How to Ruin a Good Idea

This week, Woodbine Entertainment is sponsoring WEG Cares, a week-long promotion where they are asking visitors to their website to vote for one of the listed charities with the winning charity receiving a $10,000 check at the end of the week as part of WEG's effort to raise the awareness of the community to these charities as well as showing its support.  Various charities are included such as Community Association for Riding for the Disabled, United Way of Toronto, and Youth Without Shelter,  Also listed among others charities are Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society (OSAS) and Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada (RCC, a thoroughbred-based organization). 

So what could go wrong with this promotion?  Well, at this early time as a result of a online campaign, OSAS has 31% of the vote, well ahead of the other charities.  So if these results stand, OSAS stands to earn for their group, much needed funds for their organization.  So what is wrong with  this picture?

Almost everything.  Make no mistake, OSAS is a fantastic group, equal to SRF and New Vocations south of the border.  They help rescue unwanted standardbred and train the horses for new careers and hopefully adopt them out.  They do good work and certainly can use the $10,000 as all these groups can.  However, running a campaign to get others to vote for them will ruin a perfectly good opportunity for WEG, to be a good corporate citizen as well as promoting their stated goal as WEG indicates on the contest website;  

"WEG Cares is a celebration of the many valuable community organizations and causes that we support, and which contribute so much to the life, health and vibrancy of Toronto".

Quite honestly, OSAS should not be part of this competition, or if allowed to compete, should not be part of a get out the vote campaign (though admittedly others will be tempted to do so as well) because what are patrons going to think should a horse-related charity win out over a group that helps support people of need?  Probably something like "Sure, a horse charity won, it was arranged for them to win".  Otherwise, what may be an opportunity to ingratiate themselves with the community may be a wasted effort.

OSAS and others should stop actively campaigning for votes.  WEG should be supporting OSAS and the Racetrack Chaplaincy of Canada as a matter of fact, supporting the horses and people who keep racing going without running a contest like this.  As for the $10,000; those voting for OSAS or the RCC should be making donations on their own to thee groups.

I don't deny these groups are worthy, but there is a time and place to seek funds.  This is not one of them.

Super Hi-Five Comes to the Meadowlands

Well, jackpot players should be looking forward to November 14 when the Super Hi-Five debuts at the Meadowlands after seeing how well received it was at the WEG tracks.  The Hi-Five will be similar to WEG's in that the jackpot is hit only if one player has the top five horses in the exact location; more than one ticket sold with the correct sequence and you win the consolation prize.  The base price is $.20 and the Hi-Five will be held on the last race of the card.

What makes the Meadowlands Super Hi-Five special?  Well, let's start off with an 8% takeout.  A takeout in single digits which, according to the Meadowlands is equal to the average takeout on slot machines and VLTs.  The Meadowlands hopes this will promote the movement to lower takeout rates overall but they realize they can't reduce takeout rates alone, it needs to be industry-wide.

The other big difference is instead of 45-50% of the pool being carried over to the jackpot when no one (there is no consolation) or more than one player selects the correct sequence, only 25% will be carried over to the jackpot; 75% will be paid out to those who had the correct sequence.  Isolated, it would suggest the jackpot will build slower but with gamblers receiving a bigger reward if they don't hold the sole correct ticket, it should get other players to give the Super High-5 a chance.

Lastly, pending NJRC approval, the last racing card of 2014 will not be a mandatory payout which has traditionally been  the case as it is legally the last day of a race meet.  The only mandatory payout day will be Hambletonian Day; for all practical purposes the last day of the meet.  Unlike WEG, there will be no mandatory payouts due to the jackpot reaching a certain level.

Of course, the downside is jackpot wagers take money out of the pools.  Granted it will be the last race of the night, but it will mean less money available the next racing day.  However, if this is what the betting public wants, you give it to them.

Sea Horses

If you love horses, not just because you can bet on them, here is a film which is to be released soon.  Judging by the trailer, it looks like a good one.  



Sea Horses Trailer from Doug Gardner on Vimeo.

The press kit goes into more detail regarding what the movie is about.  It is not a nature film so it is not for children in my estimation.

