Nothing Done

- Senate Majority-For-The-Time-Being Leader Dean Skelos chided Governor Paterson at the so-called leader's meeting in Albany on Tuesday over what he claimed was the failure of the governor to submit a Memorandum of Understanding needed to get the Delaware North slots project at Aqueduct under way.

"Earlier this year, when I made a request just to study what the economic development aspect of VLT's at Aqueduct were, I was criticized for costing the state $1 million a day. To this day, I have not received an MOU from you that's necessary for the legislative leaders and you to agree to, which is costing us $1 million a day! [editor's note: Touche!]

That's a substantial amount of money. Right now, it's 23 days since we announced the selection of Delaware North to operate VLT's at Aqueduct, and we should sign the MOU so we can begin to collect $370 million in licensing payments. That could go to cutting this year's deficit without cutting school aid."

Though Paterson confronted the Senator on most of his points throughout the session, he did not dispute this point. Skelos went on to appeal for slots at Belmont. "That could raise, perhaps, another $350 million, and spur economic growth in that area, in particular, Elmont. Elmont - a lower income minority community that's dying for this type of economic development, with VLT's, and growth in that area."

As you likely know by now, Governor Paterson and legislative leaders failed to agree on a single penny of budget cuts for the current fiscal year, the deficit for which is said to be $1.5 billion. They have thereby punted the problem to the new fiscal year starting April, 2009, for which the deficit is projected to be $12.5 billion, at the very least. Paterson was in Washington yesterday looking, unsuccessfully at least for now, for a handbailout.. The leader's meeting came about after Senator Skelos effectively called the governor's bluff (recommended link), agreeing to a floor vote on Paterson's budget cuts bill as written, without negotiations. Facing certain defeat, the governor canceled the special session and convened the public meeting.

If you have an hour to kill, you might want to watch the complete videos of the meeting, presented in four parts on the Capital Confidential blog at the Albany Times Union. "This is the way government works," said Paterson towards the end. If that's the case, then I think I'd prefer these meetings to remain private in the future. The Republicans, as the lame duck majority in the Senate, stonewalled the process, the Democrats accused the Republicans of playing politics even as they expertly did so themselves. The present Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith brought nothing to the table, Speaker Sheldon Silver had little to say as usual, and Assembly Minority Leader turned red in the face as he yelled and gesticulated forcefully towards Silver sitting a few feet away. (Skelos suggested that he was cranky because he'd canceled his honeymoon for this.)

So yes, we've heard the word dysfunction thrown around a lot the last couple of days, even from the governor. But more so, the whole situation smacks of the old upside-down Bizarro world to me. "Me Democrat. Me want to cut spending. Me opposed to tax increases on the rich." "Me Republican. Me beholden to unions and special interest groups. Me concerned about lower income minority communities."

And as such, it's not for me to judge any of the men involved, except perhaps for the testy Tedisco, whose bluster I found to be most undignified. I do always try to be honest here (even if some find me regularly demeaning), and I honestly have to admit that if, heaven forbid, Rudy Giuliani was the governor and Paterson was the minority leader in the Senate, then I'd likely be viewing this in a completely different way. Politics is politics after all, and politics are partisan; I imagine it's much of the same in all 50 states.

The governor has been on a roll in his approval ratings with his pre-emptive strikes against the deficit, so of course he would open the meeting with what amounted to a campaign speech highlighting his steady fiscal prudence, bragging of his foresight, and accusing the GOP of putting politics above necessity (though his prediction of a 6000 Dow seemed a bit dramatic......I hope). The Republicans probably have a valid point as to why they would need to consider cuts now when the governor has promised next year's budget in a month. I mean, why would anyone expect Senator Skelos to possibly take GOP ownership of painful budget cuts when the Democrats will be taking over in January? Why would Speaker Silver commit his conference to the cuts at this time without the Republicans being on board? (Though Silver's position seems the weakest of the group, I must say, considering that the Democrats will be doing all of the cutting next year anyway.) I'm pretty positive that this all would have played out the same exact way, even if the party roles were reversed.

So, the painful decisions are pushed back for now. When they finally get down to business, and with such a gargantuan deficit to tackle, you can mark my words on these two things - there will be a tax increase on those making over $1 million a year; and slots at Belmont are a cold stone lock.

Aqueduct Notes

- Another winner for Contessa, who, as I did point out a few days ago, has been doing well with grass runners, not usually the barn's strong suit. Tempest Storm won the second, and that's 11 grass winners in 47 starters over the last two months, some 23%. That for a barn with a 9% win rate on the surface over the last two years. That's three wins in four starts for this daughter of Malibu Moon since Contessa claimed her for Winning Move.

4th place for Joaquin Memphis at 6-1. Not a great week for Kasey K, with Mr. W.B. an absurdly wide 6th at Philly Park on Tuesday. Two in a row for the annoying Be Bullish.

The 7th scratched down to four horses, so only a $4.10 return on Sir Winston. Nice second for Yes It's The Truth, and he's definitely one to watch on the inner track for David Jacobson, who also took the 1st with End of an Era.

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Out With a Whimper

- Reader Saratoga Spa writes:

I have to say the Harness executives have done a good job marketing the sport of late. I dare say Somebeachsomewhere and Deweycheatumnhowe have more buzz out there than the Flat track stars of '08.

Don't know if that's exactly true, but it's probably not far off if it's not. And I'd also say that, speaking specifically of Somebeachsomewhere, who I've followed closer than his trotting counterpart, most of the buzz was generated by the horse itself. He's been absolutely spectacular and breathtaking, even in the race that he lost.

You can't say that about Curlin this year. I've seen a lot of speculation as to why nobody outside of the already converted care about his retirement, but I think the answer is extremely simple. Curlin was electrifying as a three-year old, dominant in his World Cup victory in Dubai. But since then, he beat ordinary fields in ordinary fashion, and lost rather decisively when asked to expand his repertoire, going out with a whimper in what was quite likely his final race. I'd guess that the Lawyer Ron who he edged out in last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup might very well have blown the doors off this year's version; Curlin never again equaled the 114 Beyer he did in that race. It takes a lot these days for a horse to break through the mainstream barrier, and Curlin, as a four-year old, didn't even come close.

- DiscreetCat checks in with a selection from Hollywood Park.

Hollywood - Race 4

#5 Royal Taat (5/2 ml)

Been on this Sadler/Doubledown filly in both starts thus far, and no reason to get off her now after her superlative performance last time, where she encountered heavy traffic in the stretch but finally found a seam and exploded late to win off comfortably. Small field and small morning line, but she's a bit light in the Beyer department and it APPEARS that Bejarano is jumping ship in order to ride the Frankel entrant Pretty Carina, who incidentally is the 2/1 ml favorite. Bit of a misnomer there as Gomez is Sadler's #1 guy anyway, and has been aboard the top Doubledown horses in the past. Should hopefully avoid traffic this time in this small field, and it looks as though she'll get some pace to run at. Onward and upward.

Speaking of Sadler, interesting article in the Form about his Cost of Freedom, who state veterinarians have described....as unsound.

- Fight!

Aqueduct Notes

- I've written about these starter allowance and handicap races, and the opportunity they can sometimes present for cheaper horses to compete for nice purses. Of course, sometimes they can come up really tough, like in the 7th at the Big A on Wednesday, a six furlong sprint comparable to a high-level allowance race at the least.

Contessa had six winners last week. He also had 17 losers. This barn overpowers its way towards training titles on sheer volume. Still, he's running a few points ahead of his usual win percentage this meet at 18%. Contessa starts the entry of Hollywood Left and Wild Geese, the morning line favorite at 3-1. These are both recent 50K claims for Winning Move Stable. Hollywood Left appears a shade short on class and speed in my view; Wild Geese fares better on both accounts, and has won two in a row. But this is a far far tougher race than the Hcp 14000s he beat in his last. So I'm thinking that this entry would be an underlay at his morning line or below.

