Dead Before it is Built; Getting Tough on Program Trainers

I've said it before, I say it now.  The Lawrence Downs Casino and Racing Resort will never be built.  The state of Pennsylvania should pull the plug on this project once and for all.  Penn National Gaming, which was going to manage the project has decided to back out, a move which no doubt will end up in court as they were going to provide a significant amount of financing for the project, putting Endeka Entertainment in serious trouble.   

Penn National Gaming (PNG) argues the saturation of gaming in the area makes it hard to get financing.  No doubt there is a saturation of gaming in the region, especially with the gaming available in Eastern Ohio, which happens to be operated by PNG.  Endeka is now taking PNG to court, claiming they entered into the partnership knowing they would back out due to the saturation.

I am no legal expert, so I won't comment on the merits of Endeka's claims.  I do know there is an over saturation of gaming when you look at Ohio, PNG also claims the same situation occurs in Pennsylvania.   What I do know is the proposed site is relatively close to the Meadows.  As long as the Meadows will race year-round, there is no need for another track in the Western part of the state.

Were I the regulators, I would give Endeka one year to choose an alternate site in the state; perhaps in the central part of the state to identify a location for a track where the competition with other tracks and gaming sites would be minimized.  After that, I would pull the license and put it on the shelf.

Lawrence Downs will never be built.  It is about time everyone admits it.                                                                          '

Program trainers are a scourge at many tracks for all breeds.  The Racing Officials 
Accreditation Program (ROAP) is working this year on the problem of program trainers. also known as beards.  Some people call the existence of program trainers a conspiracy because dealing with program trainers is basically done on a track level and it depends on the willingness to go through the steps necessary to prove a trainer is a beard.

As reported in  The Bloodhorse, what ROAP is proposing is the following:

The recommendations include investigating any person suspected of being a program trainer; develop enforceable penalties and sanctions for rule violations; and ensure that any such trainer, when suspected of being simply a name on the program page, be subject to a regular stewards' hearing. Owners would be brought into the process as well by being asked if they know who is actually training their horses.

It will be interesting to see how receptive commissions and tracks will be towards implementing the process necessary to deal with this issue.

In an effort to keep the supply of horses steady at the Meadowlands, a new series "The Spring Preview" will be established for green horses.  Races for NW1 and NW2 will be offered with eliminations of $12,500 or $15,000 with finals worth $30,000 (NW1) or $35,000 (NW2) the following week.  There is a starting fee of $500 for the eliminations.  Expect to see more of these types of races (called 'overnight stakes' in the t-bred world) to help fill the entry box.  

Why Are Bandolito, Sting, Kingcole, Master Of Law & Archangel Up For The Big Tease HOF?

Recently a pair of speed demons who are shoo-ins for the Big Tease Hall of Fame retired from racing. Six-year-old Hurrikane Kingcole is shopping himself as a stallion prospect, while five-year-old Shebestingin has accepted an exalted position in the broodmare band of Captaintreacherous. And another blue chip candidate, the little Ponder lightning bolt, Bandolito, has also been grabbing headlines with his season’s best wire to wire win in 1:48.1 at Dover Downs for owner-trainer-driver Daryl Bier. What is it that sets this trio, and several others, apart from the rest? Many horses fool us, but the Big Tease Hall of Famers take it to another level.

Bandolito didn’t race at two, and the following year he knocked around the lower condition ranks in Pennsylvania, winning six times, and foreshadowing better things to come. In August he headed for The Red Mile and took a big bite out of the lucrative, but lightly subscribed to, Kentucky Sire Stakes account. Daryl Bier steered him to wins for 15 and $30,000, followed by an October 1^st $250,000 final for Tim Tetrick. His nine wins in 11 starts were good for almost $190,000.

The following April Bandolito set a season’s record when he won at Dover Downs in 1:48; just as he has the fastest mile of the year in 2015. The problem is that all that speed hasn’t translated into a successful move up the class ladder. He did win an open-preferred HC at Dover, as well as a preferred pace at Pocono, after that fast mile, but he failed to convert in the Van Rose and Molson and subsequently missed four months.

