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, EditorTuesday, October 26, 2010GURAL ON OTB AGREEMENTTrack owner, horse owner and breederJeff Gural, saying he was “extremelyconcerned” about Standardbred OwnersAssociation President Joe Faraldo’sobjections to the New York City OTB reorganizationplan, has issued his own versionof events. They are excerpted hereand will be published in full in this week’sTrack Topics. Gural, a member of theCommittee of Unsecured Creditors thatworked out the agreement, says Faraldohas created “a completely false impression”of what transpired in reaching theOTB accord. Gural says he representednot only a client, the owners of the 1501Broadway office building where NYCOTB is headquartered, on the creditorscommittee, but also spoke “as an ownerof a dozen racehorses, over 40 mares,30 weanlings, 20 yearlings, two breedingfarms and two racetracks.” He saidit had become obvious that without majorrestructuring NYC OTB would havebeen forced to close, taking down with itmore than $700 million in wagering annually,which he called “catastrophic to thehorseracing industry.” He said it was notrealistic to expect the state of New York,facing a $7 billion deficit next year, tosubsidize NYC OTB’s losses, and that insteadthe creditors committee tried to finda solution “that would inflict as little painas possible on all of the participants.”He called the agreement “the bestdeal possible for the industry.”JOCKS WEAR THE PANTS HEREFaced with a court battle, the KentuckyHorse Racing Commission pulled up itspants and yielded to the Jockey’s Guildyesterday, agreeing not to enforce its emergencyregulation regarding disclosure ofdeals between the jockeys and potentialadvertisers for advertising on their pants.The issue had taken on the need for immediateaction with the Breeders’ Cup imminentat Churchill Downs. The commissionput a bizarre twist on the agreement,saying it was “pleased the Jockey’s Guildhas agreed to this timely and importantsettlement,” when it clearly was a victoryfor the jocks. Terry Meyocks, managerof the Guild, gave a slightly more realisticassessment, saying the agreement “providesa reasonable short-term solution tothe issue.”LLOYD SHELHAMER DIES AT 87Lloyd Shelhamer, Jr., founder of UnitedTote and active in HTA affairs afterforming that company in 1957, has diedin Billings, Montana at 87. He also operatedSunland Park in New Mexico as ahands-on racing manager. His wife Claudia,a talented sculptress and jewelry designer,exhibited and participated in HTAart auctions during those years. HTA extendsits sympathies to her and their sixchildren. A World War II veteran, Lloydis being buried with military honors inYellowstone Valley Memorial Park, aprivate cemetery in Billings.