In a bill revised to addrss certain concerns of Governor Christie, the NJRC will be in charge of distributing subsidies to race tracks over the next three years. Instead of $30 million a year, it will be $30 million for three years. With the distribution of the subsidies being under the control of NJRC, and the Governor having to approve or veto their minutes, the reality is the Governor controls the purse strings.
I am not saying it would happen but if the first year the subsidy is $15 million, all $15 million can go to the the thoroughbreds at Monmouth Park with zero going to the Meadowlands. However, if the Meadowlands has been leased and the state is off the hook for any debt, expect Christie to favor the thoroughbreds as long as the state, through the NJSEA is on the hook for the expenses. Where hopefully, Gural and company will be on the hook for the Meadowland's expenses.
Accidents to a harness driver is frightening thing. First of all, you are dealing with the immediate injury and possibility of death. Then there is the therapy. All tough to deal with. Then comes the problem of many trainers will have moved on and forgotten you. Is it a case they just found the new hot driver, or are they afraid you won't psychologically recover from the spill; being fearful of making a racing move? Years ago, Jack Parker Jr. was in an accident at the Meadowalndss which basically made him persona non grata with trainers and his career was close to being over.
Now Aaron Merriman who races primarily at the Meadows and Northfield Park is dealing with the same. Back relatively early from his injury, he now is at the stage where he needs to prove himself to the trainers, no longer getting the number of live horses he once did. Unless you are a driver like John Campbell, your resume of work is past history. In many ways it is frustrating. The ability is still there. Everything a driver learned to get to the level they were before the injury is still there. Yet, here these drivers are forced to prove themselves almost as if they were that provisional driver. It is a shame trainers don't automatically assume you will return to the level you were before the accident. Your resume should be worth something; trainers who gave a driver first or second call before injury should give the driver the same respect they had for them beforehand until the driver can't prove their ability to drive the way they did before. Unfortunately, it is the driver who must prove themselves to the trainer.
Well, a .326 UDR in these first two weeks of 2011 don't make a year, but I suspect he is on the verge of showing those trainers he is back. It won't be long till he is given the respect he was given before the injury. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Merriman showed loyalty to those trainers who believed in him upon his return and gave them preference over those early doubters? It would be the ultimate payback.,
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Good Omen for the Meadowlands? DAR is Launched
In what may be an indicator that negotiations with Jeff Gural and the NJSEA are going well, the Meadowlands has released the balance of their schedule through August. The winter meet ends on March 26 with the Championship meeting beginning on May 7 (KY Derby Day) and will conclude on August 20, racing Thursday-Saturday with Thursdays being dropped for the final two weekends of the meet after the Hambletonian which will be held on August 6. This means a total of 81 race days will be held this year.
Of course, with the schedule being shortened considerably, some of the late closing series traditionally held will be cancelled for this year. With better scheduling next year, there is a chance they will return, but I tend to doubt they will. As for the Meadowlands Pace, it will be held on July 15. The complete racing calendar may be found here with the stakes schedule available as well.
Yes, negotiations could still break down, but I tend to doubt the schedule would have been announced if there was a reasonable chance a deal could not be made. Perhaps we can let out a sigh of relief?
The first press release from DAR has been published on several industry websites. The release does include some of their initial goals. With support from people like Anthony Perretti and Peter Kleinhans and other members, it is hoped the group can start making a difference soon. Make no mistakes, these changes will not be occurring overnight. Some of the goals may come into being relatively soon, others will take a while. After all, when a culture change in the industry is required, it will take some time to for certain changes to be made. There is one error in the press release, Wendi Kraslow Weiner, a California horsewomen who races as well as breds and rescues horses in the Golden State will be on the board.
It has been snowier than usual up to this point this year in the NYC metropolitan area and Stephane Bouchard was found skiing at Goshen Historic Track.
No word if he is getting days for putting the reins in one hand. With the weather forecast calling for another Winter Storm midweek, it looks like Yonkers Raceway picked a good time to take their three week vacation.
Of course, with the schedule being shortened considerably, some of the late closing series traditionally held will be cancelled for this year. With better scheduling next year, there is a chance they will return, but I tend to doubt they will. As for the Meadowlands Pace, it will be held on July 15. The complete racing calendar may be found here with the stakes schedule available as well.