Yes It's the Truth (6-1) return off a layoff for trainer David Jacobson. I've been waiting for this guy to come back alive ever since they got back from Saratoga; but, aside from a brief hot streak at the end of Belmont, he's yet to really get on track. Still, he's at a respectable 15% over that time, and is 1-1-3 in his last five. This horse won under a confident ride by Mario Pino in his last, a nw3x allowance at Delaware on Aug 2. He's never been off quite this long in his 29 race career. It was on the inner track where he came alive with three wins in four tries last winter. So maybe Jacobson might have freshened him with that in mind, and is using this as a prep. But I'm thinking that he's worth a peek at the tote board at least.

The speedy Night Stand (5-1) and Lemons of Love (7-2) also ship north, off good efforts for sharp barns in this highly competitive race. But I'm going to go with Sir Winston (4-1), for Asmussen. You can do far worse I think than that price on this tough gelding, 11 wins in 25 tries, and five in a row (once via DQ) while moving up in class and Beyers. Sir Winston was undaunted after checking fairly hard at the 3/8ths pole in his last, and went on to hold off Digger, who'd really seemed to find his stride at this distance, and Jacobson's tough Southern Missile. May have to work out a trip breaking from the rail with a couple of speeds just to the outside; but he's tactically versatile, and Johnny V sticks around.

- If you've been watching college basketball on ESPN nearly non-stop starting at midnight on Mon night/Tues AM, you see what the network can do when it really devotes its full resources to a sport. I saw Jeannine Edwards at the U Mass - Memphis game last night, and am happy to report that she did not interview Michael Iavarone.

On Stride - In One Sport Anyhoo

- Here's a note about 12 track executives discussing ways to keep star horses racing beyond the age of three.

The tracks recently met to discuss amending the conditions of their marquee stakes to promote participation to horses that have been sired by stallions at least five years of age. The goal of the program is to offer fans thrilling match-ups as 3-year-old champions return to race against top older horses. The proposed changes would take effect in 2012 and impact foals born 2010 and later. Provisions would be made for stallions with limited or no starts at three due to injury.

That's an idea that we've seen floating around the press (Bill Finley gets particular credit), blogs, and chat rooms, and it's great to hear that it's something now being given consideration.

There's only one problem. The executives are from tracks such as Harrah's Chester, Dover Downs, Freehold, and Vernon Downs, and the article is on the US Trotting Association website. So, while thoroughbred racing execs bog themselves down meeting with self-anointed committees of bloggers with minuscule audiences (in some cases I'd surmise, even smaller than the relative, in the scheme of things, handful of people who visit this site) about issues, such as saddle cloth colors, race names, and championship races run on weekday afternoons, which were brought about by their own shortsightedness, harness people are actually discussing substantive matters with the potential of expanding the appeal of their sport. As I've said before, while thoroughbred folks are looking down their noses at the sulky set, perhaps they should be paying some attention.

And here's more:

Today, the U.S. Trotting Association unveiled mobile.ustrotting.com, an Internet site at which users of all Web-enabled telephones and PDAs will be able to follow their favorite sport.

Users have the ability to view the past eight days of results and all entries for races conducted at pari-mutuel tracks and fairs in the United States.

In addition, users may search by horse name to see details of that horse’s most recent start, if within 90 days, and view the entire field of any upcoming race in which that horse has been entered if it is currently in-to-go in at the abovementioned tracks. [US Trotting Association]

Really, some of the USTA's web features put its flat racing counterpart to shame. We also saw that during the Breeders' Cup, with the antiquated Web 0.5 liveblogging which paled in comparison to what we saw on the USTA site during the Little Brown Jug and Hambletonian, technical problems and all.

- 12 state legislators in Monmouth County are calling for sanctions against Freehold, including withholding the track's 2009 race dates; this to pressure Penn National and Greenwood to sign the purse subsidy agreement. Pretty humorous that the representatives are all Republicans; imagine, the party of the past voting to impose competitive restrictions on a capitalist corporation.

- All of the upcoming Breeders' Crown races except for the three-year old trotters drew enough entries to require elimination heats this weekend. That means that Somebeachsomewhere will be racing at the Big M on Saturday. Only ten trotters signed up to face Hambo champ Deweycheatumnhowe in the sophomore test for the diagonal gait.

[UPDATE: Thanks to reader T.J. for the headsup. With 12 pacers entered, the two top money earners can elect to pass the elimination, which trainer Brent McGrath elected to do. The trade-off is that he'll lose the chance to select a post for the final and be placed in the open draw.

“I weighed that in my decision.....But the two weeks off will give me a fresher horse, so even the 10 hole won’t hurt him if he’s on his game.” [USTA]

Hunch Bets (Getting Off Easy Version)

Got Off Easy 4th at Mountaineer
Chat Truce 2nd at Beulah Park
Causin Confusion 4th at Beulah Park
Got Off Easy - 4th at Mountaineer
Nomoremrniceguy 7th at Mountaineer
Funatmidnight 9th at Turf Paradise
Got Off Easy - 4th at Mountaineer

- Mr. W.B. is 8-1 morning line in the 6th at Philly Park today; tough spot moving up in class off the claim. The race is for a 16K tag, for horses who have not won since May....but he's excluded from that condition since his wins have come for less than $12.5K. The purse is $24,000, wow.

- I know we're all sick of politicking right now (unless perhaps if you live in Minnesota, Alaska, or Georgia)....but if you go to the Meadowlands' site, you can vote for our favorite cute grey gelding, Highland Cat. His win in the spooky Grey Ghost Handicap is nominated for favorite race of the 2008 thoroughbred meet.

No Fixx Needed

- I'm sure hoping that NYRA doesn't take a page from Toyota. But I'm sure they want you to know that it's now official that zero horses suffered a fatal injury at the Saratoga meet this past summer. In fact, the safety record at NYRA tracks is pretty encouraging all around.

So far this year, NYRA’s tracks have had 1.21 such injuries per 1,000 starts, which is lower than the national average for both dirt (2.03) and artificial (1.47) tracks.

Saratoga did better than five tracks with artificial surfaces — Arlington, Del Mar, Keeneland, Turfway Park and Woodbine near Toronto, which had a combined 86 catastrophic breakdowns. [Troy Record]

Wasted Chance

- Disappointing Sunday for Kasey K. King Mobay's race on Saturday was one thing; an ambitious placing, a shot that the stable could afford to take given its recent successes. But Rap Tale's race at Philly Park was a real opportunity - a weak second level allowance race in which she appeared to fit, even given her recent lackluster Beyers. With just six opponents, and an unbelievable $48,000 purse - just can't get over the purses there, especially given the level of competition - it was the kind of race in which a stable like ours needs to make hay in order to stay ahead in this competitive business. Trainer Bruce Brown felt that the three-year old daughter of Tale of the Cat was doing well and was primed for the spot

So when the gate - a replacement wheeled in after the regular one failed, thus causing a long delay following the second race - finally opened, and Rap Tale took a hop and got uncharacteristically left at the gate (broke very poorly, according to the chart), it was an opportunity missed. Her 4th place finish was worth $2,880, enough to cover the van ride but not all that much else.

On Saturday at Aqueduct, Bob made his case to our trainer to nominate Joaquin Memphis for a state-bred stakes this weekend; there's no nomination fee, so it wouldn't hurt to take a peek at who else is entered. But the horse is now entered for a starters allowance on Wednesday, so I guess we know who had the last word in this case. The race is for NY-breds who have started for a claiming price - any price! So even a horse like Empire Classic winner / Stuyvesant runner-up Stud Muffin would be eligible here.

Stud Muffin won't run after his placing on Saturday of course, but the race has drawn R Clear Victory, who won the Kings Point here last spring. Also entered is Be Bullish, a horse who I just don't very much like at all. He knocked me out of a SHOWdown contest in March, and destroyed a Pick Three for me in his only win since then, on Nov 1. Here's another rich race - a $46,000 purse - and we've seen Bruce Brown move them up off the claim. Being realistic, perhaps second place and its $9200 share seems like a possibility here.

Tough Call

- Given my socialist leanings, you can of course generally find me sympathizing with the cause of working horsemen against evil corporate owners with only the bottom line in mind. But in the matter of the current dispute between New Jersey harness horsemen and the Penn National/Greenwood combo which owns Freehold, I must say that the corporate side has some valid points.

