For photos from the Meadowlands contact Lisaphoto@playmeadowlands.com

Saturday, March 30, 2013

PA Blowups

Calling the MSOA.  Calling the MSOA.  Valley View Downs may need you now that the PHHA has thrown in the towel with regards to being the official horsemen association for the track which is yet to be built. 

You can't blame the PHHA for their withdrawal.  After all, this track is about ten years behind schedule and I imagine they feel this project is never going to get built.  By withdrawing from an oral agreement, Valley View Downs is in violation of one of the terms required to get a racing license; representation of the horsemen from one of the two existing horsemen groups.

Fortunately, the MSOA, the group which represents horsemen at the Meadows could step in and solve that problem.  To tell you the truth, their representing horsemen makes more sense beiing it is geographically closer to the Meadows than the turf of the PHHA which is Pocono and Harrah's.  When you think about it, what are the odds that the Meadows will race when Valley View Downs is open, assuming it finally gets built?  One would think a circuit between the Meadows and Valley View Downs will be developed and is a natural to be represented by the same group. 

Of course, that assumes they ever get the shovel into the ground..


After that thumping Mohegan Sun took on the Rainbow Pick 6, it has been pulled off the menu "to be brought back for special occasions".  Not too many wager types have been yanked after two days.  Despite wagering being up last year in Pennsylvania (we don't know the split between the runners and trotters), it is clear the whales are avoiding tracks like Pocono Downs. 

To be perfectly honest, I don't know if the Rainbow Pick 6 would work at any harness track; there is just not enough wagering interest in harness racing.  Any wagers on the Rainbow wager would likely come from other pools, not bring in new money unless the carryover became huge.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Valley View could have been built years ago, but the people behind the idea didn't have the money. The current would be developers probably have the money, but it doesn't make any business sense. Pennsylvania doesn't need another race track and there will be competition from Penn National's racino just across the border in Ohio. Pennsylvania's government should just forget about requiring a track be built to get the casino license, then decide whether the state really needs another casino. If the answer is yes to a casino, it's doubtful building one on the border between Pittsburgh and Erie casinos is the correct location.