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Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Vote.

- NYRA made a last minute donation of $10,000 to the Senate Democrats through its NY Thoroughbred Racing Industry PAC. Has Charlie Hayward and company been doing a little handicapping of those Siena poll figures?

Governor Paterson joined the Joe Addabbo robocall hit parade. The Governor voted in Harlem this morning, and noted: “I’ve never seen so many people stand on line for so long and be so excited." Kinda like at the track, right?

Mayor Bloomberg waited on line too, though he apparently didn't get up as early as Eliot Spitzer.

- I picked Long Island Handicap winner Criticism ($10.40) on Saturday morning, of course when the traffic on the site is almost non-existent. The only comment I got was this critical piece of news. As Senator Obama has said, his opponents try to make small matters into big issues. And this one really took off, eh?

I was at the Big A on Saturday, my first official appearance at a NYRA track since closing day at Saratoga, and despite my brilliant selection as noted above, I was a victim of my usual rotten luck....among other things, such as, maybe, stupidity?

Didn't notice any changes at the track, nor any nails and hammers flying on the Delaware North racino. I suppose that may have to wait until the state issues the $250 million in bonds, the proceeds of which is to pay for the construction. So it would appear we're in for some more delay.

One thing that was different was immediately apparent when, as I was walking out to the clubhouse apron, I noticed some guy being led away in handcuffs by a plainclothes NYC cop. Yes, the party-ing is over I guess. I've been going to NYRA tracks for over 30 years now, and pot smoking has always been tolerated there; and officially so. I've written a couple of times how I used to see the Pinkertons direct patrons at Saratoga to what then served as the accepted stoner zone, back along the fence facing Siro's before it became part of the enclosed paddock. And man, I can tell you stories from my far younger days (though I think I won't).

So no surprise that I saw a couple of the Rasta guys in a state of shock outside. I mean, they were buggin'; had to be the first time I actually saw their eyes in 30 years. Look, it's about time that NYRA had this cleaned up. They do their thing brazenly and arrogantly in areas filled with kids; and besides, I'm kinda sick of having my air polluted with such consistently low-grade commercial. Just seems to me that there should be some kind of interim step between looking the other way for 30 years, and "you're under arrest." Perhaps something like "Yo, dude, don't do this anymore" would have sufficed.

Perhaps there was a warning, I don't really know. But in any event, in order to help NYC's finest achieve its goal, and to avoid having the court system clogged with those committing minor offenses, I say to those who are so inclined, "Yo, dude, don't do it anymore!"

11 Comments:

Anonymous said...

NYRA wants to "weed" out the riff raff in advance of the new casino.

El Angelo said...

it's about time.

Anonymous said...

Where did the bankrupt NYRA come up with $10,000 to give the Senate Dems? Offensive. Sort of like Charles O'Byrne not paying his taxes yet making political contributions.

steve in nc said...

In my book, the Rastas are downright wholesome (even the ones that curse the jockeys mercilessly) compared to the idea of zombies feeding their savings into video bandits while drinking watered down bottom shelf stuff. How can we get the zombies lose their money on the races instead?

Where do you think all the "real Americans" are going to go between now & January to make sure the moslem terrorist socialist can't redistribute their wealth? What, they're not going to leave the way the Cubans fled Castro? Does that mean they really didn't believe their own rhetoric? Or that Bush left them with so little, they're hoping to get a little redistributed their way?

Anonymous said...

Reefers or Philly blunts?

Anonymous said...

http://tinyurl.com/5a8qku

Juror’s Father Hadn’t Died; The Horses Were Calling
By NEIL A. LEWIS
WASHINGTON — As it turned out, her father had not died. Marian Hinnant merely wanted to go to the races. And, she was not about to let the trial of Senator Ted Stevens get in her way.

On Monday, Ms. Hinnant stunned a courtroom when she confessed she had concocted a story about her father’s death to be let off the jury that would, a day later, convict Mr. Stevens of Alaska on ethics violations.

Ms. Hinnant said she had lied to attend the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita racetrack in California.

Anonymous said...

I remember the day I came from behind the bushes after some potent tokes at Belmont and happened upon the biggest, most awesome horse I've ever seen, standing by himself with his groom near the paddock: The Mighty Forego himself. Talk about your frigging look of eagles. Then he went out and ran down Honest Pleasure to win the Marlboro Cup under 132 lbs.

Steve Zorn said...

Good thing NYRA did contribute to the Senate Dems. Everyone knew that the old order in Albany was changing, and all of a sudden the lobbyists -- who never change -- have a new priority list.

But, seriously, the change in the Senate deprives racing of whatever little influence it had in Albany. None of the new "three men in a room" -- Gov. Patterson, Assembly Speaker Silver or putative Senate Majority Leader Smith -- care much about racing, certainly not as much as Joe Bruno did. (I can't believe I said something nice about a Republican.)

Anonymous said...

NY racing is destined to become an afterthought. The NYRA will suck as much out of it as possible, for as long as it can, but in the end, alternative gaming will rule the roost. We horse folk can cry all we want, but the reality is we will lose, both the war and any interest in the capitol. Having no Joe Bruno to cry to will only quicken the demise. Maybe Paterson turns up "dirty," just like Spitzer, and the whole Albany scene gets kicked in the butt?

Anonymous said...

Whether or not this whole VLT award process comes up dirty (on the surface, it sure appeared to be) and whether or not the dirt actually sticks to the popular "Teflon" Governor is yet to be seen.
What a shame for the NY horsemen and for racing, as support for the game has lost its momentum, along with its passionate advocate(s) in the assembly. And magically, the NYRA continues to milk its existence along. Talk about Teflon!

Anonymous said...

yo no make those comments bout my rasta brothers. You bumba clot ras clot loser. you an angel mon. you notin but a clot loser all de time. Now put dat in yo hash pipe.