Monday Briefs

In Canada, parimutuel wagering on RUS racing begins July 1 at Mohawk Raceway and concludes October 1, at Western Fair District for an initial run of 10 dates,  Whether wagering on those races will be allowed in the United States likely depends on the rules of individual states as to whether those races may be wagered on.  I personally are looking forward to it.


The State Auditor of Pennsylvania has warned that horse racing in the state could be hit with a 'catastrophic shutdown' as the state's Department of Agriculture has been billing the race fund for unrelated items; using the race fund as the department's piggy bank.  Coupled with state-mandated diversions to plug other budget short-falls, the fund is a lot less than it should be.  Hopefully, the audit will keep the department from raiding the fund for their own short-falls, but when you are the government, you tend to ignore slaps on the hand.


It will be a sad weekend for Michigan statndardbred interests as Hazel Park Race(way) opens up their first rhoroughbred meet in decades, ending a stream of harness seasons.  No doubt standardbred horsemen are looking at the Michigan Gaming Control Board with bitterness for allowing a change in breeds this year after the initial race dates were set for this year, but in an letter to the industry issued back in January, the executive director of the MGCG puts the blame directly on the MHHA for not having written the number of days of racing in their contract with the race tracks.


Monday, the VARC is due to meet over the ongoing dispute between Colonial Downs and the thoroughbred horsemen.  The only reason I mention this story is the standardbred meet could end up being cancelled if Colonial Downs surrenders its license.


The Cameltonian was a popular event at the Meadowlands this past weekend as were the trottingbreds at Hanover,  One has to wonder if tracks formed a league (as suggested in an earlier edition of Trot Magazine) not only would youngsters become fans of racing, they would}