Since then Bandolito has pretty much stayed in Delaware. The five-year-old has converted in 17 of 40 starts and earned almost $320,000, but he leaves us wanting more.

The same can be said of the Bettor’s Delight mare, Shebestingin. Sting went the fastest mile ever by a filly or mare when she won the Glen Garnsey at The Red Mile in 1:47 as a sophomore. She takes a back seat to only SBSW and He’s Watching in that age group. She also equaled the 1:49 world record for a three-year-old pacing filly when she won the EBC by 10 lengths at Tioga. And she set an all-performer track record at Miami Valley when she won the inaugural Chip Noble in 1:50.4 for David Miller.

While Bandolito has never bolstered his speed resume with an open stakes win, Shebestingin won the Nadia, Bluegrass and Matron. Still, it’s disappointing that she only took three of 14 starts at four and five, earning about $71,000.

Master Of Law, the fastest son of Deweycheatumnhowe, is another Big Tease. MOL didn’t race at two, and in the two and a quarter years since he’s only started 28 times, winning 11 of them and earning about $367,000. Like Bandolito, he won a $250,000 Kentucky Sire Stakes final in 2013. He raced under the tutelage of Frank Antonacci through the Hambletonian Maturity in early July of last year, where he broke stride and finished back. He’s not quite in the break or win mold of an Arndon or Arnie Almahurst, but in the same neighborhood.

Trot whiz Jimmy Takter took charge, and after shaky performances in the Vincennes and Crawford, he beat 1-9 Sebastian K, Creatine and Natural Herbie in the Centaur at Hoosier Park, over an off track at odds of 21-1 with Takter driving. As is customary with the Big Tease nominees, after his big win he was supported by the bettors in the Allerage Open and the American-National, and he broke in both. Since that time he has a couple of wins against lesser stock in five 2015 starts. In full stride the son of millionaire Breeders Crown winner, Possess The Magic, is a sight to behold, but maintaining his composure is an issue.

Archangel, the black Credit Winner speedball, wowed us when he won his Cashman elimination in a world record 1:50 in July. Driver Yannick Gingras wasn’t surprised, stating after the race that if the trotter hadn’t broken stride while following Sebastian K home in that one’s world record 1:49 mile at Pocono, he was sure Archangel would have been there at the wire.

Archangel also set a world record when he beat Market Share and Googoo Gaagaa in the Yonkers Trot. He broke Earl’s 19-year-old track record at Batavia in a split of the NYSS at three. He set a Vernon Downs track record of 1:53.4 in a division of the Empire Breeders Classic. Setting records was no problem. And despite sitting out his four-year-old season to get a jump start on his breeding career, Archangel earned more than a million dollars.

The hole in his game was that, aside from the Tompkins Geers, the Yonkers Trot was his only open stakes win. When he came back under Ron Burke’s direction for the 2014 season, he won only two of 17 starts, an open at Yonkers in late May and that record setting Cashman elimination. As is the case with all the rest, there was an impasse between speed and production.

The good news is that while Archangel had a problem attracting mares the first time around in New York, his book filled right up in trot stallion starved Ontario.

Last but not least is the double-time Cam’s Card Shark pacer Hurrikane Kingcole. The recently retired six-year-old has routinely pricked our attention with his mid-race sweeps to the top, but like his tease-mates a split of the Nassagaweya is all he has to show for that world class speed. He opened that race in :26.4 and finished the mile in a very fast 1:51.4, but that was way back in 2011, when he was a freshman. He won the Pace consolation in 1:47.3 and made the mile for Panther Hanover—another prime candidate—in his 1:47.2 win in the New Jersey Classic. Kingcole hit the ¾ mark in 1:18.2 in that one. But in the end, the long striding pacer Yannick Gingras says is the fastest he ever sat behind, only won at a 29% clip—14 for 49—and earned less than $600,000. Nothing wrong with those numbers, but they don’t live up to his fleetness of foot.

All of the above have exceptional speed, issues that keep them off the track more than their contemporaries, and a paucity of open stakes wins. Every one of them has thrilled us at one time or another and all have eaten more than their share of out betting dollars. Those are a few of the reason’s they’ve been nominated to the Big Tease Hall of Fame.