One horse owner actually spoke up in defense of Pennwood at the SBOANJ meeting last week; and explained on Andrew Cohen's First Over blog that he felt that actions of the group's leadership smacked of tortious interference, if not antitrust, against Freehold. Peter Gerry suggested that the SBOANJ, should it fail to prod a renegotiation of the subsidy agreement, seek relief from the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority, which negotiated the agreement on behalf of horsemen. "..the NJSEA is every bit as much to blame for the flaws in the PEA and its contractual requirements," he wrote.

Freehold's president/GM Don Codey Jr, in a letter to the Casino Association of New Jersey, wrote:

“Freehold is willing to be bound, and that will prevent future gaming to occur at Freehold Raceway during the next three years, which we believe was one of the goals of the (purse enhancement agreement).....Asking for restrictions beyond that is unreasonable, non-mutual, and unrelated to the benefits conferred. Most importantly, Freehold has no authority to bind its joint venture partners.
......
Codey suggested the document be modified to reflect location restrictions — racetracks — rather than entities that may own them. On Nov. 14, he told The Blood-Horse PNGI has obligations as a publicly traded company to avoid such restrictions on potential business activities.

“Who in their right mind would do it?” Codey said. “Any prudent businessman cannot do this.” [Bloodhorse]

Again, it's hard to really disagree. But having said that, it's also perfectly fair to question the companies' motives as the horsemen have. SBOANJ president Tom Luchento said that “Penn Gaming is more concerned about its casino investments and properties elsewhere in the United States than it is about harness racing at Freehold.” Indeed, a little harness track without slots, in a region surrounded on all sides by them, can't be more than a festering annoyance on the financial statements. The current situation gives the Pennwood partners an excuse, and an ethically defensible one in my view, to extricate themselves. It's bad for the sport, horrible for the horsemen, and threatening to a long tradition of harness racing in Freehold. But it's hard for me to see how any true capitalist could really criticize.

- A tour de force for Somebeachsomewhere in what is scheduled to be his final performance in Canada. On a sloppy track rated three seconds slow, and in the face of a driving wind and rain, he won by nearly a dozen lengths in an unbelievable, under the conditions, 1:50 3/5.

"I think it might have been his greatest race ever," said Reg Petitpas of Shediac Bridge, one of the six members of the Schooner Stable, who share ownership in the stallion, who went over the $3-million mark in career earnings with the victory, his 19th in 20 lifetime starts.

"I have never seen him as strong in the mile," said groom Jean-Louis Arsenault, a Moncton native, who said trainer Brent MacGrath had decided to use aluminum shoes on the horse for Saturday's race.
....
"I just let him ramble home, I never even popped his ear-plugs," said MacDonell. [Times & Transcript]

The Beach now travels towards these parts, for, if necessary, an elimination heat for the Breeders Crown at the Meadowlands on Saturday night; and for what will be his final career race on November 29.

Aqueduct Notes

- KING MOBAY tracked the leader for a half before fading from view. That's the chart comment on King Mobay's sixth place finish at the Big A on Saturday. Seems kinda like a harsh way of putting it. After the race, John Velazquez animatedly second-guessed himself, telling Bob and trainer Bruce Brown that perhaps he should have let the horse run on early instead of taking back off the lead. At that point, trapped down on the rail, Johnny V. said that the horse shied from the mud and dropped back. He actually finished OK, though he beat just one horse. Fact is this was too tough a spot; he belongs more in the 20-25 range I'd guess, and I think he prefers two turns. On the radar screen is a starters allowance written for early December for horses who have started for $10,000 or less; King Mobay did so in 2006, and it's pretty cool that he's therefore eligible for such a race, which carries a purse of $30,000.

Rap Tale is entered in the 4th at Philly Park today. She's listed at 3-1, and honestly I think that would be a bit of an underlay. Notacharlie'sangel looks pretty tough for Lake, and has a seven length win over the muddy main track two races back. Rap Tale's last was an OK third at the Big M, and she'll have to step it up here, perhaps on a drying out surface whose condition at post time is up in the air.

Two winners each for Jimmy Jerkens and McLaughlin. The latter took the 4th with first-timer Monk's Creek, a first-timer by Friends Lake with a Tomlinson mud number of 420. This colt sold for $270,000 at the Barrett's two-year old sale in March; far in excess of his stallion's $15,000 fee. The Florida Derby winner has 13 winners, and stands at #11 on the rookie sire list.

The barn took the 6th with Accredit. Some horses just don't care what kind of surface they run on. This three-year old colt from the first crop of E Dubai, standing at Darley for $15,000 and currently ninth on the second-year sire list, has also won on the Keeneland Poly, Saratoga slop, and has been right there on the inner track. He's now two-for-two on the Big A main, both of those on off tracks. Look for this Darley B team type in inner track stakes this winter.

Congrats to Just Zip It trainer Bill Turner, who got a graded stakes win with Dry Martini in the Stuyvesant; last to first with Channing Hill. The trainer also took Friday's feature with Cloud Nine.

- Rangers!



Out of what I consider to be the four major team sports, hockey is the one in which persistence and hard work are most often not necessarily rewarded. But the Broadway Blueshirts shrugged off an inept power play and a late 0-2 deficit, and kept coming at the stingy Bruins. The 3-2 shootout win puts them on top of the East at 13-5-2.

Familiar Names Behind Expanded Gaming Push

- A couple of upstate papers are reporting on a move afoot in Albany to allow electronic versions of table games such as blackjack and roulette. Whatsmore, Republican Senator John Bonacic told the Times Herald-Record that "this is a bill that could come together quickly, maybe in time for [the special session] next week." The pressure to cut spending can work small miracles I suppose, and the governor seems receptive to the idea, telling Pressconnects.com: "We will consider them all if it will help us raise some revenue."

The proposal being discussed would, in addition to expanding the types of games offered, allow the racinos to stay open longer. Larger venues such as Saratoga and Yonkers would be allotted 140 hours a week, which would quite likely mean 24 hour operation on weekend.

The idea should make sense to a lot of people involved, but a passage in the Herald-Record story indicates where the real impetus may be coming from.

Lobbyists and some state lawmakers are pushing hard for the change. They believe that electronic table games could pour between $300 million and $600 million into the state's coffers by luring more customers to racinos like Monticello Gaming & Raceway, which is part of developer Louis Cappelli's billion-dollar redevelopment of the old Concord Hotel.

"We think this legislation would be good for all racinos, including the Concord," said Darren Dopp, spokesman for Patricia Lynch Associates Inc., which lobbies on Cappelli's behalf. "The bottom line is that it brings hundreds of millions of dollars to the state and doesn't cost the state a dime."

Ah yes, Darren Dopp, the erstwhile Spitzer aide whose employment prospects have not been at all dimmed by his involvement in the Troopergate mess. And Patricia Lynch, a familiar name to those of us following recent developments in the New York racino world; and fresh off her win for Delaware North in the Aqueduct sweepstakes. And what do you know - a look at the Project Sunlight website shows that Ms. Lynch has been employed by Concord Associates since at least since last May, collecting a cool $10,000 a month (plus $840 in reimbursable expenses). Ha, and we might have wondered just how Cappelli was able to obtain a 75% retention rate of slots revenue, almost twice as much as some of the other racinos get. Seems as if he's spending that ten grand a month quite well.

- As duly noted, Fair Grounds is open in New Orleans for its 2008-09 racing season, with a sparkling new slots parlor by its side. Purses there had already been helped by a booming business at the state's OTB's which, in Louisiana, actually goes to enhance prizes at the track; and the slots should only help. Purses are expected to average $375,000 per day including stakes, and $300,000 per day in overnight purses alone, up some 20 percent from last season. [DRF]

There's the usual speculation about whether the slots will help business at the track; and the usual answer of probably not. I love this line by trainer Tim Rice, via Angus Lind's blog in the Times Picayune:

"Sure, slots have helped purses but I doubt if a single slotaholic has been turned into a fan of the turf....If you showed porno movies at the New Orleans Public Library, what chance would you give that the film clientele would end up checking out Dickens and Faulkner?"

