Asserting Control

- Michael has more on the failure of a casino amendment to make it out of committee in the Kentucky House. As I'd mentioned, one of the two proposals did not absolutely guarantee that the tracks would get racinos, though they'd be able to bid for them, just as Suffolk Downs is trying to hit the green in Massachusetts. That is the approach supported by the House Speaker, Jody Richards, and after it failed by a single vote, he did a little house cleaning.

Richards kicked fellow Democrat Dottie Sims, who voted against his bill but for the Clark/Wilkey bill, off of the committee and replaced her with Democrats Tim Firkins and John Will Stacy, who will both likely vote for his version of the amendment and send it to the full House.
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While not illegal, Richards actions are certainly not honorable... I doubt they will play well with voters, since moves like this are exactly what turn folks off of politics. [Curb Your Enthusiasm]

It reminds me of an incident a few years ago here involving Mayor Bloomberg. One of his prime initiatives was to end social promotion of third graders in favor of strictly academic benchmarks. When the Mayor realized that the committee that needed to approve his proposal was poised to vote it down, he replaced three of his appointees with more sympathetic replacements and won the vote 8-5.

''This is what mayoral control is all about.....Mayoral control means mayoral control, thank you very much. They are my representatives, and they are going to vote for things that I believe in.'' [NY Times]

So Speaker Richards is also exercising his control; he says that his version is the one most likely to get out of the House. The industry prefers the version which requires five racetrack casinos. And the fight seems sure to go on.

- Handride is bored with the Derby Trail thus far, and I can't disagree too much. Not that there aren't some interesting horses worth watching; but have there been any wow moments other than Pyro's rally?

War Pass maybe? Nick is an old-style kinda guy, and his plan for the juvenile champ - the allowance last Sunday, the Tampa Bay Derby three weeks later, the Wood Memorial in another three weeks, and then the Derby in four - is the old three prep approach - remember that?

A half brother to War Pass, by Monarchos, failed to reach its $1.5 million reserve, and it is possible he will go to straight to the races for War Pass's owner, Robert LaPenta. [DRF]