Yes, negotiations could still break down, but I tend to doubt the schedule would have been announced if there was a reasonable chance a deal could not be made. Perhaps we can let out a sigh of relief?
The first press release from DAR has been published on several industry websites. The release does include some of their initial goals. With support from people like Anthony Perretti and Peter Kleinhans and other members, it is hoped the group can start making a difference soon. Make no mistakes, these changes will not be occurring overnight. Some of the goals may come into being relatively soon, others will take a while. After all, when a culture change in the industry is required, it will take some time to for certain changes to be made. There is one error in the press release, Wendi Kraslow Weiner, a California horsewomen who races as well as breds and rescues horses in the Golden State will be on the board.
It has been snowier than usual up to this point this year in the NYC metropolitan area and Stephane Bouchard was found skiing at Goshen Historic Track.
No word if he is getting days for putting the reins in one hand. With the weather forecast calling for another Winter Storm midweek, it looks like Yonkers Raceway picked a good time to take their three week vacation.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Is There A Need For DAR?
Some people may be wondering why there is even a need for DAR. The standardbred industry simply does not take the issue of equine welfare post racing seriously enough.
For example, from the fact sheet for Illiinois SB737, which would authorized the establishments of racinos.
• Requires additional dollars to be spent on backstretch workers, university research, State & county fairs, and retired or injured thoroughbred horses, increases purses by $60 to $80 million per year
I know my eyesight isn't the same as it once was, but in the above sentence, do you see the word "standardbred"? No you don't and there is a reason why. With what little publicity horse racing of any type gets in the media, 85% of it being thorougbred, the public is aware of the injuries thoroughbreds have as well as their plight after racing. People outside of our industry are either unaware of us or just don't give us a serious though which permits standardbred racing to ignore these problems. Just in case you think the fact sheet only mentions thoroughbreds, is an oversite, here is the text of the entire bill; it talks about thoroughbreds and quarterhorses, but not standardbreds when it comes to retirment or research of injuries..
It is up to the responsible people of the industry to bring the issue of retired standardbred horses to the forefront (fortunately, our equine animals do not suffer as many catastrophic injuries), and those people are DAR, Dignitiy After Racing. Only by holding ourelves accountable, will we be able to work on the problems inherent in standardbred racing,
The Illinios slot legislation proves there is a need for Dignity After Racing.
For example, from the fact sheet for Illiinois SB737, which would authorized the establishments of racinos.
• Requires additional dollars to be spent on backstretch workers, university research, State & county fairs, and retired or injured thoroughbred horses, increases purses by $60 to $80 million per year
I know my eyesight isn't the same as it once was, but in the above sentence, do you see the word "standardbred"? No you don't and there is a reason why. With what little publicity horse racing of any type gets in the media, 85% of it being thorougbred, the public is aware of the injuries thoroughbreds have as well as their plight after racing. People outside of our industry are either unaware of us or just don't give us a serious though which permits standardbred racing to ignore these problems. Just in case you think the fact sheet only mentions thoroughbreds, is an oversite, here is the text of the entire bill; it talks about thoroughbreds and quarterhorses, but not standardbreds when it comes to retirment or research of injuries..
It is up to the responsible people of the industry to bring the issue of retired standardbred horses to the forefront (fortunately, our equine animals do not suffer as many catastrophic injuries), and those people are DAR, Dignitiy After Racing. Only by holding ourelves accountable, will we be able to work on the problems inherent in standardbred racing,
The Illinios slot legislation proves there is a need for Dignity After Racing.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Jeffrey Snyder Wins...Harness Racing Loses
Let's begin up front and state Jeffrey Snyder is not the wrong doer; the person held responsible for the medication violation was trainer William Elliot who got a ten year suspension and $40,000 fine.
In August, 2007 Michelles Power was tested under Ontario's Out of Competition Testing program. At the time, the horse came back negative. A split sample was taken and in May of 2008 a new test was developed and Michelles Power blood came back positive for EPO. Under the rules of Ontario racing, when a horse tests positive for EPO or DPO, in Out of Competition Testing, they are subject to a 90 day suspension. Being Michelles Power originally tested negative, she was racing and earning money. When her revised test came back, the horse was suspended retroactively and Mr. Snyder was ordered to refund earnings of up to $300,000 earned during the ninety days the horse should have been suspended..