Aqueduct Notes

- Winners at the Big A on Thursday for Pletcher and his former assistant Seth Benzel. For the Toddster, it was his second winner of the meeting. Benzel took his fifth winner from 11 starters with claimer Why West in the 7th. He trails leading meet trainer Contessa by two, but has sent out 38 less runners!

Bruce Brown took the second race with Personal Good, and now has three winners from eight runners. Tomorrow, he will saddle King Mobay for Kasey K Racing Stable in the second race. He's in tough in an open 35K claimer, and gets Johnny V.

Tar Heel Mom won the restricted Meadow Star Stakes for trainer Stanley Hough with a handy four wide move from sixth and last. This very nice looking three-year old filly is by Flatter, a second-year AP Indy stallion standing at Claiborne for $5,000. Flatter is actually doing pretty well, especially for a horse who never won a stakes in six career starts. Got a shot at stud I suppose due to his pedigree; he's out of Praise, a daughter of Wild Applause, who I just mentioned yesterday. Flatter, a full brother to Congrats (himself standing for $12,500 in Florida - his first weanlings are selling now at Keeneland), is number 21 on the second year sire list with an impressive total of 43 winners. That's more winners than several more highly regarded stallions up higher on the sophomore list, including Empire Maker, Posse, and Macho Uno.

Tar Heel Mom is a half-sister to Scrappy T. The sire of her second dam is a horse named Ward McAllister, and gee, I remember that one for some reason. He dead heated for the win spot in the 1975 Bernard Baruch with Salt Marsh; Daryl Montoya was aboard for trainer John Russell and the Phipps stable. I can only guess that I cashed a ticket on one of his four career wins.

Discreet Notes - Nov 13

- You may have noticed that my buddy DiscreetCat got knocked down a notch over on the right sidebar, deferring to new sponsor NYRA. Sorry about that, Cat. But thanks much to the New York Racing Association for its support. As you may know if you live in New York state, NYRA's online/phone/mobile wagering platform has managed to stay above all the squabbling going on in the ADW world, and accepts wagers from Hollywood Park, as well as from all the Magna and Churchill tracks. You can fund your account electronically from your bank with no transaction fees. Whatsmore, wagers placed over the system are treated as on-track bets, and therefore is the way to go to best support racing and the horsemen in the state.

And here's a little equal time for our distinguished, and displaced, West Coast handicapper:

Hollywood - Race 7

#2 Lupita'sluckyangel (10/1 ml)

Comes off a sharp win over Mud Sweat N Tears, who flattered that effort by returning to win her next start. Throw out the sprint race where she got cooked early vs. the stakes horse Quisiana while turning back from slower route fractions, and this filly is coming off two straight wins. Also of note is that both those wins came while stalking a moderate pace from close-up, which should be the situation again today as she figures to be laying second behind frontrunner Spinning Yarns, who clearly holds a pace advantage, but has also had some trouble finishing (meaning she'll be looking to set some soft fractions). Going a bit further, the last time Lupita'sluckyangel ran over this course, she ran a pretty nice race vs. the stakes horse Ransom Captive despite breaking from the 11-hole in race that started right on the turn. No reason to think she won't run well again today, and position-wise i think she'll be sitting in the catbird seat. Lots to like.

A busy next few days coming up for the Kasey K Racing Stable. King Mobay is slated to go on Saturday, and the rainy forecast certainly doesn't hurt his chances. Joaquin Memphis is a possibility to make his Kasey K debut on Sunday; the racing secretary was trying to round him up for a race that didn't fill for Saturday, but it's being brought back for Sunday, so we'll see. Rap Tale is confirmed for that day in the 4th at Philly Park; a second level allowance with six opponents and a whopping $48,000 purse. And Kasey K returnee Mr. W.B., apparently no worse for the wear from a few weeks in the Scott Lake barn, will be entered at Philly Park on Tuesday.

- In brazen defiance of the court ruling which declared that its table games in Florida are illegal, the Seminole tribe has opened blackjack and other card games at its Hard Rock Cafe in Tampa.

By 10:30 a.m., all of the tables had players, despite the fact that the casino did not advertise the additions.
.....
"We look forward to working with all involved parties to resolve this issue," said Jim Allen, chief executive of gaming operations for the Seminole Tribe. [Tampa Bay Online]

Doesn't seem as if the tribe's actions are as accommodating as this gentleman indicates, especially considering that the Tampa establishment has more card tables than at their Hard Rock Cafe in Hollywood.

Slash and Burn Slash

- Governor Paterson announced his ideas as to where to cut the budget, and it ain't pretty. Mid-year school cuts, Medicaid, five day furloughs for state workers, wage freezes, SUNY tuition hikes, it's not good. The Times Union's Capital Confidential blog has all the gory details.

The only item related to racing that I saw was a proposed 50% reduction, beginning in the 2009-10 fiscal year, in "VLT Impact Aid" for municipalities (other than, for some reason, Yonkers) which have racinos. That of course is not going down well in Saratoga, where former mayor Valerie Keehn fought hard for the aid, which totaled $3.7 million for 2007. The Saratogian estimates that the cut could mean that the city will lose 5 to 7 percent of its expected revenue for 2009. And though the city doesn't have Joe Bruno around to fight for it anymore, it doesn't intend to take this without a fight.

"As of right now, we’re going to keep it in the budget, and fight to keep this money because we have to cover the expenses of overseeing this property," [Commissioner of Finance Kenneth] Ivins said. "They pulled out the state police, so we have to maintain protection. We have to maintain roads, sewer, water and other infrastructure. A number of local expenses go into that facility, plus it drains our sales tax revenue that would ordinarily go to our local businesses, but go there instead.

"We feel that we deserve these funds," he said. [Saratogian]

Another potentially related point is that many Democrats, and their allies, are in favor of a so-called millionaire's tax; a 1% surtax on those making over $1 million a year. Paterson, quite un-Democratically, is staunchly opposed, on the grounds that it would drive wealthy individuals and some businesses out of the state. Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is a big proponent of the idea; and though he's taken the issue off the table for the coming lame duck session next week, he's made it clear that it will be an option for next year, when the Democrats take control of the Senate. Senator Malcolm Smith, the Perhaps-Majority-Leader-To-Be, also opposes the idea....what kind of Democrats are these guys anyway? However, should Smith come around - because, after all, he will of course go along with the sentiments of his caucus - then that would set up the potential for the sort of horse trading scenario that this reader discusses here. A racino at Belmont, which we suspect Paterson supports, could be amongst the chips that Silver could play to help get the governor to come around on the tax.

Aqueduct Notes

- Contessa picked up a second winner on Wednesday when Hurrah won the fifth. He claimed this grandly bred five-year old gelded son of Pulpit, out of Wild Applause, a daughter of the great Glowing Tribute who also produced Eastern Echo, Yell, and Roar, for $10,000 two races back. Less than a year ago, these same connections claimed this horse for $50,000. That's an even bigger depreciation than the Dow. As of now.

It's been a humbling last couple of months for this horse, dropping to a basement tag as he had. But he ran second in a starters allowance in his first off the claim, and today won for 18K, earning over $22,000 in total and starting a slow climb back to respectability.

Trainer Frank Alexander is on a nice streak. He took the 4th with Just a Warning, his 4th winner from his last nine starters; with two thirds, too. Like Hurrah, here's another claimer with a cool pedigree. Just a Warning is a half-brother, by Silver Deputy, to the Two-Year Old Filly-Elect Stardom Bound. Speaking of whom, do you think she would have brought quite as much money at sale if the Breeders' Cup was at Belmont next year?

Chestoria won the restricted Fairy Garden on the grass with a 9th-to-first burst in the stretch which looked as easy as any such move you could see. What made it even more amazing was that her recent form was lousy, particularly in a disappointing sixth in a state-bred stakes in her last. 12-1 in the morning line, Chestoria paid $11.20. You gotta love this game. Jade Queen was a no-excuse second as the favorite for the Toddster, 1 for 19 at the meeting thus far.

