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, EditorMonday, July 5, 2010BIG NIGHT AT GOSHEN HALLHarness racing’s Museum and Hall ofFame held its usual Fourth of July weekendcelebration last night, welcoming newmembers to the sport’s most significantshrine. Highlight of the ceremony was theinduction of veteran breeder and artificialinsemination pioneer Hal Jones and HarnessTracks of America’s six-time drivingchampion Dave Palone. Enshrined in theCommunicators’ Corner of the Hall wereHanover Shoe Farms public relations chiefMurray Brown and Vernon Downs’ veteranannouncer, race caller and publicitydirector Jim Moran. New Immortals inthe Hall were Dr. Harry M. Zweig, fatherof the New York Sire Stakes program; AldenGoldsmith, owner of the great 19thcentury trotting star Goldsmith Maid;artist Richard Stone Reeves, who paintedsome of the sport’s greatest horses; andrace mare Three Diamonds. Two inducteesin the Living Horse Hall of Fame wereinducted: the brilliant racing filly BunnyLake and, from Italy, the sport’s all-timeleading money winner, Varenne, with$5,636,255 in earnings. Sculptor Bev Lopez,who has done the Hall’s statuettes for50 years, received the Museum’s PinnacleAward. Amateur driver Todd Whitney ofMaine was honored for contributions tothe Museum. Dave Palone, concludinghis remarks, asked all to send wishes tofour drivers currently sidelined byinjuries. We’ll have addresses foryou tomorrow.ROYALTY AT WOODBINEWoodbine celebrated yesterday too, withthe presentation of its revered and oldestthoroughbred race, the Queen’s Plate.This time there was a difference, as QueenElizabeth made an appearance, with herhusband the Duke of Edinburgh, for the151st running of the royal event. An estimatedcrowd of from 25,000 to 35,000-- admission at Woodbine is free -- andthose betting from afar, sent $6.815 millionthru the machines. The overawedjockey, Eurico Rosa da Silva, who alsowon the Queen’s Plate last year, said hetold his winning mount, Big Red Mike, inthe paddock before the race, “My friend,we’re going to do our best. The queen ishere. No pressure.” The horse responded,wire to wire, and the queen, a horseowner and fancier herself, appreciatedthe performance, commenting to jockeyDa Silva that it is not easy to lead all theway. Da Silva twice bowed low as he acceptedhonors from her majesty, who nowheads to New York to address the UnitedNations tomorrow.MASS SENATE OKS CASINOSThe Massachusetts Senate has passed itsthree-casino bill, and the issue now goes toconference reconciliation with the Housebill, which calls for 750 slots at tracksin the state. Under the Senate bill, onecasino would be located in the southeastportion of the state, competing directlywith Connecticut Indian casinos.