HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICA Executive Newsletter

HARNESS TRACKS OF AMERICAHERE, THERE, & EVERYWHERESAME FATE AS BERNIE. Not all media faintsand fawns over Atlantic City and its casinos. Onewho doesn’t is Howard Stutz, who writes for theLas Vegas Review-Journal. In his Inside Gamingcolumn this week, he notes that A.C.’s gamingrevenues fell 13.2% in 2009, the third straightyear of declining revenue, and the first time in itshistory that casino winnings fell by double digits.In a line to remember, he writes, “Atlantic Cityis like the corpse in the movie Weekend at Bernie’s.It’s being carted around in an effort to fooleveryone that it’s still alive.”IN BOSTON, House budget chief Charles Murphy,according to the Gate House News Servicestate house writer Jim O’Sullivan, “appeared tobe laying political cover for lawmakers to switchtheir votes in favor of expanded gambling, signalinghis own shift as the legislature prepares totackle casino and slot machine legislation.” Hesees a vote coming in March or April. Unemploymentin Massachusetts has more than doubledin two years, up from 4.4% in 2008 to 9.4%now. Despite that, Mental Health and SubstanceAbuse Committee co-chair Elizabeth Malia, aslots opponent, says, “I think the chances of doinglegislation this year and reaching any agreementare pretty thin. But I could just be naive.”We hope that’s the case, Elizabeth. Assistantmajority leader Ronald Mariano, when asked ifgambling would pass, said, “To be honest withyou, I have no idea. I think that’s a great question.I think it’s not a slam dunk. There’s seriousopposition, and this will be a huge debate.”IN MINNESOTA, where HTA member RunningAces announced higher purses this year, a formerstate senator said he thought the possibilityof slots, in addition to the 50-table cardroom already at Running Aces, has a goodchance “in the not-too-distant future.”Executive NewsletterA daily fax and e-mail report on racing and gaming developments in North America and beyondStanley F. Bergstein, EditorMonday, February 15, 2010NEW LOBBYIST IN NJ. The StandardbredBreeders & Owners of New Jersey have announcedthat AJ Sabath, a veteran of Trenton’sState House, will serve as a lobbying consultantfor the SBOA. The group’s president, TomLuchento, said the SBOA “will be able to tap intohis wealth of knowledge and insights into the innerworkings of the State Legislature.”ROAP, the Racing Officials Accreditation Program,has announced two upcoming continuingeducation seminars. Officials must complete atleast 16 hours of continuing education every twoyears, president Stan Bowker said, and they willhave the opportunity March 4 at National SteeplechaseAssn. headquarters in Fair Hill, MD,and March 16 and 17, at Tampa Bay Downs inOldsmar, Florida.PENN NATIONAL GAMING last Friday gotunanimous approval from the Kansas Racingand Gaming Commission to build a casino overlookingthe Kansas Speedway track in conjunctionwith the Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.IN KENTUCKY, House Speaker Greg Stumboand Senate President David Williams, brushingaside Gov. Steve Beshear’s appeal to support hisbudget proposal, said this budget will be, morethan ever before, a product of the legislaturerather than the governor. Stumbo called it “Adefining moment for the General Assembly.”KARYN MALINOWSKI, director of the EquineScience Center of Rutgers University’s AgriculturalExperiment Station, has received theNew Jersey Governor’s Trophy as New JerseyHorseperson of the Year. Dr. Malinowski washonored for her commitment to the well-beingand quality of life for horses in the state, and forpromoting the state’s equine industry. Sheis a strong supporter of harness racing.