Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Contract Dispute Limits Simulcasts at Delaware Tracks

January 16, 2010

Local racing fans can usually head to Delaware Park, Dover Downs or Harrington Raceway to watch and wager on horse tracks across the country.

But a dispute between a purchasing cooperative and a company that sells horse-racing content to tracks has left the three Delaware tracks unable to simulcast races from Santa Anita, Golden Gate, Fair Grounds and Oaklawn.

Mid-Atlantic Cooperative, which represents Dover Downs, Harrington Raceway, Delaware Park and 14 other tracks in eight other states, has hit an impasse with TrackNet Media over fees.

The cooperative is TrackNet's largest customer and represents some 12 percent to 15 percent of TrackNet's daily interstate handle, officials said.

The Delaware tracks are still simulcasting from facilities that do not use TrackNet. For instance, today Delaware Park will simulcast races from 20 tracks, including Dover Downs and Philadelphia Park.

Mid-Atlantic officials say that in the last year they've already accepted a rate increase from TrackNet and the group is not prepared to accept further hikes. They also say they want a longer contract than what TrackNet is proposing.

The impasse is a primary reason Gulfstream Park's interstate wagering handle was down about 15 percent through the first seven days of its 2010 meet, Gulfstream president and general manager Ken Dunn told bloodhorse.com.