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 April 18, 2005DANDY GUIDE AT NORTHFIELDNorthfield Park’s 2005 media guide is out, and isa first rate job. With a full illustrated roster oftrack officials, a history of the track from its beginnings,a look at new improvements, detailedinformation on simulcasting, statistics, a review of2004, its featured races, its horsemen, and ofcourse a plug for its microbrewery, it is a completeand thorough tool for media or fans.BIG NIGHT AT DOVER DOWNSHarness racing fans at Dover Downs get to see thebest of the best tonight, when six Classic Seriesbring out the best older horses in the sport, alongwith six Hall of Fame drivers who will be guidingthem, plus two $100,000 events for Delaware bredhorses. The highlight of the night, of course, willbe the first meeting between the world’s two bestfemale pacers, Rainbow Blue and Loyal Opposition.Rainbow Blue won 20 of 21 races last yearand was named Harness Horse of the Year. LoyalOpposition has won six of eight starts this year,including her last four in a row, the two most recentbeing the $100,000 Strada Memorial and the$122,520 Overbid at the Meadowlands. GlowingReport, a $1 million winner, and Carolina Sunshine,nearing $1 million in earnings, also are inthe field.CATSKILLS HAVE TO WAITCasinos in the Catskills, long awaited, will haveto wait a little longer. New York governor GeorgePataki late last week announced he was withdrawingland claim settlements with four Indian tribesand would “review and reevaluate them“ in viewof a recent Supreme Court decision declaring thatan Indian tribe could not expand its sovereign territorysimply by reacquiring former reservationlands and declaring them sovereign and tax-exempt.A spokeswoman for one of the tribes affected,the Oneidas of Wisconsin, said, “We’vewaited 200 years to settle, so another delay isnothing new.”A NIGHT MYSTERY MYSTERYWhere is Night Mystery, the horse that got theMeadowlands’ leading trainer, Noel Daley, suspended?He reportedly was sold on March 15,after the Feb. 25 race in which he tested positivefor a high TC02 reading, but USTArecords indicate he hasn’t raced sincethat date. Anyone know his whereabouts?Anyone wonder?NEW OHIO COMMISSIONEROhio has a new racing commissioner. Gov. BobTaft has appointed Ted Brown, for the last fiveyears’s the governor’s labor liaison and chairmanof Taft’s Labor Advisory Council, to replace ScottBoregemenke, who resigned as chairman of theracing commission to become chief of staff for OhioHouse Speaker Jon Husted.GURAL TELLS IT AS IT ISJeff Gural was in Owego,NY, last week, giving localofficials a realistic assessment of his plans forTioga Downs Racino, the new harness venture heis building there. “This isn’t like ‘Field of Dreams,”he told the Tioga County Legislature, “where ifyou build it they will come. If you market it andpromote it right it will work.”A GOOD GUY LEAVES USAnother of racing’s good guys is gone, with thedeath last week of Nick Jemas at 86. There hasbeen no one like him at national racing meetingssince his retirement 19 years ago as national directorof the Jockeys’ Guild. A fiery personalitywho made his views known with force, vigor, humorand intelligence, he espoused the cause ofjockeys in a style and substance lost since his departure.HTA sends its sympathy to his son James,vice president of finance for the New Jersey Sportsand Exposition Authority. Contributions may bemade to the St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Homefor the Aged at 615 Mercer Street, CherryHill, NJ. 08002.