Notes - Nov 12

- New Jersey harness horsemen met at Freehold yesterday, and issued an ultimatum to management: Sign the purse subsidy agreement which would bring the horsemen some $4.2 million in purse monies through the end of 2009, or sell the track.

“We, the horsemen, would be one of the bidders to buy the track,” said Standardbred Breeders & Owners Association of New Jersey at President Tom Luchento...

“Pennwood [the company jointly controlled by Penn National Gaming and Greenwood Racing that owns Freehold] only seems concerned with what they perceive to be a restriction on their rights to pursue gaming in New Jersey....If they want to be in the casino business, they should sell the track.” [Standardbred Canada]

The horsemen are threatening to shut down the track's simulcast signal, as is their right under the Interstate Horseracing Act. Pennwood is balking because of a clause in the agreement which would prohibit them from pursuing a casino in the almost unimaginable event that such gaming is ever permitted in the state outside of Atlantic City.

State Senator Jennifer Beck, who represents much of Monmouth County, has questioned Penn National Gaming’s concerns about the future of Freehold Raceway.
.....
“In my opinion, Penn National Gaming is a Pennsylvania-based company that does not have the interests of New Jersey horsemen in mind. I certainly don’t want to see Freehold Raceway shut down, but I question if Penn National Gaming wants to avoid that result.”

A reader raised the excellent question of whether Pennwood would still be able to operate their OTB parlors if they lost their license to conduct live racing. Because if it can, why go through the troubles of running a racing operation if you don't have to? Why indeed? I'm endeavoring to get some more information on this question.

- Here's another great comment, this one on the matter of VLT's at Belmont. I would have to agree that this seems a very possible, if not likely, scenario. I've argued all along that Belmont is a far more appropriate location for the racino than is Aqueduct, and I'll briefly reiterate those arguments here. For one thing, there's far more room (as in, wasted space). As far as the surrounding communities go, I'd guess that the demographics, at least in terms of economics, are fairly similar - solid working class neighborhoods. And I'd say that, aside from job opportunities, both of them could live without the easy temptation of gambling next door.

However, just to the east and south of Belmont are some of the most affluent areas on the South Shore of Long Island. And the rest of the suburbs are an easy highway trip away. Whatsmore, even those in Manhattan would be far more likely in my opinion to hop on the Long Island Railroad (to what I presume would be a renovated facility at Belmont) then on the A train to Ozone Park.

Of course, I've never been down with the idea of closing Aqueduct, but I'd have to agree that the writing is likely on the wall. Winter racing at the present Belmont plant is unacceptable, but, as the reader suggests, a new, smaller oval (synthetic?) with a small grandstand which could accommodate the 1800-4000 or so degenerates who ever come these days during the winter, and built to face the sun, would certainly do the trick.

It's interesting that the theme of Excelsior reappearing to run such an operation is a constant theme in the comments. Of course, it all could be the same anonymous commenter for all I know....but still, it certainly makes a lot of sense. A Belmont racino was one of the centerpieces of their bid, and, towards the end of the process, they made it clear they were not interested in the franchise should there not be one. "Any bets?", this reader poses? I for one certainly wouldn't want to wager against.

- Flashbulb Breeze took today's second, on the turf, at the Big A for Contessa, his sixth winner of the meet. Interesting to see horses like this, who break their maiden after consistently knocking at the door but falling short; and then, gaining confidence perhaps, go on to defeat far better against winners in its next start. This barn isn't known for its proficiency on the grass, but has been quietly doing extremely well on the surface at the Meadowlands, where Flashbulb Breeze had graduated, making her one of three such winners from a limited sample for the trainer there. (I'd be more specific, but Formulator Web doesn't seem to consider the Meadowlands to be a valid thoroughbred track.) Could be worth following others from the barn who ship back over here in the waning days of grass racing at Aqueduct.

Addicted to Slots (Part 287 or so)

- The Associated Press reported yesterday that New York State has become increasingly dependent on revenue from the state's eight racinos as lottery sales level off. While total Lotto and scratch-off sales are still slightly up overall, the results from the VLT's are defying trends in the gambling industry.

More than half of all racino revenue came from Empire City at Yonkers Raceway, which opened in 2006 and is the only video gambling operation located in the lucrative New York City-area market. Revenues at Yonkers were up April-through-October compared to 2007, even as the economy sputtered. In fact, revenues were up at all racinos except for the one at Monticello Raceway.

Our friend Bennett Liebman is quoted here as saying that the coming racino at the Big A could cut into Yonkers' business; but a lottery spokesperson disagreed: "We think the total pie will get bigger at the expense of out-of-state facilities." Hmmm, can't imagine that an Aqueduct racino won't have at least some negative effect on the business at Yonkers.

Liebman also warns that gambling is not a recession-proof business and racino revenues could still falter. Indeed, though I've wrongly predicted gloom in the recent past, the figures at Yonkers for October and November have indeed leveled off; that despite the easing in the gas prices that were supposedly preventing gamblers from traveling to Atlantic City.

The Monticello racino will be moving along with the racetrack to the new Concord complex....or at least we hope so. The latest news is that developer Louis Cappelli, who has already gotten tax breaks way above and beyond the call of duty from both the state and Sullivan County, is asking for even more assistance in the face of the financial crisis.

And tomorrow, Governor Paterson will announce his ideas for $2 billion in spending cuts for the current fiscal year; cuts which are expected to include education and Medicaid. I guess if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself, especially when you're depending on New York State legislators, of either party, to actually cut spending. His call for the Senate and Assembly leaders to come up with $1.5 billion in cuts was met with stony silence. As the Daily News' Bill Hammond wrote: The only sound at the Capitol was crickets. Well, maybe that plus the sound of labor union leaders burning up their internet lines. And perhaps mayors warning against the dangers of cutting local aid.

Next week's special budget-cutting session, with a lame duck Republican majority in the Senate, promises to be interesting if not particularly productive. With the so-called Gang of Four down to Three, and with even the most ardent of the group, Senator Ruben Diaz Sr, not sounding inclined to switch parties at this point, the Democrats will, next year, have a majority of at least 32-30. That tally is pending the results of the recount in Queens SD-11, where incumbent GOP Senator Frank Padavan leads Jim Gennaro by less than 1,000 votes.

Subsidy With Stings Attached

- Trouble at Freehold Raceway, the daytime half-mile harness track in the New Jersey town of the same name. The track's owner, Pennwood Racing, a partnership consisting of, appropriately enough, Penn National and Greenwood (and there's some corporate ingenuity for you...I bet they'd be good at naming foals too), has refused to sign off on the Atlantic City casino subsidy agreement that would provide $1.6 million in badly-needed purse money. That's right, they won't take the dough.

Tom LaMarra reported on the situation for Bloodhorse.com late last week; the piece is typical of that website's detailed reporting on some of the more tangential stories that may not be covered in the other trades. The thoroughbred tangent here is that Greenwood also owns Atlantic City Race Course, which was not included in the Purse Enhancement Agreement with the casinos, but would like to be.

But the main point is that Pennwood is declining to sign the agreement for Freehold because it would prohibit the companies from pursuing gaming opportunities in the unlikely event New Jersey were to expand gambling outside of Atlantic City. Not that the casinos would ever permit that. But just in case.

The Standardbred Owners Association of New Jersey [SBOANJ], in a release, said Joe Corbo of the New Jersey Casino Association indicated the casinos probably wouldn’t agree to give Freehold its cut of the subsidy unless PNGI and Greenwood signed the agreement. SBOANJ legal counsel Joel Sterns told Freehold officials the track could end up closing should purses not be supplemented.

“The SBOANJ is prepared to pull authorization for simulcasting signals at Freehold, and will be notifying Freehold that its deadline will now be Nov. 13,” SBOANJ president Tom Luchento said in a statement. [Bloodhorse]

The horsemen will be meeting on Tuesday at the track. As noted by Standardbred Canada, they are playing hardball.

