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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Matchmaker, Levy Finals; WV Rubmings?

A funny thing happened last night at Yonkers Raceway.  A Ron  Burke trainee didn't win either the Blue Chip Matchmaker or George M Levy Memorial series finals at Yonkers.  For sure, they picked up purse money but the winning horses were trained by Amber Buter (Feeling You) in the Matchmaker and Mark Silva (Razzle Dazzle) in the Levy.

The Blue Chip was a typical Yonkers race.  Leave early, allow someone to clear and slow up the second quarter and then sit in the hole the entire race to wait for the passing lane. Androvette may have raced the best of all of them coming from post eight to finish third after going a tough trip.




In the Levy, while it was a wire-to-wire victory, the race was more exciting at the end as Razzle Dazzle needed to hold of the field.  No doubt, being able to go :56.3 in the middle of the race allowed Razzle Dazzle to have the strength to hold on.  But as in many big races, no one seemed willing to take a chance and attack until the end of the race.




As predicted, the renowned sale of Something for Doc to allow Foiled Again to race in the final didn't pay dividends as the eight hole doomed him, running last the entire mile.  I am sure we will be hearing from Something for Doc later this year but that dreaded eight hole took another victim last night.


West Virginia legislators are eyeing slot revenue  as it was reported last year $92 million of gambling revenue was taken from slots to support racing.  $66 million went to thoroughbred racing with $9 million going to the breeding fund with the rest going to purses.  As the Sunday News-Register of Wheeling, WV found out through a FOIA request, the vast majority of money went to out of state owners and breeders (twenty-six states and the District of Columbia).  For Greyhound interests, some $26 million went to the industry, with $6 million going to their breeders development fund.  At least with the dogs, their development fund was restricted to WV breeders.  A cost benefit analysis is being undertaken to see how much of this slot money is actually helping the West Virginia horse industry versus other states to see if any changes should be made. 

While West Virginia's standardbred program is limited to the state fair, standardbred interests should keep an eye on the first state to approve racinos for a change in the program in WV can impact what goes on in other states.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The 8 hole is certainly dooming when you don't try at all! Even in a stakes race of this magnitude! The Yonkers races were tremendously boring and uneventful. The only chance that Something For Doc had at all was to leave and he didn't??? You can't force a hole or a speed duel unless they let you in or pass? Really? The driving is terrible there these days. The middle halves are a joke. No outer flow at all to force the pace. No three wide bids. Harness racing is killing itself.