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, EditorUH-OH, HERE WE GO AGAINRacing’s resolve to solve its medication problems--and the problems affecting that resolve--surfaced again yesterday, with the LouisvilleCourier-Journal pinpointing the issue with itsheadline, “Racing authority may scale backpenalties in medication policy.” It was referringto the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority,which has begun backsliding from its former determinedstance to end permissiveness in medicationin Kentucky. The paper reported that,“The racing authority will take public commenton the rules through Monday and then is expectedto file an amended regulation with theLegislative Research Commission. From there,it goes before two legislative committees beforebecoming permanent.” The modifications representa victory for Kentucky’s hardboot thoroughbredhorsemen, who have vehemently foughtchanges in tougher raceday medication rulessince they first were announced. Jim Gallagher,the Authority’s executive director, said the proposedpenalties will reflect the guidelines for commonanti-inflammatory drugs established by theRacing Medication and Testing Consortium, butKentucky thoroughbred horsemen have notagreed with the raceday provisions of those guidelines,and still object to them.“A STACK OF AMENDMENTS”It appears there will be changes in Pennsylvania,too, but on slots instead of medication. Statesenators plan to vote tomorrow on “a stack ofamendments” but one omission from the stackhas raised the ire of Pennsylvania’s governor, EdRendell. The issue of multiple slot machine distributors,which offers the opportunity for politicalpatronage payoffs, is red hot, with no resolutionin sight. Rendell has grown impatientwith the delay it is causing in getting slotsup and running, and says he is ready tolegislate the issue.October 25, 2005WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?The Breeders’ Cup, worried about possible furtherdeclines in betting this coming Saturday,is calling for criteria in barring secondary parimutueloperators (SPMOs) from its pools.Ken Kirchner, senior vice president of productdevelopment for the NTRA, was quotedon Blood-Horse.com as saying, “We agreewholeheartedly with the need for full disclosureas far as ownership of SPMOs and informationregarding their players, and we wanttote security at the highest level possible. Ourcomplaint has been we’re not seeing a writtenpolicy from the New York State Racing andWagering Board on what criteria was used fordisallowing these sites.” New York has a banon SPMOs, which reportedly produced some$7 million in handle on last year’s Breeders’Cup.DAMAGE AT POMPANO PARKPompano Park, which defied Hurricane Wilma onSaturday night by presenting its half-million dollarFlorida Sire Stakes Super Night card, paid thepenalty for fooling Mother Nature when it wasblasted as Wilma raced across Florida Monday.Although direct communication apparently hasbeen cut off, phone calls indicate roof damage atthe track, and Jane Murray, executive director ofthe Florida SBOA, told The Horseman’sharnessracing.com that “we have suffered majordamage on the backstretch.” No injuries to peopleor horses have been reported at press time.YOU HAVE IT WRONG, JOHNSenator John McCain of Arizona, speaking to ninemain tribes in Oregon at Portland State University,said the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988“must be revisited, and we will.” McCain saidgambling had a long history of corruption. Readingthe DeLay-Abramoff-Libby reports, wethought he was referring to Washington.