HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAHOOSIER RAISING PURSESHTA member Hoosier Park Racing &Casino announced a 15 percent purse increaseeffective Sunday, May 30, according to a companyrelease. The increase will remain in effectfor the remainder of the harness racing season,which ends July 11. The increase will apply toall overnight purses. “As we head into the final30 race days of Standardbred racing for 2010,we are pleased to announce a purse increasefor all of our overnight races,” Jeff Smith, generalmanager of racing, said. “Business levelshave exceeded our expectations during the first47 nights of racing, allowing us to reward ourhorsemen.” The Hoosier Park purse structurewas already greatly elevated by added moneyfrom casino operations heading into the 2010meet; with the just announced increase includedtotal purse distribution for the racing seasonnow will average over $142,000 per day. “Thisincrease is a great example of the significantgrowth in our Indiana horse racing industry,”Smith said. “Hoosier Park has worked closelywith the Indiana Standardbred Association andhorsemen throughout this process. We appreciatetheir hard work and support for our racingprogram.”RUNNING ACES OPENS STRONGThe third racing season at HTA member RunningAces Harness Park began with track recordhandle on nine action-packed races. A crowd of2,500 greeted the return of live racing to the Columbus,MN, track.SIX VIE FOR AQUEDUCT VLTSTom Precious, the stalwart Albany bureau chieffor the Buffalo News and New York correspondentfor the Blood-Horse, reports today in anarticle posted on BloodHorse.com thatsix groups have ponied up the $1 millionentry fee to join the re-bidding processExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondPaul J. Estok, EditorWednesday, June 2, 2010to operate VLTs at Aqueduct Racetrack. Prospectivebidders had until yesterday to comeup with the money, which they were required todeposit with the New York Lottery commission.The groups who posted the required bond includePenn National Gaming, SL Green RealtyCorp., Delaware North and partner SaratogaGaming and Raceway, Clairvest Group, EmpireCity Casino (a Yonkers Raceway group, and agroup known as Genting New York, which Precioussays is “tied to a big Asian casino group.”The next steps will include a mandatory bidders’conference on June 8 and the submission of proposalsfrom vendors by June 29. New York officialshave said they expect to make a selectionby August 3 of this year.BULLETPROOF SUES NJ COMMharnessracing.com is reporting that JeffreyBrooks and the Bulletproof racing stable fileda complaint dated May 12, 2010, against FrankZanzuccki, executive director of the New JerseyRacing Commission and its members, both individuallyand in their capacities as officials of theracing commission. The story, by Steve Kallas,quotes the complaint as accusing defendants ofnot allowing Brooks and Bulletproof to race theirhorses in New Jersey by suspending their licensesin February of 2010. Plaintiffs are reportedlyseeking damages of at least $6 million and “aninjunction forever and permanently enjoiningDefendants, acting by and through the Commission,from interfering with Plaintiffs’ completeand unfettered ability to exercise all rights availablein accord with the licenses they have beengranted.” Brooks and Bulletproof appealed theFebruary suspension and while a hearing beforean administrative law judge has not taken place,the judges at Freehold held a hearing in April inwhich the panel sustained the previous suspensions.The lawsuit followed the judges’ findingby a matter of days.