Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

Around The Ovals....

Racing News for November 8, 2007

Hope for Michigan Racing
The conventional wisdom is that horse racing in Muskegon County is dead and buried.

But Fruitport Township Supervisor Ron Cooper isn't giving up the fight. He thinks there's still a chance to revive horse racing at Great Lakes Downs, despite the recent failure of a potential buyer to secure the track and racing dates for 2008.

And if racing can't be revived at Great Lakes Downs, Cooper wants to explore the idea of offering it at the Muskegon County Fairgrounds in Sullivan Township, where the county has operated a practice track for area horsemen for years.

The county may be willing to cooperate. Muskegon County commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to enter into negotiations with Fruitport Township to lease the county fairgrounds for use as a horse racing facility during the 2008 season.

Fruitport Township would then be free to sublease the facilities to any private investors that would be willing to operate a track at that location. "The county of Muskegon appreciated the economic impact of the horse racing operation in the county and is willing to seriously consider your request," County Administrator Jack Niemiec wrote to Cooper in a recent letter regarding the fairgrounds.

The Chronicle recently reported that Great Lakes Downs in Fruitport Township would close for good, following its final night of racing Nov. 6.

That was because a potential buyer of the property, Winfield Cooper III of Flint, withdrew his application for a 2008 race meet at Great Lakes Downs because he couldn't reach an agreement to buy the track from its current owner, Magna Entertainment Corp.

Magna officials announced last January that the 2007 racing season would be their last in Muskegon, following years of reported financial losses. The company claims it lost nearly $1.8 million annually on Great Lakes Downs.

New Brunswick boosts Racing Investment
The New Brunswick government is boosting its investment in the Maritimes' harness racing industry.

Agriculture and Aquaculture Minister Ronald Ouellette says the province will invest another $50,000 in each of the next three years in the Atlantic Sire Stakes Program, bringing New Brunswick's annual contribution to $200,000. That puts the province on par with that of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

The current funding is in addition to an initial three-year investment of $1.02 million announced by the province earlier this year in support of the standardbred horse industry. Ouellette says the investments will ensure the continued improvement of breeding stock.

The economic impact of the harness racing industry in New Brunswick is estimated at $17.5 million per year, generating $1.8 million in tax revenue.

Prairie Meadows' 2008 Schedule Approve
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission on Thursday approved Prairie Meadows' plan for a 2008 racing season over the objections of thoroughbred interests that wanted more racing days in the track's spring meet.

As approved, the 2008 season will be similar to this year. It will start with a 47-day spring thoroughbred meet that runs from April 18 to July 5. It will be followed by a 43-day mixed thoroughbred-quarter horse meet from July 11 through Sept. 20. Then there will be an 18-day harness meet from Sept. 27 to Oct. 25.

The Iowa Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association, which negotiates thoroughbred contracts, had sought a 51-day thoroughbred meet, followed by a 35-day mixed meet and eight days of quarter horse-only racing. The extra week of racing in the 51-day thoroughbred meet, said Iowa HPBA president Leroy

Gessmann, would help Prairie Meadows lure trainers that want to race at Remington Park in Oklahoma, whose season begins the first weekend in August.

"Horsemen that come for the thoroughbred meet and then have to leave have no place to go," Gessmann said. "What we're trying to do is get (the thoroughbred meet) further into July."

However, Butch Hammer, president of the Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association, said he opposed having the mixed meet shortened to 35 days with eight quarter horse-only days.

Prairie Meadows anticipates having $19.5 million in 2008 purse money, which goes to owners of horses that finish fifth or better in a race. Thoroughbred races will receive nearly $15.9 million in purses and Iowa-bred bonuses, with $2.8 million going to quarter horses. Harness racing will get $835,000 for races at Prairie Meadows, plus $1 million for county fair races.

The commission deferred approving contracts between Prairie Meadows and horse groups until January. Quarter horse and standardbred interests have signed three-year agreements, thoroughbred interests have not agreed and say they legally cannot sign more than a one-year pact.