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, EditorWE LOSE OUR GREATEST NAMEHarness racing lost its brightest star today, whenStanley Dancer died at 78 at his home in PompanoBeach, Florida. The best known harnesshorseman of the modern era -- some outsidersthought he was a horse, but all knew his name,and many knew nothing else but that about harnessracing -- he has suffered in recent years fromthe effects of numerous back injuries and surgeriessuffered during his spectacular racing career.He drove the winners of five Hambletonians --Egyptian Candor, Nevele Pride, Super Bowl,Bonefish and Duenna -- and won harness racing’sTriple Crown of trotting twice, with Nevele Pridein 1968 and Super Bowl in 1972. He also wonpacing’s Little Brown Jug four times, with HenryT. Adios, Lehigh Hanover, Most Happy Fella andKeystone Ore. To the generation that followedharness racing in its halcyon years in the 1960sat Roosevelt Raceway and Yonkers Raceway inNew York, he was the sport. He went to the bigcity from his farm home in New Egypt, NJ, in the1950s and revolutionized the game, breaking theback of single file racing with his bold aggressiveness.At the height of his career he appearedon television’s number one program, the EdSullivan Show, with Cardigan Bay, the sport’s firstmillion dollar winner that he had bought for$100,000 in New Zealand. He developed NevelePride into a three-time Horse of the Year, andappeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated withthat horse in the August 25, 1968 issue. He wasa guest of President Lyndon Johnson at the WhiteHouse the same year. Dancer won 3,781 racesduring his driving career that ended, appropriately,with an 11 1/2-length stakes win with thetrotter Lifelong Victory at Garden State Park inhis native New Jersey on Sept. 21, 1995. HTAextends its sympathies to his wife Jody, his sonRon, a legislator in New Jersey, and theentire Dancer family. The sport was enrichedby Stan’s legacy.September 8, 2005GURAL, SCOTT IN VERNON PACTThe long battle for Vernon Downs may be over,and the track could reopen as early as Novemberif a court approves an agreement betweenNew York breeder-owner Jeff Gural and Las Vegasentrepreneur Shawn Scott. Gural, who hasloaned Vernon some $1.5 million and has courtpermission to loan another $600,000, toldUticaOD.com, “We have reached a deal. Weare in the final stages of exchanging checks andsignatures.” Deborah Deitsch-Perez, an attorneywho has been representing Scott in the negotiations,said, “We think it will resolve virtuallyall disputes between virtually all parties.”Although neither side revealed details, Gural didsay that almost all secured creditors will be paidback between 90% and 100% of their debts, andhe added, “We’re still talking to the non-securedcreditors.” Details of the Gural-Scott agreementwill be made public Tuesday, when it is submittedto a Bankruptcy Court judge for approval.A hearing on the plan is scheduled for Friday,Sept. 16 before U.S. Bankruptcy Court JudgeStephen Gerling. At that time Gerling also willhear a proposal from Eric Spector of California,who is trying to buy the track and once servedbriefly as its chief executive. Joe Faraldo, representingthe Harness Horsemen’s Associationof Central New York, said of the deal, “We onlylike one thing, and that is getting racing back assoon as possible. If racing can get back soonerby Shawn Scott and Jeff Gural making peace,we can live with that.” The horsemen have anotherchoice, of course: suicide.SIMULCAST TO SAN DIEGOThe TRA-HTA-AQHR International SimulcastConference, originally scheduled for New Orleans,has been moved to the Hilton LaJolla Torrey Pinesin LaJolla, California. The dates remain the same-- Oct. 3-5 -- and details are available fromTony DeMarco at TRA, 410-392-9200.