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Odds On The Beach at Maywood Park in 1:56

Toscano Wins Five at Goshen
Trainer Linda Toscano captured five races on Thurdsay afternoon at Goshen's History Track. Odds On Racing congratulations Linda on this great accomplishment!

Horseplayer Named Director of Racing at Yavapai
HANA member and long time horseplayer Greg Boomer Wry has been named Racing Director at the Arizona track. Boomer has been in touch with us, and we at HANA look very forward to working with him on the Arizona ADW law and other issues.

As a horseplayer, Wry brings a unique perspective while also serving as racing director. A handicapper tied closely to the racing community, he is a member of the Horseplayers Association of North America (HANA), whose 1,100 members put $41 million through betting windows last year.

Good Start for Churchill's Night Racing
It was by no means perfect, inspiring an apology from the track itself at one point after its initial outing. But while the three-card experiment of night racing at Churchill Downs had its share of missteps, it also produced some positive results that exceeded expectations of track officials and fans alike.

Three weeks after its first night, the final "Downs after Dark" card for the Spring Meet took place Thursday, capping what many deemed a most successful venture on Churchill's end.

When racing debuted under the temporary lights at the historic Louisville track on June 19, the success of pumping more than 28,000 fans through the turnstiles was overshadowed by the excessively long lines that kept patrons from even reaching the betting windows most of the evening.

To their credit, track officials responded by significantly bolstering the staff for the final two evenings and were rewarded with crowds of 27,623 on June 26 and 33,481 Thursday.

"What we learned I think is that the level of interest for night racing in Louisville is much greater than any of us could have hoped for," Darren Rogers, senior director of communications for Churchill Downs, said prior to Thursday's card. "The original plan going into this was let's offer numerous forms of entertainment for the first night but then scale back the offerings for week two and almost have a normal day of racing for the final night.

"But after the interest we got that first night we knew we were on to something. It was unlike any other experience many of us had had at other racetracks. It truly is an event."

Though Rogers said track officials would have to evaluate all the numbers before deciding to bring the lights back, early returns make it a solid bet Churchill patrons have not seen the last of its evening cards.

The on-track handle of $1,607,760 for the first outing was nearly $1 million better than the corresponding Friday the previous year. The second card produced similar results with a handle of $1,534,308 compared with $687,324 to the corresponding date in 2008.

"We realize we are on to something and have created a special event," Rogers said. "We want to figure out a way to continue to make this happen ... but the select nights have proven to be a winning formula thus far.

"It's been a significant investment, but 55,000-plus in attendance the first two nights is worth exploring."

When asked if Churchill would consider offering the added entertainment and specials during its regular cards, Rogers said "I don't know if we're ready to answer that question yet."

In a time when tracks are seeking ways to bring in new fans, Churchill has — so far — managed to find one concrete base to build off of.

"Really the atmosphere (has been my favorite part)," said Craig Johnson of Louisville, who was in attendance for Thursday's card. "It's catering more toward a younger, local crowd, sort of. You've got your big racing fans here, you've got your older people here, but it seems like with the bands and music it's more toward a younger demographic.

"I would definitely come back."

Gov. Corzine joins legal fight to overturn federal ban on sports betting
Gov. Jon Corzine has formally joined the legal effort to overturn a federal ban on sports betting in New Jersey and 45 other states. Corzine in June said he was throwing his support behind the lawsuit filed in March by Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), which claims the federal prohibition of sports betting discriminates against the 46 states where it is imposed.

Corzine, who filed the motion today in federal court in Trenton, argued the ban economically disadvantages New Jersey by prohibiting a revenue stream allowed in four other states: Nevada, Montana, Oregon and Delaware.

"Today's filing sends a clear message that we will not sit back and allow the selective prohibitions of this law to deprive New Jersey from the economic benefits sports betting can generate," Corzine said in a statement. "We must do everything in our power to ensure both the casino and horse racing industries in New Jersey remain competitive, especially during the national economic recession."

The Interactive Media Entertainment and Gaming Association, and three horse racing groups are also part of the lawsuit.

In May, Delaware Gov. Jack Markell legalized sports betting in an attempt to fill budget shortfalls of at least $600 million in the coming fiscal year. In June, Corzine said Delaware's decision "is a serious threat to the both the casino and horse racing industries in New Jersey."

The Legislature has already indicated varying levels of support for sports betting. The Assembly said in February 2008 that residents should be able to bet on certain sports in casinos if voters approve. The Senate said four months ago that the United States should life a federal ban on sports betting.

The federal ban was enacted in 1992 but New Jersey was given a year to legalize sports betting, on their own terms. An effort to put the issue before voters in a referendum then failed in the Legislature. Of the states allowed to have sports betting, only Nevada and Delaware currently offer it.

KY Owners, Trainers React to VLT Bill Failure
In the aftermath of the failed passage of the legislation that would have allowed video lottery terminals at Kentucky racetracks, several Thoroughbred industry members voiced their opinions on how they will survive without the extra boost to the state’s purse structure and breeders’ incentive programs.

Ken Ramsey, who owns Ramsey Farm near Nicholasville, Ky., said that without additional funds to bolster the industry and keep it competitive with surrounding states, he will be forced to cull a portion of his 190-member broodmare band, as well as cut back on his racing operation.

Although Ramsey believes the state needs the additional revenue to keep its signature industry competitive, his opinion on the slots matter is quite different than most horsemen.

“I’m a businessman and an entrepreneur, and I think a mature industry like the horse industry should be able to support itself and not have to be placed on life support,” he said. “I’m not in favor of a bailout or subsidies except in an extreme emergency. However the horse racing industry now qualifies for some sort of assistance, and if we don’t get it, it’s going to be a drastically changed game.”