Joe FitzGerald

 

 

Hats Off to California Chrome and His Owners

Yes, you are reading the correct blog, but you must be puzzled seeing such a blog title from a self-professed harness racing fan who for the most part could care less about the runners.

To tell you the truth, not following the Sport of Kings, I could never understand what the fuss was about California Chrome last year.  Never watched one of his races last year so as far as I was concerned, he was just another thoroughbred (a very good one I would have conceded).  Didn't watch him race in Dubai either.

Then I saw a blurb that California Chrome was heading to jolly old England to race at Royal Ascot and being Ascot isn't till June, will likely race earlier in a stakes race to prep for Ascot.  Now my attention has been piqued.  Here is an American horse who flies off to the Middle East for a race and now heads to Europe to race in another prestigious race.  I still haven't watched the Dubai World Cup this year but this must be some horse to go around the world (okay, part of the world) to race against the best.  Rest assured, if he makes it to Ascot, I will be tuning in, reminding you this is a person who has zero interest in thoroughbred racing.

Now to bring this back to harness racing.  I intellectually understood what the 'Gural' rule was trying to accomplish but until I was writing this blog entry, midway through the third paragraph, I didn't really 'get it'.  Now I really know what Jeff Gural was saying about the sport needing stars that fans can follow.  Now, while many Kentucky Derby winners retire after their three year old season to head to the breeding shed, there are those such as California Chrome who keep on going.  Granted, the purse money for thoroughbred racing is much more lucrative, making it easier to make the decision to go on with a horse.  But the fact is they could have stopped with him or kept him in the States, but no, we have a world traveler knocking heads with the world.s best.  While I personally will follow Chrome alone and not becoming a thoroughbred fan, rest assured there will be those drawn in to the sport to see this wonder horse and sticking around.

Clearly, with the jettisoning of the Gural rule (I am not saying the decision should be revisited), harness racing needs to do its best to still offer the most lucrative four year old races to entice some of the better horses to stick around and race.

Meanwhile, we have the trotting mare Maven racing in Europe, and while her tour has not been a roaring success, she has raced credibly, finally winning a race which was restricted to those of her own sex.  Granted, she is over four and may continue to race a season or two more but she had the potential to become a super star in harness racing except for one problem.  Unlike the thoroughbreds, North America doesn't simulcast (with wagering) the big races in Europe when North American horses are racing.  If you are lucky, you may remember to go on YouTube to watch a replay of the race, but to be honest, unless you get to see a past performance page where you can appreciate the talent a horse like Maven races against as well as getting a race caller who calls the race in English. it is just another race.  Europe takes in America's top trotting races for its bettors to wager on, yet in North America, you would think there is no harness racing outside of the United States and Ontario.

While the Gural rule may have been scuttled outside of the tracks controlled by Jeff Gural, it is imperative that we get the best races in Europe and Australasia available for simulcasting even if not part of full card wagering.  At present, the USTA should talk to the major ADWs to get them to handle the big races abroad, even if not entire card.  If the USTA does offer a harness racing channel, it is a MUST that is covers the world's major races and if they are successful in establishing an ADW, they too need to offer wagering on these races.  We may have a hard time getting horses to stick around to become a marketable asset but when we have horses like Maven who keep on racing and doing their best to keep people interested, we need to make sure we get them the maximum amount of exposure with the racing public.

Wouldn't it be nice if someone in the thoroughbred world writes a blog entry titled 'Hats Off to Maven and Her Owners'?  Thanks to the lack of coverage outside of  North  America, such a blot title will likely never be seen.

Sunday Morning Briefs

Racing at Cooper Downs  photo from Facebook

Harness racing action returns to Cooper Downs Racetrack today.  Cooper Downs, you ask?  Odds are you never heard of it racing occurs at Cooper Downs Racetrack and Entertainment, a non-sanctioned meet conducted in Terry, Mississippi.  Some of  these drivers and horses may make an occasional foray to the Midwest tracks but for the most part the participants race for the love of the sport.

