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 beyondOctober 5, 2005Stanley F. Bergstein, EditorNYRA GOING BROKE: HAYWARDThe president of the New York Racing Association,Charles Hayward, told a state oversightpanel yesterday that NYRA will be out of moneyby the third week of November if it cannot selloff some 80 parcels of land near its Aqueductoperation. The land is in dispute, with the stateof New York claiming it is state property, andNYRA claiming it owns the land because it holdsthe deeds and has paid property taxes on theproperties for years. NYRA says it needs between$15 million and $20 million from a sale ofthe land to avoid bankruptcy, with Hayward saying“the franchise is in jeopardy.” Things are sobad that NYRA is considering cutting health carebenefits for employees and retirees and sellingpaintings that have been given to it over the years.Carole Stone, a member of the state oversightpanel recently named by governor George Pataki,said she believes NYRA must obtain permissionfrom the oversight panel, the New York Racingand Wagering board, and the legislature beforeit can sell any of the disputed land. Haywardwants a rebate program, saying, “Money is notleaking out of New York. Money is pouring outof New York.” He said purses may have to bereduced and race dates may have to be curtailedto prevent NYRA from sinking, and also suggestedpossible repeal of NYRA policy to allowemployees to retire at 50 fully vested and with100% of health care costs covered.WILLIAM RICKMAN SR. DIESWilliam Rickman Sr., who rose from a machinistin a two-car garage to a fortune as a developerand major figure in American racing, died last Fridayat 84. An owner and breeder, his racing holdingsincluded Delaware Park and HTA memberOcean Downs. HTA extends its deepest sym- p a -thy to his son, HTA director WilliamRickman Jr., and the entire Rickman family.O CANADA!Speakers at yesterday’s second session of theTRA-HTA-AQHR-AGTOA International SimulcastConference in San Diego verified what bothCanadian and American tracks predicted wouldhappen with the legalization of common pool wageringbetween the U.S. and Canada. ArlingtonPark’s director of mutuels, Jack Lisowski, reportedhandle from Canada increased 23%, andnoted that Canadians were betting more in trifectaand superfecta pools than American bettors. SeanPinsonneault, vice president of wagering operationsat Woodbine Entertainment Group, saidArlington’s increase in handle from Canada sincemerged pools began translated into a $1.3 milliongain. And Susie Sourwine, vice president of marketingat Emerald Downs in Washington stateshowed a 57% increase since the introduction ofcommon pool betting. J. Curtis Linnell, wageringanalyst for the TRPB, suggested that propositionbets and fixed odds betting, available in Englandand Australia, had proved attractive to bettors withaccess to wagering in those countries.GUILD STANCE “TROUBLING”Kentucky congressman Ed Whitfield, chairman ofthe House subcommittee investigating the Jockeys’Guild, says he is doubtful that the Guild andMatrix Capital Associates, associated with itthrough Guild president L. Wayne Gertmenian,have produced all records subpoenaed by his committee.Whitfield said Gertmenian’s “continuedlack of cooperation is troubling.” A hearing onGuild management and finances is set for October18 in Washington.YOU CAN’T RIDE THEM, MALThe guy with the big smile given half a page inThoroughbred Times had to be Mal Burroughs,saying he was going to give the runners a try as anowner. You can’t win the Kentucky Derby ridingthem, Mal.