without takingany action on the matter. Bense was quotedby south Florida’s Sun-Sentinel as saying Houseand Senate negotiators are inching closer to compromiseson the two chief slot issues -- how muchto tax the revenue, and whether to allow Vegasstyleslots or only bingo-style machines.BROCK COULD BE BIG PLAYERWhen Bob Roberts writes racing in the ClevelandPlain Dealer, people pay attention. Itwas news, therefore, when Roberts speculatedin his dispatch this morning about whetherBrock Milstein, the chairman of HTA memberNorthfield Park and senior VP of HTA, mightbe interested in buying Thistledown if MagnaEntertainment should decide to sell it. Thatpossibility arose earlier this week when Magnapresident and CEO Tom Hodgson leftThistledown out of his list of Magna’s “premier”tracks, and hinted that some lesser Magnalights might be sold. The Meadows nearPittsburgh also was not named by Hodgson asa premier asset, although he did say its businesscould be grown by $50 to $60 million withthe expected advent of slots in Pennsylvanianext year. Roberts went farther in his speculation,asking if Milstein “would be more interestedin The Meadows” if it were put up forsale, and he quoted Northfield’s CEO, TomAldrich, as saying, “That’s a very good question.Brock’s heart is in Cleveland, but slotsare not in Ohio.” Roberts suggestedthat if it did, Magna “might be cradlingThistledown in its arms.”July 27, 2005DARK HEADLINES DOWN UNDERChemicals in racing are not solely a North Americanissue. They are commanding black headlinesin New Zealand and Australia as well. Yesterday,one of New Zealand’s best known trainers,Mark Purdon, pleaded guilty inChristchurch to acting “in a manner detrimentalto the interests of harness racing.” Purdonadmitted to administering “a substance” twiceto a pacer in his care, but said he did not know itwas propantheline bromide, or Blue Magic.Purdon said he was introduced to the supplier ofthe stuff, Robert Asquith, by his principal owner,John Seaton. Both are dead, reportedly suicides,although the Christchurch coroner has not gottenaround yet to officially confirming that muchpublicized fact. Purdon faces suspension fromracing and a fine of up to $25,000 when he issentenced in two weeks.While this was going on in New Zealand,Sydney’s leading thoroughbred trainer GaiWaterhouse was making headlines in Australia.Her horse Love You Honey turned up positivefor cocaine after a race April 25, and Ms.Waterhouse now says her daughter reportsSydney is “awash” with cocaine and the positivecould have resulted from stable employeesvisiting nightclubs where cocaine use is “epidemic”according to Ms. Waterhouse’s son anddaughter. One groom in the Waterhouse stablehas admitted to being a cocaine user, and Ms.Waterhouse insists “nobody has given this horsecocaine.”BIG MONEY ON THE LINEFour $250,000 finals in the Classic series for olderhorses, and two $100,000 eliminations for nextweek’s $1.5 million Hambletonian, will be racedSaturday night at the Meadowlands. In addition,there will be $632,000 in purses on Mohawk’Saturday night card.