Mr. Snyder appealed the decision saying the 90 day suspension should not apply retroactively, but start once the test came back positive. To Mr. Snyder's credit, he willingly agreed to the 90 day suspension starting from the day the test came back positive (nine months after the fact), so he accepted the suspension. What he objected to was having the suspension go back retroactively and having to refund $250-300,000 in purse earnings Michelles Power earnind during those ninety days. The Ontario Racing Commission agreed and allowed Mr. Snyder to keep the purse money.
Well the ORC agreed with him and allowed him to keep up to $300,000 in ill-gotten earnings only because the original test did not catch the infraction. The suspension, in their eyes should have begun after the horse finally came back positive to which Mr. Snyder agreed to. So what the ORC is saying, is a trainer can medicate a horse illegally with EPO or DPO and due to testing shorticoming get away with it and while the horse is benefiting from the medication, any wins and purse money earned while the horse is juiced up are allowed to remain with the horse, even if it is later to have tested positive for the time period in question. Sounds like a situation which may encourage an unethical trainer to take a chance.
In this case, the honest horsemen got screwed so the score is: Cheaters $300,000; Honest Horsemen -$300,000.
This is a bad rule which needs to be changed. When it comes to Out of Competition testing, a horse that later comes up positive on a split sample should have to foreit those earnings darned during what would have been the original period of suspension as well as serve the suspension once discovered. That would send a message to trainers everywhere.
In an editorial in today's The Record, Silvio Laccetti, endores the Meadowlands being taken over by Jeff Gural and suggestes it may become the area's first de-facto urban park, a plave where familiies can go to spend a day out in the fresh air as part of a trip to other sites in the area as well as revitalize harness racing in the area. No, don't ever think the money wagered on track willl ever compete with simulcast dollars, but what agee to is if the New Meadowlands became another Tioga Downs or a modern version of Historic Track, a place where families cold be together enjoying their day, everyone wins; the state and the horsemen.. One thing Mr. Laccetti mentions in his letter guest editorial is the nienty day deadline should not be a hard deadline. With racing not scheduled to resume until May, there are seven more weeks for the two sides to attempt hammer out an agreement, especially since a bi-partison bill would allow the NJSEA to run the Meadowlands the entire year while the private entity went hrough hearings seeking ownership of the license. There is no need to pull the plug prematurely.
Speaking of Historic Track, they are in need of help as they ran into unexpected expenses replacing some barns.. Click here how you can help. Simply becoming a member helps.
In August, 2007 Michelles Power was tested under Ontario's Out of Competition Testing program. At the time, the horse came back negative. A split sample was taken and in May of 2008 a new test was developed and Michelles Power blood came back positive for EPO. Under the rules of Ontario racing, when a horse tests positive for EPO or DPO, in Out of Competition Testing, they are subject to a 90 day suspension. Being Michelles Power originally tested negative, she was racing and earning money. When her revised test came back, the horse was suspended retroactively and Mr. Snyder was ordered to refund earnings of up to $300,000 earned during the ninety days the horse should have been suspended..
Mr. Snyder appealed the decision saying the 90 day suspension should not apply retroactively, but start once the test came back positive. To Mr. Snyder's credit, he willingly agreed to the 90 day suspension starting from the day the test came back positive (nine months after the fact), so he accepted the suspension. What he objected to was having the suspension go back retroactively and having to refund $250-300,000 in purse earnings Michelles Power earnind during those ninety days. The Ontario Racing Commission agreed and allowed Mr. Snyder to keep the purse money.
Well the ORC agreed with him and allowed him to keep up to $300,000 in ill-gotten earnings only because the original test did not catch the infraction. The suspension, in their eyes should have begun after the horse finally came back positive to which Mr. Snyder agreed to. So what the ORC is saying, is a trainer can medicate a horse illegally with EPO or DPO and due to testing shorticoming get away with it and while the horse is benefiting from the medication, any wins and purse money earned while the horse is juiced up are allowed to remain with the horse, even if it is later to have tested positive for the time period in question. Sounds like a situation which may encourage an unethical trainer to take a chance.
In this case, the honest horsemen got screwed so the score is: Cheaters $300,000; Honest Horsemen -$300,000.
This is a bad rule which needs to be changed. When it comes to Out of Competition testing, a horse that later comes up positive on a split sample should have to foreit those earnings darned during what would have been the original period of suspension as well as serve the suspension once discovered. That would send a message to trainers everywhere.
