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 beyondFebruary 3, 2005Stanley F. Bergstein, EditorMAJOR EXECUTIVE CHANGESBruce Garland, a veteran of 14 years of serviceat the Meadowlands and the senior executive vicepresident of the New Jersey Sports and ExpositionAuthority, is retiring. Garland, an attorneywho has been an industry leader during his entiretenure at the Meadowlands, served as presidentof Harness Tracks of America from 1998 to2000, and played a major role in obtaining an$86 million purse agreement with Atlantic Citycasinos and bringing the Breeders Cup toMonmouth Park in 2007. Garland has spentnearly 30 years in public service, and in retiringhe paid tribute to his colleagues, saying, “I’vebeen privileged to work with the professional staffat the NJSEA; they are the best in racing.”Dennis Dowd, former chairman of the New JerseyRacing Commission and a veteran executivewho headed Freehold Raceway, Rosecroft Raceway,Ocean Downs and, briefly, Vernon Downs,will move up from his current post as vice presidentof off-track wagering to become senior vicepresident of racing.Chris McErlean, who started his racing careeras executive assistant at HTA and has been generalmanager of the Meadowlands, now takes onnew responsibilities as vice president of racingoperations for both the Meadowlands andMonmouth Park.In another executive shift, Mark Loewe, formerOperations and Racing Director at PompanoPark, is leaving Florida to become Pari-MutuelMarketing Manager at Prairie Meadows Racetrackand Casino in Altoona, Iowa.Vince Donlevie has been named senior vice presidentand general manager of Harrah’s ChesterCasino and Racetrack, now in developmentin Chester, PA, and Annie Allman hasbeen named vice president of operationsand assistant general manager.ELSEWHERE IN RACINGThe Maryland racing industry, turning proactivein its efforts to get slots, has submitted a 15-page document to House Speaker Michael Busch,outlining a total revitalization of the importantMaryland industry if slots legislation were passed.Busch remained non-committal, but did call thedocument “the most substantive thing we’ve received.”Magna Entertainment, which ownsLaurel and Pimlico; William Rickman, the operatorof Ocean Downs, and the Maryland StateFair signed the document, and Rosecroft Racewaywill be included in the endorsement and programonce its sale to the family of Peter Angelosis completed. In a related development, a Marylanddelegate is filing a bill to close HTA memberOcean Downs and lay the foundation for WilliamRickman to open a new track in PocomokeCity. Rickman is reported to be in favor of themove.The defense rested in the Racing Services’ casein Fargo, ND, with defendant Susan Bala essentiallytelling the court she was unaware of theevents for which the federal government is seekingher conviction. She said that when she foundout wagers at Racing Services were four timesthe normal amount, “it was staggering to me.”In the Dan Bucci trial in Rhode Island, the governmentproduced documents showing that Buccihad recommended “a $1 million retainer for fouryears, without strings,” to the law firm representingthe track as “a clear message of gratitude anda willingness to share its success.”In Illinois, Ontario trainer Doug McIntosh is vigorouslyfighting a 180-day suspension levied bythe Illinois Racing Board, saying “the level thehorse tested at would not be a positive in anyother jurisdiction.” McIntosh has not had a positivetest in 37 years of racing, and noted thatfour recent cocaine tests in horses in Illinoisresulted in $500 fines.