HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAExecutive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorFriday, July 2, 2010NOW FOR THE BOSTON BATTLEAfter eight days of hassling and hustling,the Massachusetts Senate, locked in whatthe House leader said “was like a hostagesituation,” passed its three-casinobill, setting up a battle with the governorand Senate on one side and House on theother. The Senate passed its bill on a 25to 15 vote shortly before 9 last night. Itprovides for three casinos, with no slotsfor racetracks and no smoking for customers.One senator, Susan Tucker, whoopposed the bill, said, “There are a lot ofvery happy lobbyists.” Whether enoughtime remains for a conference committeeto reconcile the differences in allowingor not allowing track slots will unfoldthis month. The current session ends July31. House Speaker Robert DeLeo, whozoomed his bill for casinos AND slots atstate tracks, told a radio WBUR interviewerhe was optimistic common groundcould be found. “I feel confident only inthe sense that I think the governor is insupport of some form of expanded gaming,I am, and the Senate president is, so Ithink because of that, because the three ofus are in support of the concept, the particulardetails may take a little bit of time,but I think we’ll have something, I wouldexpect, by the end of the term. It’s goingto have to be an awfully quick, speedyconference committee if we expect to getthis to the governor’s desk before w ebreak.” He said tracks be readywith slots in six to nine months.‘BAMA BINGO BATTLE BRIEFThe Greenetrack casino in Alabama,where state police authority was challengedeven after the Alabama SupremeCourt ruled yesterday afternoon thatstate troopers could enter and remove 800electronic bingo machines, was much quietertoday. The entrance was blocked yesterdayafter the court acted, and troopersentered and removed 800 of the machines,which has been declared to be illegal slotmachines by other Alabama courts. Anoisy crowd of some of the 400 employeeslosing their jobs joined 10 black legislatorsand a white candidate for governorin a rally in front of the casino. Sixteenwere arrested and released on signaturebonds of $1,000, and the gubernatorialcandidate said proudly, “We went to jailfor poor folks. We went to jail for justice.”The crowd cheered, but the statepolice were unimpressed.THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLEUsing its new condensed purchasing powerto full advantage, Monmouth Parkraised the purse for its upcoming Lady’sSecret stakes from $150,000 to $400,000,but only if Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandrashows up. The President/CEOof the New York Racing Assn., CharlieHayward, thought NYRA had snared thereigning champion for the $250,000 Ruffianat Saratoga, and said, “We are puzzledand disappointed” at owner JessJackson’s switch in plans.