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, Editor March 2, 2005WINDSOR CAN’T CHANGE CUP THERE’S JOY IN CALIFORNIAThe Ontario Racing Commission and Windsor “We’re absolutely thrilled. This truly is a landmark.”That was the response of Kim Hankins,Raceway are at odds again. The ORC yesterdayruled that Windsor, having taken nominations the old Illinois hand who now is executive directorof the California Harness Horsemen’s Asso-for its showpiece race for May 29, will have torace it then, and cannot arbitrarily move it to ciation, after the State Fair Board announced itthe fall. The commission cited its rule 16.14, will request that harness racing dates replace thewhich states in part, “The date and place where traditional thoroughbred program this summer.early and late-closing events will be raced must Hankins’ elation may be a trifle premature, forbe announced before nominations are taken. The the California Horse Racing Board must approvedate and place where stakes and futurities will the move, which the Sacramento Bee calls “a dramaticattempt to help new operator Sacramentobe raced must be announced as soon as determinedbut, in any event, such announcement Harness Association get rolling.” The SHA takesmust be made no later than March 30th of the over from former operator Alan Horowitz in operatingharness racing at Cal-Expo in Sacra-year in which the event is to be raced.” JohnMillson told the Windsor Star that is not mento. Ben Kenney, president of the CaliforniaWindsor’s read on the regulation, but that the Harness Horsemen’s Association, has been negotiatingthe arrangement with Cal-Expo offi-track was prepared to return all nominating feesif the date change for the race is approved. The cials and says he is overjoyed at Cal-Expo’s commitmentto harness racing. He thinks the moverace carries an estimated purse of $450,000, and$500 nominations closed Feb. 15, with a sustainingpayment of $1,500 due on March 15 and a million fairgoers who will be exposed to harnesscould provide a potential new audience of onedeclaration fee of $2,500 due at time of entry. racing.The U.S. equivalents are $400, $1,200 and $2,000,and supplementary entries are eligible on paymentof $17,500 Canadian or $14,000 U.S.Windsor, meanwhile, made offers to the OntarioHarness Horse Association, which is suing thetrack for $10 million, an issue not popular withall OHHA members, who questioned $450,000in legal fees spent by OHHA in recent years.Windsor offered to pay OHHA dues held on depositin the Windsor Purse Trust Account, in returnfor OHHA returning all Windsor RacewayPurse Trust Account funds held on deposit byOHHA that it was required to return last yearwhen its license as purse account manager wassuspended by the Ontario racing commission.The ORC at the time directed Windsor towithhold OHHA dues pending a decision,now made, and Windsor is offering to reconcileand pay the dues owed.There are, however, complications that need tobe worked out. Horowitz and his group are seekinga harness meeting at Fairplex in Pomona.Horowitz’s time is up at Cal-Expo July 31, andCal-Expo’s fair runs Aug. 12 thru Sept. 5. Byracing its own meeting Cal-Expo can host livethoroughbred racing throughout its session, withthe live harness raced on a twi-night card startingat 4:30 p.m. Local horsemen have seen pursescut 30% in the last year, and Cal-Expo racingdirector David Elliott said the board had decidedto step in “and try to get this industry back onits feet.” The racing board dates committee willmeet on the issue next Monday morning, withfinal approval up before the full board March24. If Cal-Expo gets its harness request, it canlease its thoroughbred dates to another fairassociation, without any thoroughbreddates lost.