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, EditorWednesday, July 14, 2010ONE MAN’S MEMORIESThe American press paid homage todayto a man who provided it with constantnews for 40 years. George Steinbrennerwas remembered fondly everywhere,primarily as the owner of the New YorkYankees, but also in the turf press as ahorse enthusiast and owner, of both thoroughbredsand harness horses. He also,of course, was a track owner through hispartnership with Billy Johnston, and hisformer son-in-law Steve Swindal playedan executive role at that track. I haveknown George for almost 60 years, datingback to his visits to my announcing boothat Maywood Park in the early 1950s andextending to brief visits with him at theTattersalls sales in Lexington and at HTAmeetings. The early days were anotherera, when he was an assistant footballcoach at Northwestern. He and his buddyRay Regalis, then center on Northwestern’sbasketball team, used to drop up tothe booth at Maywood, for a better viewand for my program selections. Fifty orso years later, introducing him at an HTAluncheon in Florida, I jokingly said, referringto those handicapping tips, that Ihad made him what he was today. He didnot smile. He did not like others -- jokingor otherwise -- taking credit for his greatsuccesses. Billy Johnson, Dr. Ken Walker,and John Cashman can fill chapters withtheir recollections of the irascible Yankeeleader, but the Maywood days weremy first reminiscence.RACING GETS BLAMED, AGAINDeval Patrick, governor of Massachusetts,told reporters yesterday that racing’s recalcitrancein aggressively pushing forslots at tracks in the state could delay hiswish for three casinos without track slotsuntil next year. Patrick said differencesbetween him and House Speaker RobertDeLeo, leader of the slots-at-tracks movement,could be too great to overcome,and that he may not get to sign legislationthis year. He said, “I think there’s acompromise in here that I could supportthat offers some kind of support for traditionalracing. I don’t exactly know whatthat is.” He mentioned purse increasesbut also said his position on slots had notchanged.LIVE HARNESS ENDS IN MDWith state approval likely, Ocean Downsis seeking permission to cancel its racingdates this summer. If granted, it wouldmean the end of live harness racing inMaryland, doubling the impact of theclosing of Rosecroft Raceway last month.“A DAY OF CELEBRATION”That’s what Bobby Soper, President andCEO of Mohegan Sun at Pocono, calledit yesterday as his track unveiled 62 tablegames adding blackjack, roulette, 3-cardpoker, Let It Ride, craps, along with 16tables of poker in a special poker room.The chairman of the Mohegan TribalCouncil, Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum, offereda tribal blessing to the games.