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, EditorTHE NET WIDENS IN ONTARIOThe battle against illegal medication took a newand important turn yesterday in Ontario, whenthe trailblazing Ontario Racing Commission notifiedlicensees and participants in horse racing-- harness and thoroughbred -- that any horsestreated by two veterinarians would be prohibitedfrom racing in the province.The commission on Wednesday issued a lifetimesuspension to Dr. Blaine Kennedy, revoking hislicense because he “will not act in accordancewith the law, or with integrity, honesty or thepublic interest.” The commission said Dr.Kennedy had “placed the integrity of the horseracing industry in Ontario in question and, inparticular, the quality and integrity of veterinarycare of horses, and the public interest requiresthat the licensee be suspended immediately.”Dr. Kennedy held Ontario commission licensesto treat both harness horses and thoroughbreds,and was found to have purchased and used controlledsubstances from the late Fred Rogers.Rogers had been the subject of investigation foryears by Standardbred Investigative Services.In issuing its ruling, the Ontario Racing Commissionnotified all Ontario participants in racingthat any horse treated by Dr. Kennedy on orafter Saturday would be ineligible to be declaredin any race at any raceway in Ontario, and thatany participant attempting to enter a horsetreated by Dr. Kennedy after Sept. 24 would befound to be in violation of Ontario rules, regardlessof breed. The same penalties apply tohorses treated by Dr. Martin Ian Levman. Althoughnot an Ontario Racing Commission licensee,horses treated by him also will be ineligibleto race in the province and will befound to be in violation of Ontario’s racingrules.September 23, 2005PRIORITIES IN FACE OF RITAYou might think people living on the Gulf coast ofthe United States would be concerned most aboutsurvival, whether the economic devastation of thekiller hurricanes can be reversed in the next decadeor whether some of the damage to ports andresidential areas are essentially irreversible andinevitable with global warming, which the federalgovernment has long ignored.That undoubtedly is true with the vast majority ofpeople living there, but Missisippi’s largest religiousgroup -- the Mississippi Baptist Convention-- apparently has other priorities. It is trying tomake sure that casinos do not use Katrina andRita to rebuild on land, rather than over the watersof the Mississippi River or Gulf of Mexico towhich they now are limited. There are 13 of thosecasinos, and the Convention’s fear is that “oncethe casinos are land-based, attempts to move inwardto other locations will follow,” according toJimmy Porter, executive director of theConvention’s Christian Action Commission. TheConvention is not exactly without political powerin Mississippi. One out of every four Mississippiansis a Baptist. The Daily Mississippian, commentingeditorially on the situation, noted that “immoralor not, the fact is the state needsmoney....Granted, some in-state dollars did feedthe casinos; but even more money poured in fromour Southern neighbors, of which approximately$500,000 a day ended up in Jackson; not in Atlanta,not in Baton Rouge and not in Montgomery,but in Jackson....Too much money and toomuch of our tourist appeal will be lost if we don’trebuild the casinos. If we’re going to have gambling,and we are, then we should go ahead andembrace it.”SEE YOU FROM LEXINGTONThe Daily Executive Newsletter will reach you nextweek from Lexington, KY, where the staff willbe operating the HTA art auction. The homeoffice will be manned.