In an editorial in today's The Record, Silvio Laccetti, endores the Meadowlands being taken over by Jeff Gural and suggestes it may become the area's first de-facto urban park, a plave where familiies can go to spend a day out in the fresh air as part of a trip to other sites in the area as well as revitalize harness racing in the area. No, don't ever think the money wagered on track willl ever compete with simulcast dollars, but what agee to is if the New Meadowlands became another Tioga Downs or a modern version of Historic Track, a place where families cold be together enjoying their day, everyone wins; the state and the horsemen.. One thing Mr. Laccetti mentions in his letter guest editorial is the nienty day deadline should not be a hard deadline. With racing not scheduled to resume until May, there are seven more weeks for the two sides to attempt hammer out an agreement, especially since a bi-partison bill would allow the NJSEA to run the Meadowlands the entire year while the private entity went hrough hearings seeking ownership of the license. There is no need to pull the plug prematurely.
Speaking of Historic Track, they are in need of help as they ran into unexpected expenses replacing some barns.. Click here how you can help. Simply becoming a member helps.
Friday, January 7, 2011
HRU Auction Items
VFTRG WILL NOT AND CAN NOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR AND ANY MISREPRESENTATIONS.
Minimum bid $450, includes shipping in US.
Current Bid is $475
Stylish Pear Cut Chatham Emerald Slide & Genuine Diamond Pendant set in 14kt yellow gold. This quality pendant has a single Chatham Created Emerald totaling .75ct and 5 Brilliant Cut Diamonds totaling .10 CTW. I do not know the exact quality of the diamonds, but they are bright. The Emerald is fabulous & much nicer than my photo. The setting contains 2.1 grams of 14kt gold. This pretty pendant was expensive and in very good condition.
Kindly donated by Kate Williams.
Minimum bid $55- actual value $225.
Current Bid is $65
Kindly donated by Kate Williams.
Minimum bid $35 - actual value $139.
Current Bid is $40
Current Bid is $40
Beautiful Segment Bracelet in Lavender Jade with 14 kt Yellow gold embellishments. The clasp is a pretty faceted Amethyst and this bracelet measures 7 &3/8 with the clasp hooked. Truly my sorry photo does not do this stunning bracelet justice because the lavender color is very true, not faded or grayish.
Kindly donated by Kate Williams.
Current Bid is $60
Current Bid is $40
8x10 watercolor painting generously donated and painted by Joan Chakonas
Current Bid: $180
Current Bid: $150
Painting of Trolley, worth at least $450 normally.
Minimum bid $350.
Current Bid: $350
First Edition Collectible: Trail of Painted Ponies~TWILIGHT HUNTERS
First Edition Collectible: Trail of Painted Ponies~~STARDUST
Kindly donated by Kate Williams.
Minimum bid $40- actual value $140+. Current Bid: $100
Minimum bid $45
Current Bid $75
Current Bid $75
Set of Diana Tuorto's horse novels for children, each told from a different horse's point of view.
The Set Includes:
Spirit of the Saluda River (for ages 6-8+) is the story of Spirit, a blind 20+ year-old Shetland pony rescued from an island in South Carolina's Saluda River. Despite a difficult past and obstacles in his recovery, Spirit goes on to become an inspiration, particularly to deaf and blind children. Based on the true story of an incredible pony rehabilitated by Palmetto Equine Awareness & Rescue League (P.E.A.R.L.). Offered in paperback, this book is illustrated by 13 year-old artist Emmi Gordon.
Each book has been autographed by the author with a special message to HRU supporters.
The entire set normally retails for $40.
Minimum bid already met.
Kindly donated by Diana Tuorto Current Bid $41
- Trolley t-shirt with her picture on back
- HRU t-shirt
- 2 HRU hats
- Trolley sweatshirt (no picture)
- HRU sweatshirt
- 2011 HRU calendar
Minimum bid $45
Current Bid $75
Rock N Roll Heaven's Horseshoes. Three Year-Old Pacer Colt of the Year.
Kindly donated by Bruce Saunders.
Minimum bid $50
Current Bid $200
Muscle Hill's Horseshoes
Current Bid: $90
Older pacer who has won many races and might be Older Pacer of the Year.
Current Bid $75
Current Bid $37
Current Bid $65
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