“The refusal of Pennwood Racing to accept $1.6 million in casino supplement funds for Freehold’s purses is endangering the future of racing at Freehold and the infrastructure of farms, training centers and related industries that have flourished in the state." [SBOANJ]

Now I certainly don't want to see Freehold close. It has a place in my heart as one of the racetracks of my formative degenerate years. Unfortunately, that Freehold burned down in 1984, and the replacement building is like a mini-Meadowlands, lacking the character that the old building had. But it's still Freehold, and it's a venerable racetrack with a long history stretching back for over 150 years.

But having said that, I can't really blame Pennwood for balking at signing this agreement. LaMarra reports that they were not part of the negotiations which led to the agreement. Bad enough that the AC casino owners have the clout and the arrogance to prevent the tracks from competing with the surrounding states with slots. Being singled out for these further competitive restrictions has to be a bitter pill for Pennwood to swallow. So I think they have every right to bitch and moan. However, the notion that there will ever really be casinos outside of Atlantic City seems merely fanciful; and if it ever did happen, it would surely result from the kind of sea change in the casinos' political influence that could very well render the agreement null and void anyhow.

So hopefully, should fighting the good fight not bear fruit, Pennwood will do the right thing and let Freehold live. After all, we wouldn't want ol' Stanley Dancer to be looking down on no shopping mall.

Aqueduct Notes

- Another winner for trainer Seth Benzel, who took the second at the Big A on Sunday with Southern Charmer ($9.80). The former Pletcher assistant is on a run of 12-4-4-0. This two-year old daughter of Dixie Union out of the graded stakes winner Power Play (Fast Play) was coming out of the race which served as the debut win for Elusive Heat. Here, she survived a stout early duel with Slam the Cat, coming out of a major key race (three winners). Boca Belle, a West Point first-timer running on a weekend with, no doubt, a big group of partners on hand, was slammed to 9-5 in her first start and finished 7th despite a stalking trip behind the dueling leaders.

The Toddster himself has only one winner at the meeting thus far, from 18 starters. In fact, over the last 90 days on the NYRA circuit, Pletcher has just 11 winners from 134 starters, for a paltry percentage of 8%. Nonetheless, the fans sent his first-time starter Battle Plan off at 9-2 in the 9th. This three-year old is a son of Empire Maker, out of the champion filly Flanders, and thus a half to her champion daughter Surfside. However, Battle Plan got caught chasing an absurd pace for a mile contest - 45 flat to the half! No wonder why he did a steady fade around the turn. Turaath closed from well back for trainer Dan Pietz, giving the barn two straight wins here. This half-brother to the trainer's Steppenwolfer took full advantage of the blistering fractions; he was the only horse in the field who broke the 26 second mark for the final furlong quarter. Talk about a field staggering home, just awful. Tab to bet against next time out against winners.

Big Brown Has Big Possibilities

- Three Chimneys showed off Big Brown this week; his services are available for $65,000 a shot. The Form reported that those who inspected the Derby winner during an open house on Wednesday were impressed, in some cases, surprisingly so.

Controversy has followed Big Brown throughout his three-year old year, and his coming studly service is no different. Many have derided the idea of a horse with such fragile feet passing his genes along; and one wacko group actually suggested he be castrated. But even his more lucid detractors see him as a poster boy for what they see as the fragile nature of the current breed.

But personally, I'm excited about his prospects as a stallion. He proved able to handle both dirt and turf, and, as we've noted on numerous occasions, his pedigree goes far beyond his inbreeding to Northern Dancer, inbred to Round Table and Damascus, with a dab of the likes of Forli and Roberto, as he is. Pedigree Goddess and current Three Chimneys pedigree expert Anne Peters, from whom, along with Alan Porter, I've learned what little I know about breeding, delivers a long dissertation on the stallion on the Three Chimneys website here. (Their classic book Patterns of Greatness II is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject if you can find it.)

Since I'm not particularly intrigued by the concept of adding even more Northern Dancer to the mix, I focused more on the sections on the outcross possibilities - Big Brown is completely free of Mr. Prospector and Seattle Slew, to start. Ms. Peters discourages the addition of more Damascus ("he's not a premier source of soundness"), opting instead for supplementing the Round Table or Roberto blood there. Since Round Table is the sire of Poker, the broodmare sire of Seattle Slew, the possibilities of that line, most prominently through AP Indy, seem encouraging. Whatsmore, the latter's son Pulpit descends directly from Monarchy, a full sister to Round Table. I encourage you to check out Ms. Peters' piece if you're so inclined (keeping in mind that it's her job at Three Chimneys to play up the positives of as many angles as possible).

The Three Chimneys site has a hypomating feature, and it's fun to play around with some hypopossibilities, especially with respect to future broodmare prospects. For example: A mating between Big Brown and Zenyatta, a daughter of the Mr. Prospector stallion Street Cry, would create inbreeding to Roberto and Forli, and add another strain of Princequillo (the sire of Round Table). A mating with Music Note, a daughter of AP Indy, would create the Rasmussen Effect (inbred to State, the dam of Big Brown's broodmare sire Nureyev), and compliment the Round Table/Princequillo blood through her sire line and the presence of Secretariat (whose broodmare sire is Princequillo). For those "willing to roll the dice" in the words of Ms. Peters, Goldikova or Forever Together would create 3x3 inbreeding to Danzig, yikes. And IEAH might one day, hopefully not too soon, consider their own Stardom Bound, a daughter of the Pulpit sire Tapit as she is.

- Ray Kerrison made a quite coherent case for Big Brown as Horse of the Year in the NY Post on Saturday. I have to agree that either Curlin or Zenyatta would seem less than satisfying choices to me given the way things played out....especially Zenyatta, who beat up on a lackluster distaff division all year long and declined to try the boys. And, as Kerrison points out, Big Brown won as many Grade 1's as either, including the Derby, the biggest 1 of them all. I found Kerrison's questioning of Big Brown's less-than-spectacular Beyers to be most interesting. He points out that Thoro-graph's Jerry Brown rated his 20-post Derby win as "the greatest Derby since we began charting races in 1982." And of the Preakness, he writes:

Big Brown scraped bottom with a shocking 100 Beyer. That's 18 points below the all-time Beyer Preakness champ, Smarty Jones, who won in 2004 with a 118.

Now get this: Both horses ran their Preaknesses on fast tracks, Big Brown ran the trip more than one full second faster than Smarty Jones (while under wraps through the last furlong), yet he gets 18 fewer Beyer points than Smarty Jones. That is incomprehensible. [NY Post]

What's In A Name

- Magna has hired a company called Miller Buckfire & Co., and just from its name, you might figure that they're not there to brighten up the daisy beds at Gulfstream Park, nor to provide roving minstrels at Laurel. Sounds straight out of a Coen Brothers movie, actually. A gravel-faced John Goodman might play the president of this outfit, which, according to its website, provides "strategic advice to companies in need of creative solutions to complex problems." I'll say. A look at this page tells you just what kind of complexities they deal with. We could be seeing Frank's smiling face, energy drink in hand, smack dab in the middle of that one real soon.

With the company's efforts to sell its non-core assets "negatively affected by the weak real estate and credit markets," Magna will likely be taking a more aggressive tack.

"As a result, we are evaluating MEC's core operations with a view to possibly selling or joint venturing one or more of MEC's core racetracks in order to strengthen MEC's balance sheet and liquidity position." [Bloodhorse]

[UPDATE: Much more on Magna, with all of the grim numerical stuff that I didn't feel like writing about on Steve Zorn's blog here.)

[UPDATE: Reader RG asks: Does Canada have a bailout program?]

Public Interest Serves Spitzer

- I think the key phrase in the statement by US Attorney Martin Garcia announcing that no charges will be pressed against former Governor Eliot Spitzer is this: "We have concluded that the public interest would not be further advanced by filing criminal charges in this matter." [AP]

It was determined that Spitzer did not utilize public or campaign funds for his nasty little habit. And Garcia referred to Justice Department policy, which states that prosecutions "should generally be limited to persons engaged in commercial prostitution activities." [NY Times] If that were not the case, Spitzer could have been charged under the Mann Act.

