Thursday Miscellanery

Really, a conflict of interest?  Thistledown Racetrack Announcer Ayers Ratliff was let go by Thistledown Racetrack for grounds of conflict of interest.  What was his big conflict?  Being the track announcer at Northfield Park.  How does that merit a conflict of interest, or more importantly, a significant conflict of interest?  It's not as if he is in charge of purchasing decisions or going in front on the Ohio Racing Commission.

I don't care how good a track announcer is, I am going to play a particular track because I feel I will make more money at one track or another.  I am not going to play a racetrack because of a certain announcer.  Unless I am misinformed, most track announcers have more than one gig because they are not paid enough to call the races at one track.  Is it a crime he happened to call races at two tracks down the road from each other?  It's not like they are racing at the same time time-wise.


It Must be the Water:  There is a horse rescue in England that has had horses in their 30s and 40s living with them, but compared to Shayne, they are mere youngsters.  You see, Shayne is 51 years old.  The amazing thing is Shayne is not the all-timer oldest horse, there was a horse named Badger who was 54 years old when he passed away.  As for Shayne's condition, he has problems with his teeth and he has a 'little bit' of arthritis.  I should be so lucky.


Wishing for a Government to Fall?  I can't help but think Ontario Horsemen are hoping for a government to fall.  The Liberal Party who has decided to end the OLG Slots at Track program is a minority government and if the budget they propose doesn't get passed, it will be the same as a 'No Confidence' vote which would require the provincial government to call for new elections.  The New Democrat Party is the Liberal Party's coalition partner but unless changes are made, the NDP may vote down the budget which may kill the government assuming the Progressive Conservatives, the official opposition, holds strong and votes against the budget.  However, it will take only one vote from either party to get the budget passed as the Liberal Party is one vote short of a majority government.  In reality, it boils down to whether the NDP or PC feel new elections at this time would be to their benefit.  It may be the case that it is felt this decision to end the OLG program may be what the opposition feels is necessary to make them more desirable in a general election.