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, EditorMD HORSEMEN UNHAPPYIn a burst of wrath that would have been helpful ifdirected earlier at House Speaker Michael Busch,Maryland’s thoroughbred horsemen have lashedout at Magna for its plans to cut racing dates inthe state. The Maryland ThoroughbredHorsemen’s Association president RichardHoffberger, using strange allegory, said “I’m notprepared to say everything we’re going to do. DidGen. Rommel tell the world his battle plan? Ouroptions are somewhat limited, but they are severeand significant.” Hoffberger undoubtedly remembersthat Rommel lost the war, not won it, but regardlessthe Baltimore Sun speculated thatHoffberger’s “options” included denying simulcastingprivileges to Magna’s Maryland JockeyClub, or withholding entries and racing elsewhere.The horsemen plan to raise the roof at a Marylandracing commission meeting next Tuesday.Commission chairman Tom McDonough, told theSun, “Magna gave what I thought was significantjustification for the actions they’re taking. ButI’m not sure it’s significant enough, given theamount of trauma and hardship it’s going to causethe grooms, the hotwalkers, the trainers.”Hoffberger, still apparently impressed withRommel, said, “Let’s see how the commission respondsto this scorched earth policy.” SpeakerBusch and his colleagues in the House are, accordingto The WBAL Channel.com, “looking atways to prop up the state’s horse racing industrywithout approving slot machines.”BIG PLANS IN BETHLEHEMA group called BethWorksNow, hoping to developa $350 million slots parlor and hotel in the desertedBethlehem Steel Works in the Lehigh Valley cityof southeast Pennsylvania, is prepared to makethe Bethlehem City Council an offer it can’t refusewhen it meets Sept. 20 to vote on the issue.BethWorksNow principal Michael PerrucciSeptember 9, 2005told Bethlehem businessmen at a meeting yesterdaythat his offer would “include everything frompreserving the hulking blast furnaces to hiring locallabor to building a $200 million mall,” accordingto mcall.com, the Allentown Morning Call’sWeb site. The service also quoted Perrucci assaying he was prepared to agree by contract todoing what he proposes. The offer was formidableenough that one city councilman who supports azoning change to ban gambling from the steel sitecalled it, “Very impressive, very interesting.” Hesaid he wasn’t ready to change his view, but “I’minterested in hearing more.”DANCER ARRANGEMENTSStanley Dancer will return to his roots in NewJersey next week, when he will be buried in theMaplewood Cemetary, across the street fromFreehold Raceway. Visitation will be Monday,Sept. 12, from 5 to 8 p.m., at Freeman’s FuneralHome, 47 Main Street, Freehold, NJ, withservices there on Tuesday morning at 11 a.m.Following the services the hearse will take Stanon his final mile, circling the Freehold trackbefore interment. A special memorial servicewill be held at HTA member Pompano Park ata later date to be announced. In lieu of flowers,donations may be made to the StanleyDancer Memorial Museum building fund at theNew Egypt Historical Society, P.O. Box 295,New Egypt, NJ 08533, the Harness RacingMuseum and Hall of Fame, 240 Main Street,Goshen, NY 10924, or Hospice Care of SoutheastFlorida, 309 SW 18th Street, Ft. Lauderdale,FL 33316.CONFERENCE CALL ON RELIEFHTA is setting up a conference call for next weekto clarify participation by our member tracks inthe October 8 Racing to the Rescue program ofthe NTRA. Day, date and time of the call willbe announced here Monday.