Some might argue that he had to have incurred at least some kind of indirect expenses to the state. For example, while he might have paid for his infamous Feb 13 tryst out of his own pocket, there's certainly some question as to what he was doing in Washington DC in the first place.

Even so, he's hardly the only New York politician to make unnecessary trips to the nation's capital. And besides, that's minor in my opinion compared to his betrayal of those who supported and believed in him and his stated mission. For us racing fans, the betrayal started long before the scandal broke. Spitzer never took the franchise matter seriously, wearing his ignorance of the issues and his lack of interest on his sleeve. On the day of his infamous rendezvous in DC, we saw where racing stood on his list of priorities.

For the former governor, a few minutes of bliss turned into one of the great gotchas of all time, and I see no public interest whatsoever in adding to the humiliation, mostly with respect to his loyal wife and three teenage daughters.

- Got a note from a reader who did some research revealing that NYRA contributed $10,000 to the Senate Republicans on the same day they did the same for the Democrats; thus hedging their bet. NYRA's PAC also gave $15,000 to Assembly Democrats. Guess you can say they hit the 'all' button.

Notes - Nov 6

- DiscreetCat has a free pick today from Hollywood:

Hollywood - Race 7

#1 Banner Lodge (5/1 ml)

Talented Sadler colt regained top form when trying a turf sprint last time, and now gets turf again while facing a speed-laden field that figures to produce a fast, contested pace. Always thought this colt was stakes-caliber, and i believe he can handle the class jump if he runs a representative race. Conditions seem made to order, and the price will be right. Also worth mentioning the Sadler/Gomez combo have done quite well over this course the last couple of years.

I've managed to get the TBA widget installed over on the left, though you may need a magnifying glass to read the text at this point. Gotta get Patrick to help me out. If you've been uninterested in the election, plenty of pure horse racing stuff to read over there, where it seems as if many of the bloggers have proceeded with their subject material without regard to the more profound "horse races" just completed (as well as those with the 'inquiry' sign flashing). No disrespect meant to them, nor to our friends down in Australia (which, in case you plan to run for vice-president, is a country AND a continent), but personally, I haven't been able to generate much enthusiasm this week for the Melbourne Oaks. But if you have, you can read all about it here; and, of course, you can access all the TBA blogs from here.

Trainer Seth Benzel took Wednesday's Rare Blend Stakes at the Big A with Never Retreat....and I told you about that barn getting hot! Well, perhaps someone listened, because this three-year old daughter of Smart Strike, 12-1 morning line for her first career grass start, paid a mere $13 to win. Out of a mare by the deceased Steady Growth, a champion in Canada (a country), this filly is from the distaff family of prominent sire Distorted Humor (the second dam of Never Retreat is the third dam of that stallion).

Another daughter of Smart Strike took Wednesday's finale; Smart Engagement is a two-year old, winning in her debut for trainer James Bond. Out of a mare by Canadian champion Sky Classic, here's a filly with some highly unusual breeding. She's closely inbred, 3x3, to the broodmare No Class, dam of the aforementioned Sky Classic, as well as Regal Classic, Classy N Smart, and Grey Classic, champs north of the border all.

Voters Speak, Doubts Remain

- Well, I know I disappeared for the last 48 hours or so, but I have to say that I'm pretty much speechless about what transpired on Election Day. You've heard and read a lot I know about the "historic" nature of the result, and you've heard many say that they never thought they'd live to see the day. But sometimes things just bear repeating, even if over and over and over again. Readers as old as I know how far the country has come in this respect. And it wasn't long ago at all here in New York City, going back just a relative handful of years ago when the hateful and divisive Rudy Giuliani was mayor, that racial tension in this city was quite palpable. I've always thought that things changed profoundly here after 9/11. In the days and weeks following, everyone here was the same color - whichever one it is that denotes we were all scared out of our minds, yellow I guess. I've had the sense that such a feeling of unity has carried over the ensuing seven years. And I've wondered if that is the case nationally as well, and if the events of that terrifying day have helped to lead us here.

Of course, when elections are settled, questions are inevitably raised, not only with respect to how well a first-year Senator from Illinois will fare as President in these challenging (to say the least) times, but in two matters I've been following here.

As you probably know by now, Democrats in New York State have indeed achieved what is at least a numerical majority in the State Senate, holding on to all of its seats, and gaining the two which were needed for a clear majority. You can see all of the results here, towards the bottom. The Democrats' margin is currently 32-30, though one seat will remain contested for a while longer; in SD-11 in Queens, incumbent Republican Senator Frank Padavan leads Democrat James Gennaro by less than 1%, a result which is subject to a recount.

A couple of observations here: The Siena College polls, which were conducted on local races for the first time, proved to be remarkably accurate for the most part, despite the usual objections by those whose prospects it did not favor. It correctly surmised the comeback by William Stachowski, who retained his seat for the Dems in SD-58 up in Buffalo; as well as the decisive margin of victory for Democratic challenger Brian Foley over longtime incumbent Caesar Trunzo in SD-3 on Long Island. In the GOP's other lost seat, the one formerly held by Senator Serph Maltese in SD-15, the district here in Queens which includes Aqueduct, the poll at least had the trend right, if not the easy win by Joseph Addabbo Jr.

I'm wondering just where the Republicans were down the stretch in that crucial race. The Democrats threw everything they had at it, with the good help of the Working Families Party, said to have knocked on 120,000 doors in the district. They produced robocalls by each of the Clintons, and by the popular governor. I wrote the other day about how I saw Addabbo signs all over the place when I went to the Big A on Saturday, without a Maltese poster in sight. And the best the Republicans could do was a robocall by Mayor Bloomberg? After all, Bloomberg is hardly the most popular guy in town after his term limits coup. And less so today after taking $400 out of homeowners' pockets, including yours truly. I'd just contacted the city last week, and was assured the checks would be sent out shortly. In fact, the Mayor did not have a very good day on Tuesday, so maybe he's taking it out on the rest of us.

But the matter of who will actually be in control of the Senate next year is, believe it or not, still up in the air after all of this, due to a group of four city Democrats who are playing hard to get. Funny, with all the Republican talk about the danger of downstate Democrats having too much influence, it's these four gentleman representing parts of the city - Pedro Espada Jr. and Ruben Diaz Sr. of the Bronx, Carl Kruger of Brooklyn and Hiram Monserrate of Queens - who may help them actually maintain control. The group met with GOP leaders on Wednesday, [well, no they did not. That story, reported in the AP story linked to below, has now been discredited] holding out the hope for the Republicans that one or more may actually switch sides, or at least support Skelos as leader. However, the AP reports that Governor Paterson has met with, and struck a deal with the group which would preserve the Democratic majority for at least a year under [Majority Leader to be Malcolm] Smith. So stay tuned here.

Maryland voters may have soundly passed the referendum to allow slots. But exactly where five slots parlors will be located, and by whom they will be operated by, remains to be seen.

Potential bidders for the five sites authorized by voters face an aggressive Feb. 1 deadline to pull together proposals, and no one knows how many will come forward. [Washington Post]

Also unknown is what Magna will decide to do about Laurel. The company announced that it “expects to pursue a [slot-machine] license for Laurel Park as soon as practicable.” However, where exactly they would get the more than $200 million it would be required to invest is certainly up in the air. And a sale of the track remains a distinct possibility.

In any event and no matter who gets the licenses, the racing industry in the state expects relief; some $100 million in annual purse subsidies, plus $40 million a year for capital expenditures at the tracks. No money will flow however until the slots are in place, at least 18 months away.

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!"

Monday Night Notes

- Two new additions to the Kasey K Racing Stable; actually one new addition, one old one. We claimed Five Card Poker in the first at the Big A on Saturday for $17,500 from trainer Anthony Dutrow. This three-year old son of Five Star Day has fallen a long way from grace since selling for $100K as a yearling, from an allowance win at Philly Park in July, and since being claimed by Dutrow for 35K two races back. I dunno, I guess I'd be wary of a horse dropping like this. But who am I to argue with success? Bob liked him last time for 25K, and liked him even more this time for 17.5. He ran a game second in the race on Saturday, and ran a career high Beyer of 86. Five Card Poker goes to trainer Bruce Brown.