The great Monarch Content Group v. Mid-Atlantic Racing Cooperative stalemate ended after roughly four months.  The big losers?  The racing fans who couldn't bet on their favorite tracks.  This type of service disruption needs to stop.  One has to wonder if simulcast fees need to be regulated by racing commissions via a compact.  I am not saying the same fee should apply to all tracks, but based on handle, you can have three tiers of tracks with a different fee charged for Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 tracks.  Then this nonsense of holding the bettor hostage can end once and for all.

In a recent interview Phil Langley mentioned the USTA was considering establishing its own ADW.  Some may scoff but it could work.  The USTA is considering a subscription service to a harness racing network on the Internet where racing content, and related programming may be offered,  Well, if they are going to offer harness racing on the network, why not have an ADW network taking wagers on what is being broadcast?  If I may suggest one host for the program, i would like to put Ellie Sarama, who for some reason was dropped from the Little Brown Jug simulcast broadcast last year would be a natural for such a network.   The best thing about a harness racing ADW would tracks and horsemen would receive larger commissions than they currently do.

Of course, for the Meadowlands, such an ADW would only be partially beneficial.  Due to state law, the only ADW legal in the state is 4njbets, currently run by TVG; hence NJ residents who are Meadowlands fans would not be able to join a harness racing ADW, NJ horsemen and tracks would not be able to benefit fully.

Maven finally gets her first win of the European campaign at Solvalla yeterday. For those who have not seen the race, here is the replay.




With the victory, Maven has punched her own ticket to the Elitlopp.  It is just a question as to whether her connections accept the invite.

By now, you have heard how a federal prosecutor has charged four trainers with doping horses, the result if a case which resulted in a trainer taking a plea in a race fixing scandal.  Why some may fear such federal intervention at their local racetrack, I must confess, it would be great if the prosecutor could be cloned and they be put in charge of jurisdictions where tracks are located.

Someone has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for marketing of harness racing in Michigan.  So far it has had a lot of views but little success as of now.  Is it the best plan to market?  I can't say not being in the Michigan area.  What I do know is the situation in Michigan isn't healthy and horsemen pockets are pretty empty, but if they aren't going to step up, who is?

I try to keep my personal politics out of this column but since Indiana's Governor has signed the Indiana Religious Restoration Act, I am be boycotting racing at Hoosier Park for the foreseeable future.  Some argue the impact of the IRRA is being exagerated, but there is no doubt as to what triggered it being passed.  That is good enough for me to support the boycott of Indiana. 

Lessons From the Stronach Group

As you may have heard, the Stronach Group has been making changes in the thoroughbred world which could be used as a model for changes in the standardbred world.  In Florida, they in effect took over racing at Calder (while allowing Calder to retain the racino portion of the plant), creating a circuit between Gulfstream and Calder (now known as Gullfstream West).

Even more dramatic changes are occuring in Maryland where The Stronach Group operates both Laurel Park and Pimlico.  First of all, they are reducing the takeout rates at their tracks.in an effort to improve the handle at their facilities.  In addition, to develop a year round circuit, racing at Delaware Park and in Virginia (wherever it may occur) will be controlled from a centralized race office.  Not only are horsemen benefiting by having a year round circuit, gamblers benefit by being familiar with all the participants (human and equine) and there are cost savings by having one central office.

Wouldn't racing in the New Jersey - Pennsylvania region benefit from such an approach?  Instead of competing with each other for horses, a coordinated schedule between Pocono Downs, Harrah's Philadelphia, and the Meadowlands would benefit everyone involved.  Imagine the Meadowlands racing primarily in the winter, November - February and then a three week meet leading up to the Hambletonian; Harrah's operating March - June; Pocono Downs operating July-October.  The tracks would have full fields with the best horses available.  With the Meadowlands operating in what has been their most lucrative months, they would. be able to increase their racing dates perhaps to five days a week.

Unfortunately, cooperation between the three tracks seems unlikely; with two of the tracks having slot revenue, why would they wish to cooperate with their poor cousin?  This leads me to wonder if it may be time to develop a circuit within the Gural-operated tracks.  As above, have the Meadowlands operate a winter meet and a three week super meet similar to The Red Mile with Tioga Downs book-ending the Meadowlands meet and Vernon Downs operating during the Summer,  Not only would this provide a circuit for the horses to race on all year, it would allow each track to be promoted in order to raise their profile.