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, EditorCONVENIENCE PENALTIESThe Pennsylvania Harness Racing Commission,which yesterday was “sorting things out” in thematter of its suspension of the nation’s leadingdriver Brian Sears five days earlier for a drug problem,decided at the end of the day that althoughSears will be suspended for six months, his suspensionwon’t start until Oct. 3. This convenientlyallows him to drive in eight Grand Circuit events,ranging in purse value from $200,000 to $400,000including the Kentucky Futurity, at the Red Milein Lexington, KY, if he chooses. In that historicrace, the two leading 3-year-old trotters of 2005,Hambletonian winner Vivid Photo and CanadianTrotting Classic winner Classic Photo, meet again.Concerning Sears, there was no public word as towhether the Oct. 3 date was the result of a pleabargain, a stay, an appeal or whatever. It seemsstrange that if an offense warrants six months suspension,the offender is given the grace of makingsubstantial amounts of money plying his trade beforehe pays the price for his misdeeds.GURFEIN, THOMSON IN HALLTrainer Ron Gurfein and executive Tom Thomsonhave been elected to harness racing’s Hall ofFame, the United States Harness Writers Associationannounced yesterday. Gurfein, who hastrained some of the sport’s finest horses, is knownin particular as a master developer of top trotters.His pupils have included Continental Victory, VictoryDream and Self Possessed, all winners of theHambletonian, and the world record holding trottingmare Beat the Wheel. Thomson, president ofthe Grand Circuit for 14 years, is the impresariobehind the Little Brown Jug, the sport’s classicevent for 3-year-old pacers, a race created by hisfather Hank Thomson and Hank’s associate JoeNeville. Elected to the Hall of Fame’s Com- municatorsCorner are photographer EdKeys, writer Bill Heller, newspapermanJack Ginnetti and innovator Virginia O’Brien.September 27, 2005BALA DENIED NEW TRIALA federal judge has denied granting a new trial toconvicted gaming operator Susan Bala. Theformer operator of Racing Services in Fargo,North Dakota, had claimed “newly discovered evidence”in requesting a new trial last month, andhad submitted 150 documents to U.S. DistrictJudge Ralph Erickson. He brushed them aside,saying they did not constitute new evidence, andlet stand the conviction on 12 felony charges returnedby a jury last February. Ms. Bala, still verymuch a beauty at 51, is scheduled to begin a 27-month prison term Friday.NO HELP FOR SALLY, EITHERAnother federal judge, this one sitting in Lexington,KY, has ruled for the Jockey Club and KentuckyHorse Racing Authority, and against thoroughbredbreeder Garrett Redmond of Paris, KY,in the case of naming a thoroughbred filly SallyHemings. Hemings is known in history as theslave lover of Thomas Jefferson, and the filly inquestion is out of Jefferson’s Secret, by ColonialAffair. Somehow Alan Marzelli, president of theJockey Club, thinks naming the filly would contravene“the right of a private organization tomake and enforce rules for the integrity of racing.”He says solemnly that “the responsibilityfalls upon us to enforce those rules,” and theJockey Club claims Hemings was a famous ornotorious person, and such names require specialapproval. The Jockey Club also invokes thematter of what it considers poor taste, or namesthat may be offensive to religious, political orother groups. We could fill the rest of this columnand an entire special edition with names theJockey Club has approved that are in poor taste,including some with strong sexual innuendo approvedfor a major owner in recent years, but thatalso might be in poor taste, and we do not wantto incur the wrath of those who enforce theintegrity of racing. Redmond says he mayappeal.