PASS Championship From the Perspective of the Stallions

Over the weekend the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes program handed out more than $2.5 million dollars in purse money at Pocono Downs and Harrah’s Philadelphia. The Championship Final in each division carried a $260,000 purse while the consolation races were $50,000 each. The finals for the lower level tiers of the program are held separately.

How successful the offspring of a particular stallion are in these capstone races won’t make or break him, but it’s fair to expect high-dollar sires to show something. Muscle Hill, whose get won’t be eligible to the Pennsylvania program until 2017, is the most expensive trotting stallion at $25,000, but Cantab Hall, at $20,000, was the priciest in play on the trotting side Saturday and Sunday. And he was absolutely outstanding, sweeping all four $260,000 finals for trotters with Wild Honey, Billy Flynn, Lifetime Pursuit and Father Patrick. And as if that wasn’t enough, the gelding Uva Hanover won the consolation race for sophomore trotters. Muscle Hill is the only one in the conversation with 13-year-old Cantab Hall.

Actually the most expensive stallion in Pennsylvania is Somebeachsomewhere at $30,000. His precocious freshman daughter Southwind Roulette was the only one to win a final. Limelight Beach was second to McWicked in the 3-year-old colt division, also for Gingras and Burke, and Beach Gal finished third in the final for sophomore pacing fillies. Also, Somestarsomewhere won his consolation for Gingras and Burke at 15-1, and Some Playa was third in that race. Undefeated Sandbetweenurtoes was swallowed up down the stretch in her final. Nothing to crow about. A single divisional win makes this was a disappointing weekend for the most expensive stallion in the sport.

Donato Hanover stands at Hanover for $15,000, down from the original $20,000. The ten-year-old’s sixth crop is racing this year. And while he has been much better at producing productive fillies to this point, he showed a little more balance in the sire stakes finals. His freshman son Honor And Serve finished second to Billy Flynn while Don Dorado followed Father Patrick and Nuncio home. On the distaff side, Simcoe winner Designed To Be chased certified beast Lifetime Pursuit home. Shake It Cerry, who won the Zweig Filly last week, was second in points but did not participate. And Uncle Lasse, who won a split of the Wellwood the other night, only made two starts in the program and was short points.

Donato is still deficient when it comes to high profile males. When Your So Vain won the Hambletonion Maturity for Ake Svanstedt it looked like he might fill the bill, but he’s only started twice since, both losing efforts. Winless at the finals isn’t good enough for Donato.

Well Said is Donato’s opposite number at Hanover; the $15,000 pacing stallion. To be fair, he was missing some of his better players: Tellitlikeitis; Uffizi Hanover; Lyons Levi Lewis, who won a split of the Champlain Saturday; and Shakai Hanover, who finished second to Happy Becky in the Champlain.  

Well Said’s only win came in the 3-year-old filly Pace consolation, where Katie Said beat Gallie Bythe Beach and Tyra for Marcus Miller. Beyond that, Well Hello There was third behind Southwind Roulette in the 2-year-old filly final and Sometimes Said was third behind McWicked. Talking Points and Kingofthejungle also delivered seconds in the consolation round.

Well Said has good overall numbers, but he needs some marquee performers. Tellitlikeitis has won a lot of money but a win in a NA Cup elimination won’t get it done. And Uffizi Hanover won the Fan Hanover as well as last year’s Breeders Crown, but she’s inconsistent.

Andover Hall, who stands for ten at Hanover, saw Svanstedt’s Highest Peak win a 3-year-old filly consolation for Tetrick and Bright Baby Blues finish second in the 2-year-old filly trot. Also, Nuncio, who doesn’t have high profile wins but is sixth overall in the sport in earnings, finished second to stablemate Father Patrick in the 3-year-old colt final. That and Spider Blue Chip won’t get you much.

Western Terror is a gynocentric stallion with little to show on the male side, but 2-year-old Tommy Terror has been one of the top colts in the PASS program. He pressed kingpin Yankee Bounty through the stretch and only lost by a nose. And the 3-year-old pacing filly, Also Encouraging, finished second to Weeper in their $260,000 final. Another filly, Safe From Terror, was second in her consolation. Pretty good considering how unpopular he’s been at the sales.