Ramsey called the slots solution, however, a “tax on the poor” and a “drain on the people.”

“The casino operator has almost all the money,” he said. “You have a trickle-down effect that would benefit the people associated with the industry. The slot machines will certainly help, but it’s a short-term solution for a long-time problem. The racetracks would be more interested in promoting the casino than they would the racing, because that’s where the profits are.”

Ramsey used examples of the dog track in Hallandale Beach, Fla., as well as nearby Gulfstream Park, which have both acquired casinos. The dog track’s facilities, which used to be well maintained, are now in disarray, while the casino has all the frills. Gulfstream’s makeover, which included the addition of plush slot machine area, neglected to leave adequate room to watch the races.

“Frank Stronach built a racino, and the horses are sideshow because they’re necessary for him to get a license to operate a casino,” said Ramsey.

Ramsey offered several solutions in lieu of letting casinos take over Kentucky’s racetracks. The taxes on claiming horses, track licenses, cashing tickets, takeout percentages, and stallion fees could all be reduced or removed, he said. The same taxes don’t exist in other such states as New York.

“People seem to forget is who actually supports horse racing,” said Ramsey. “It’s the $2-bettors. The (Kentucky) pari-mutuel takeout started out at 10%. It’s now gotten up in some places to 30%. Reducing takeout does not require a constitutional amendment or an act of the legislature. It just requires the state to mandate the takeout is going to be reduced to 10 or 15% on all wagering. If we had this in Kentucky, the gamblers from New York and California, would place wagers on Kentucky racetracks because the takeout would be so much less.”

Ramsey said he is currently campaigning horses at Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania even though Churchill Downs is still holding its meet because he can make twice as much at the former track, which is subsidized by slots.

“I enjoy winning at Churchill—I’ve been leading owner 15 or 16 times, but I can be leading money over there and still lose money, because it costs a lot of money to maintain and keep a racehorse, especially if you breed and race him all the way through.

“To take advantage of the other incentives the other states are offering, I bought a van, so I transport my own horses. This year, I sent seven mares to New York, seven to Illinois, seven to Pennsylvania, and seven to Canada to foal. They are now eligible to run in those state-bred programs where they have all the incentives. You get almost double the purse by the time you get the owners and breeders awards, stallion awards, etc. which makes it very lucrative for me.”

Doug Cauthen, president of WinStar Farm near Versailles, Ky., called the recent failure of the VLT bill “detrimental” to the Kentucky horse industry as a whole.

“We’re at a competitive disadvantage with other states, and that puts Kentucky in a dangerous position,” he said. “We’re going to try our best to make things work, but that can entail taking advantage of those other states, which it already does.

“We love running in Kentucky at Keeneland and Churchill, but we have to make a business decision, and most of the time right now, that means sending horses to Presque Isle and Woodbine and other places to try and take advantage of those programs, because they are lucrative. We’re going to do what’s best for the horses and the farm, and we’re going to work very hard to survive. Our revenues are off 40%, so I think that’s evidence.”

Cauthen said his operation is currently about 80% finished with building a new training track and an additional barn, a multi-million dollar project they had planned before the industry began its current decline.

“We’re a for-profit business, and we’ve got to adjust, and we have had to make some adjustments, but we did continue that project, because it was basically already in shape,” he said. “We think it could help us as far as our preparation of horses for racing.

“I run a horse farm, so we’re working hard to do what we can here with promotions, marketing, dropping prices, etc. to handle our customers’ needs. The tracks are trying to do the same things. There are a lot of positives with Trackus (technology at Keeneland) and night racing (at Churchill), but it seems unfair, and it seems like we’re a basketball team playing with four players right now against other states. I think that’s a tough game to win.”

Conditioner Eric Reed, who runs a 115-horse training center on the old Spenthrift Farm property near Lexington, is also sending horses out of state to race for bigger purses.

“A couple of weekends ago, I had 15 horses race, and 10 of them raced out of state for the purse money, from Presque Isle, to Mountaineer, to Arlington,” he said. It’s a shame (to send horses out of state), because I really don’t like going six hours away when I can run in my own backyard, but they’re taking that away from us. I’ve had to start taking to horses to Oaklawn in the wintertime, and I haven’t traveled in 15 years, but some of the owners weren’t satisfied with the purse structure at Turfway, and in the summertime that’s going to start happening as well. I’ve got children in school; I don’t want to be on the road every day going to a new state to race my horses. It’s really given me a lot to think about.”

Reed even went as far as to say he may have to relocate his operation somewhere where there’s year-round racing so he can be with his family more and not spend so much time on the road.

“The miles I’m putting on my trucks is unbelievable,” he said. “There are a lot of things the industry needs to do. The VLTs are going to be a big help and they’ll keep us in the game, but we’ve also got to find a way to make the business more attractive to younger people and to everybody and make it more economical to go to the races. Spending Friday evenings at Churchill is showing what can happen if we give people the opportunity. I think the tracks need to kick in…the dollar beer night at Turfway is a huge success…they need to look at things like that to get more fans to the track to help build the handle that way too. There are a lot of things they can do without the VLTs, but I don’t see how we can survive without both.

“The local people that live in Kentucky and race here year-round, I think (traveling to other states) is going to become a necessity, because we’re losing Ellis Park, and we’re being threatened with losing Turfway, and that’s scaring future business away. I don’t know if we didn’t have Turfway—that’s six months of racing a year. It’s really starting to scare a lot people, including myself.”