2005 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

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HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, Editor November 28, 2005BETFAIR GETS ITS FOOTHOLDIt took a marathon session of the Legislative Council-- the upper house of the Tasmanian Parliament-- to get it done, but the English betting exchangeBetfair, backed by the premier Paul Lennon andthe multi billions of Kerry Packer, Australia’s richestman, won its foothold into Australia last week.The Council approved Betfair after amendmentsto ensure, as far as possible with a program whereyou can bet on horses to lose, that the system wouldbe monitored for its social and economic impact.Other Australian racing interests were dismayed,but their pleas to defeat the bill were rejected bythe Legislative Council, and Betfair plans to beginAustralia operations by January 1 in a jointventure in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, withPacker’s media giant, Publishing and BroadcastingLtd.WILL MIKE STAY OR LEAVE?Nothing happens in racing in New York unlessGeorge Pataki says it will, so the odds are thatRacing and Wagering Board chairman MikeHoblock will wind up somewhere else. Gov.Pataki apparently wants another friend of Senatemajority leader Joe Bruno -- businessmanJohn Simoni, 74 -- to replace Hoblock, but accordingto the Albany Times-Union’s capitolbureau writer James M. Odato, Hoblock is notsure he wants to leave. He may have to, forin addition to Simoni it appears Pataki wouldlike Bernadette Castro, now Parks Commissioner,to replace Hoblock as chair of the racingboard as well as having Simoni serve.Racing commissioners in New York receive$101,600 a year, with the chair receiving$120,800. Board member Cheryl Buley willsurvive the changes, and is expected to bereappointed to another six-year term.Hoblock has been chairman for almostnine years, and his term does not expireuntil 2008.THE CHIEF VET SPEAKS OUTUsing some very strong language, the chief veterinarianin Kentucky, Dr. Gary Wilson, lashedout at the state’s racing authority last week, callingcurrent conditions “appalling” and saying thefunding and staffing crisis is so severe it puts thewelfare of horses racing in the state at risk. Wilsonapparently reached his boiling point after athoroughbred died of heat stroke at Turfway Parkin September, when a horse ambulance had nomedication or water to treat the animal. He wrotea letter asking, “Is the administration and KentuckyHorse Racing Authority committed to developinga program that sets industry standards,or are they interested in just getting by?”LaJuana Wilcher, whose Environmental and PublicProtection Cabinet oversees racing in Kentucky,and the woman who recommended Wilsonfor his job last summer, was not happy. She saidWilson might not appreciate the complicated processof state government, and called her staff “themost competent anywhere.” She said Kentuckyemploys more regulatory vets than ever. JimGallagher, executive director of the KentuckyHorse Racing Authority, said of Wilson’s remarks,“A lot of this is being blown a little bit outof proportion.”VERY BAD NEWS FROM BOSTONApparently taking his cue from the parent New YorkTimes, the sports editor of the Boston Globe, JoeSullivan, announced yesterday that the Globe wouldno longer publish entries and results from three offour tracks in Massachusetts -- HTA’s memberPlainridge Racecourse and Raynham and Wonderlanddog tracks -- and Rockingham Park in neighboringNew Hampshire. Sullivan said, “Interest indog racing and harness racing is no longer greatenough to warrant daily entries and results in thesports pages.” HTA has invited Sullivan to explainhow he measures that interest at the RacingCongress.
HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorSUPREME COURT ENDS NY TRYThe persistent effort of attorney Cornelius Murrayof Albany and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerceexecutive director Joseph Dalton to have expansionof gambling in New York state declaredunconstitutional ended yesterday, when the UnitedStates Supreme Court refused to hear the challenge.The high court’s action was a victory for governorGeorge Pataki and his colleague Senate presidentJoe Bruno. The court, by its action, ended the effortto prevent more Indian tribes from opening casinosin the state. Murray, who led the legal challenge,acknowledged defeat, saying, “The SupremeCourt’s refusal to hear this case effectively concludesthis aspect of the war against the spread ofcommercialized gambling in this state. There’s nowhereelse to go.” Shares in Empire Resorts, whichhopes to have a St. Regis Mohawk tribe casino atits Monticello Raceway, rose 69 cents, or 13.3 percent,to $5.89 in afternoon trading on the Nasdaqafter the Court’s announcement. Empire stock hastraded between $3.25 and $12.21 over the past year,and is down 47% since the year began.November 29, 2005POMPANO BACK, BEATS WILMAIt may not be nice to fool with Mother Nature, butPompano Park has tried it and survived. The trackreopens for live racing Friday, recovered andcleaned up in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilmathat devastated its stable area and other areas ofthe track. The tote system and teletimer infieldboard have been repaired, and last minute repairsare being made on the sound system in the backstretch.Lighting was checked out Monday nightand general manager Dick Feinberg reported testsworked fine. The Top of the Park restaurant onthe 6th floor will reopen Friday along with the restof the track, but the children’s playground area isclosed until new fencing arrives. The 4th floor boxseats and Players’ Room Buffet will not beready for the reopening, and the 2nd floor leadingto the track apron will be open air temporarily,its glass-etched doors having been destroyedby Wilma. Two 100-stall makeshiftbarns also are being constructed until new permanentbarns, destroyed in the hurricane, canbe rebuilt.In another New York development, the AlbanyTimes-Union reports that “the Patakiadminstration on Monday continued to pushfor the nomination of Parks CommissionerBernadette Castro as the new chairwomanof the Racing and Wagering Board, but theSenate seems to be resisting.” One possiblereason is that Joe Bruno apparently wantshis friend John B. Simoni, 74, to get thechairmanship. It now appears that MikeHoblock may have lost his bid to remain onthe board, and may be leaving soon. If hedoes, and either Castro or Simoni gets tochair the board, it would mean that the chairmanshipof the racing board of one ofAmerica’s most important racingstates would have no racing experienceat all.Also in Florida, at the Embassy Suites inDeerfield Beach, the nation’s harness racingsecretaries begin their three days of deliberationson Thursday. The gathering, held since1966, is used to set stakes schedules for thefollowing year and coordinate dates to minimizeconflicts as far as possible.HOW ABOUT A HELPING HAND?HTA’s editorial coordinator Jessica Carner isdeep in work compiling our 2006 World RacingDirectory, but could use a little more cooperationfrom our member tracks. You all have theforms, so please take a few minutes to fill themout and return them to Jess. We take greatpride in the Directory, and want to have thenew edition for the Racing Congress, soyour help will be appreciated.
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2005 - Harness Tracks of America, Inc.

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