There were some solid results from the Pennsylvania diaspora. Yankee Cruiser, who now resides in Ohio, was well represented by undefeated phenom, Yankee Bounty. While McArdle, another Ohio transplant, saw McWicked win the 3-year-old colt final, and his offspring took both pacing consolations with Macarena Mama and McCito. And Tyra was third in hers.

 Dragon Again’s Kay’s Dragon Lady was second to Southwind Roulette, while Rich Wisdom was third in a consolation.

This is McArdle’s second year in Ohio and it’s the first for Yankee Cruiser and Dragon Again. This year’s yearlings will be PA eligible in 2015, but the real value of their successes in the finals will be to Ohio breeders.

So, on the trotting side Cantab Hall took all the oxygen; it was impossible for anyone else to have a very good night. Imagine what it will be like in 2017 when the Muscle Hill’s join the battle for PASS money. And on the pacing side, Southwind Roulette was very impressive, but more is expected of SBSW. His 2-year-old crop was very small. Is that the problem? Many have tried out for the part of successor to Captain T, but none have earned the role.

Joe FitzGerald

If At First You Don't Succeed, Fail Fail Again....

After vetoing the bill to remove state prohibitions against sports gambling in New Jersey at casinos and racetracks because the Governor felt the legislature moved to fast and needed to respect the ruling of the 3rd Circuit Court, Governor Christie has now decided to issue a directive exempting racetracks and casinos from prosecution for violating the laws which prohibit sports betting in New Jersey provided they don't accept wagers on NJ sports teams and sporting events in New Jersey.  This directive takes effect immediately.

What changed in the Governor's mind?  Most likely finding his presidential chances going down the tubes as fast as an Atlantic City casino (four down thus far in 2014 and rumors of at least one more heading for the chopping block).

All I can say is don't plan on making your first sports bet anytime soon in New Jersey for the state has asked the 3rd Circuit to rule whether or not this directive addresses the courts objections.  My money says this will not pass muster and you can be sure the sports leagues and the NCAA will be filing injunctions shortly.  (Disclosure:  My legal experience comes from one semester of Business Law) 

Didn't the 3rd Circuit say there is nothing in the Federal law (PASPA) which says sports wagering would be illegal if a state repealed its prohibitions against sports betting and as long as the government doesn't sanction it?  Well, having the acting attorney general telling the various parts of state government they won't be prosecuting casinos or racetracks for breaking the law is not repealing the law, it is technically saying there are more important things in the eyes of the Office of Attorney General to prosecute.  Besides, a directive is not law, there is nothing to stop the next Governor of New Jersey (theoretically) from having the directive reversed and making sports wagering illegal again.  Unless the laws against sports wagering are repealed, I don't see the court giving its blessing.

But let's say the directive in effect voids the law for casinos and racetracks and accept the reality no Governor is going to reverse the directive (Ever see a state turn off a revenue source?), the next problem the state will have is one could argue the directive is in effect sanctioning sports wagering because it only shields two industries from prosecution.  The fact the state is sanctioning the activity is problematic to the court; the directive would have to shield all industries from prosecution to avoid the sanctioning issue.  Repeal the law is repealing it universally, not picking and choosing who can or who can't. 

Then comes how the money from sports betting gets divvied up.  What do you call it if the state or an agency decides X% goes to casinos or divided up between racetracks and purses and y% goes to the state treasury; to me it still sounds like the government is legalizing sports wagering which violates PASPA.

Of course, if the state is not regulating and sanctioning sports gambling, how can the state keep the 'legal' bookies from offering betting on sporting events in New Jersey or on NJ teams?  You would think imposing any type of restriction on an activity constitutes regulation which would violate the 3rd Circuit court's opinion.

Let's assume the 3rd Circuit says this directive passes its test?  There is nothing to say the Supreme Court suddenly decides to take this case on when it gets to them this time.  They may throw out the circuit court's opinion completely.

But when all is said and done, how does legalized sports wagering benefit Atlantic City or for that matter the racetracks?  If NJ gets away with this (I doubt it), how long do you think it will be until other states remove their laws against sports gambling?  It will be like the casinos, all over the East Coast.  Yes, their revenue will go up, but it would not be anything to get out of state residents to show up in Atlantic City.  Horsemen will see their purses go up but as more states adopt the NJ policy, you will see purses go back down; not to the current levels but down just the same.