Still Waiting

- Legislators in Florida are still bickering over the same issues - tax rates, the amount of machines and what kind (Las Vegas style or “bingo”) - that are holding up the VLT’s that Broward County voters approved last year. While a state appeals court affirmed a lower court’s decision that there's no reason for four Broward parimutuels not to install slot machines while they wait for the state or the county to draft guidelines, the pari-mutuels – Gulfstream, Pompano Park, Hollywood Greyhound, and Dania Jai-Alai - will likely not do so until the rules are agreed upon in Tallahassee. [Miami Herald]

But when that will be is not clear. Chances for a special session of the legislature are grim, since the two sides have hardly budged off their original positions.

That angers Sen. Steve Geller, D-Hallandale Beach, one of the staunchest proponents of expanded gambling in the Legislature.

"The Republican leadership of the Legislature is treating the constitution and the will of the voters as advisory opinions," he said. [Sun-Sentinal]

- Former jockey Corey Black once described Rock Hard Ten as "Kobe Bryant in Shaquille O'Neal's body." Trainer Richard Mandella says that he’s as “fit as he's going to be” for his return in the Goodwood at Santa Anita. "He's not any taller, but he's muscled up….I wish I could say the same for myself." [Houston Chronicle]