Wednesday Briefs Plus a Personal Note

Have the trotters seen their last race at Indiana Downs?  Speculation has it that Centaur Holdings is looking to have Indiana Downs race thoroughbreds and quarter horses exclusively.  Of course, this would make Hoosier Park exclusively standardbred.  Racing dates in Indiana are due to to be released on Friday. 

The reason given for this realignment in the Hoosier state?  The cost of converting the track surfaces.  In the grand scheme of things is converting track surfaces that expensive?  It is when you have a money losing operation; another sign that slots keeps the horses going around and 'round.


The Canadian Sportsman has an article on Jason Settlemoir, the new GM of the Meadowlands as well as on classified racing.  Interesting fact is it was the horsemen who went to management about changing the way races were classified.


Eighty-one nominations have been made to the 2013 Inter-Dominions taking place in Australia.  Seventeen New Zealand horses have been entered.  Lonestar Legend is the only American-bred horse nominated ot the series.


One race does not constitute a race meet does it?  Only if you are in Florida.  The Ocala Breeders Sales runs one thoroughbred and quarter horse race each to keep their racing permits active.  If you missed it, Gulfstream Park raced a one race quarter horse meet back in April to keep their quarter horse permit alive as well.  Of course, this is a state that issued a quarter horse permit to a barrel racing track so they could offer a card room.  To keep a license active, tracks should be required to race a meet approved by a racing commission which consists of the normal number of races (baring weather). 

Speaking of Creek Entertainment Gretna, they have curtailed their number of race days as their handle on barrel racing has not exactly been setting records, unless you consider record lows.  The handle has been reported as low as $24 a day.  The facility now offers simulcasting on greyhounds and hopes to add horse racing but that may be a long time coming as I doubt many horsemen groups will authorize wagering at this make believe race track.


Bill Finley on ESPN.com talks about the New York State Legislature's attempt to bring Catskill OTB to New York City.  Really?  We know how well OTB in New York City went the first time.  Sooner or later the state is going to evaluate the success in bringing fans back to the track but when they do it, they are certain not to consider the damage the state has done by allowing OTB to suck the life out of racing.  Hopefully Governor Cuomo will do the right thing and kill the bill off.  Expanding political patronage's reach into NYC is not the recipe to resurrect racing.


In a personal note, recently I was diagnosed with myeloma.  While I still have more testing to go through to determine which particular type it is, all indications thus far is it is early.  My expectation is I will be around a long time and am thankful it was found early because many people don't find out about it until it is too late; when it becomes full-blown multiple myeloma.    While incurable, knowing early gives me options; something those who learn they have this type of cancer later on don't get.  That being said, there may be an occasional day extra here and there where I don't post because of it; for the most part my illness should be transparent to you the reader.

Why do I bring this up?  Certainly not to bring attention to myself and to look for pity.  It is the hope that others may benefit from my experience.  Detecting my myeloma began with an annual physical with blood work.  If you haven't had a physical in a long time, why not make that appointment now?  Odds are things will be fine but you never know.  After all, what you don't know can hurt you.  If there is a problem, it's better to know about it so you can deal with it.