At Philly Park on Monday, we re-claimed Mr. W.B. from Scott Lake for $7,500 one race after losing him for 5K. He'd won two in a row at that level, and ran second on Monday moving up in price (though into conditions). He can earn back his claiming tag in one race by winning at this same level. Mr. W.B. will stay at Philly Park with trainer Keith Lebarron. We're up to five horses, and this partnership has grown strictly via monies earned from purses and claims. Rap Tale had a cough but is ready to go now. King Mobay is fine after running second at the Meadowlands last week. And Bob is particularly psyched about Joaquin Memphis, claimed from Violette a couple of weeks ago; loves the inner track, for one thing.

- Trainer Seth Benzel took Sunday's 4th with 39-1 bombshell False Impression, creating some pari-mutuel fireworks when 74-1 Achiever dead heated for second. The former Pletcher assistant got off to a slow start on his own, losing with his first 20 starters. He's had five winners since from 30 runners, and is currently on a mini-streak of 5-2-3-0. False Impression was making her first start on grass, but has some interesting grass influence in her pedigree. She's by AP Indy out of a Carson City mare; her second dam is a half-sister to multiple grass stakes winners Chorwon and Yukon Robbery, as well as to Seoul, the dam of the likewise Rush Bay.

Showtime

- Democrats rolled out the heavy artillery for their Senate hopeful Joseph Addabbo Jr in his race against incumbent Senator Serph Maltese in the 15th Senate District here in Queens. Lucky residents received robocalls from Bill and Hillary themselves. If you weren't sure which race at least the Democrats think will prove to be the deciding one, there you go. Mayor Bloomberg has been campaigning for Maltese. Brian Foley only got Alec Baldwin in his race against Senator Caesar Trunzo. Of course, Foley was rated 22 points ahead in the Siena poll, which came under attack by Republicans who questioned its methods. Hardly matters now; it's showtime. There are obviously several extremely close races, and it's all over but the voting at this point.

- Five things a Democratic majority in the Senate would want to do. (Hat tip to Daily Politics.) You see, that doesn't seem so terrible, does it?

- Question for the governor?

Hunch Bets for Monday, November 3

Cant Stay Gottarun 3rd at Beulah
Outside Looking In 6th at Mountaineer
My Legacy 7th at Suffolk
Truthbetold 9th at Philly Park
Right On Track 9th at Finger Lakes
Trash The City 3rd at Mountaineer
Open Warfare 2nd at Turf Paradise
Move Over Boys 2nd at Portland Meadows
Foroncenmylifetime 9th at Mountaineer
All Eyes On You 7th at Zia Park

Sunday Night Notes

- Livin Lovin won the G3 Tempted at Aqueduct under a confident and efficient ground-saving ride by Ramon Dominguez. This two-year old filly is the first US graded stakes winner for freshman sire Birdstone; his Mine That Bird won the Canadian G3 Gray Stakes just last month. Birdstone (Grindstone) is 7th on the first crop sires list; ten winners from just 22 starters. Livin Lovin is out of a Captain Bodgit mare.

Another Birdstone offspring was a winner this weekend; Jazzandthemagician won in his first start for trainer Dale Romans on the all two-year old card at Churchill on Saturday. 8-1 in the morning line, this colt won by three at 7-2, woo hoo! He's out of a Cape Town mare, and he's a half to the stakes placed filly Dagger.

Romans had three winners on the day, including Sara Louise in the G3 Pocahontas. This daughter of Malibu Moon was moving up from maiden specials; and, as reader ballyfager pointed out (amongst several other valid points), juvenile graded stakes races basically serve as entry and, sometimes, second level allowance races these days. Two-year old racing doesn't have any character these days, at least to me. The juvenile stakes this year seem like a mish-mosh of horses coming off maiden wins, from different tracks, running on different surfaces, going from turf to dirt. Haven't had much desire to get involved on betting on most of them.

The tote board was probably the best clue that Sara Louise belonged; 6-1 in the morning line, she paid $9.80 as the third choice.

Back to Aqueduct, Break Water Edison was extremely wide, and going pretty easily while circling the field on the final turn of the G3 Nashua on his way to an easy win for trainer John Kimmel. That was Kimmel's second winner of the day; his fifth and sixth winners, from 43 starters since he won seven in a row during the final week at Saratoga. Two in a row now, time for another streak? The winner is by Lemon Drop Kid out of a Storm Creek mare.

Senate Going Down to the Wire

- If the latest Siena College polls are any indication, the race for majority control of the NY Senate is likely to be determined by a head bob at the wire either way. You can see the poll results in this pdf document.

The best news for the Democrats comes on two fronts - an apparent turnaround in SD-58 in and around Buffalo, where incumbent Democrat William Stachowski has reversed an earlier 13 point deficit into a four point lead. Within the 4.9 point margin of error as it is, the race can now be considered a toss-up. Better yet for the Dems is SD-3 on Long Island, where their challenger Dennis Delano Brian Foley is shown with a big lead over the 36-year incumbent Senator Caesar Trunzo. “With just two days until voters go to the polls, Democrat Brian Foley has reversed a six-point deficit and opened a wide 22-point lead over Sen. Caesar Trunzo in Suffolk County,” said a spokesperson for the Siena poll.

Let's just suppose that Stachowski's momentum will carry him through; Foley would then give the Democrats a tie. In that case, they would then need one more pickup to gain clear control, and will look to two close races from which to get it. However, the poll shows Republican Michael Ranzenhofer with a five point lead over Democrat Joe Mesi in SD-61, also in and around Buffalo. That's just outside the margin of error, and a turnaround from the earlier poll in which Mesi led by two.

That would leave the race in SD-15 here in Queens between longtime incumbent Serph Maltese and Democratic challenger Joe Addabbo, Jr as the potential decider. The latter was rated with a slim 45 to 43 lead, a slight improvement for Addabbo from a dead heat in the prior poll; and the Democrats have to be encouraged by a 57-32 lead in the district for Senator Obama. But Maltese has survived before in a district in which Democrats have a distinct enrollment edge; and this race, well within the margin of error, is a tossup.

The fate of the Senate could very well come down to this, and it's funny how some of the major recent events in the course of Albany politics have revolved around our favorite sport. The federal investigation of former Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno was based in part around his ties to Empire Racing co-founder Jared Abbruzzese, as well as a business deal involving broodmares. Whether the investigation contributed to Bruno's decision to retire is unknown; and we've been told that there was no deal with prosecutors for them to call off the dogs should he call it quits. But it's certainly fair to speculate that the long-running probe played a part in his retirement. And it's sure been quiet on that front since he stepped down.

On the day that NYRA's franchise deal was finally approved by the legislature, former Governor Spitzer was busy arranging the Washington DC tryst that led to his quick fall. The selection of Delaware North to operate the Aqueduct racino just happened to involve the local districts of the track and the operator (Delaware North is located in Buffalo), both of which have critical Senate races.

And now the fate of the Senate could come down to that one district which includes Ozone Park. The 15th Senate District is actually just a few blocks from where I live; the Addabbo signs were ubiquitous the moment I turned onto Woodhaven Blvd to head to Aqueduct yesterday. Didn't see any Maltese signs, so Addabbo had the advantage there. Who will have the advantage in the Senate come Wednesday is far less clear.

Md. Campaign Gets Whack

- The pro-slots group For Maryland For Our Future released a web ad attacking Comptroller Peter Franchot for opposing the Question 2 referendum. Interspersed with positive claims about the measure (most interestingly, "the most tax payer friendly piece of slots legislation in the the entire United States") and a rundown of unions in support, are those now well-familiar grainy black and white shots of the target so familiar in negative campaign ads. In this case it's Franchot, who not only supported slots in the past, but, according to the ad, favored plans less favorable to education than the current proposal.




I think this is why the anti-slots groups were leery of Franchot's involvement in the first place, fearful that his past and future political aspirations would be a potential distraction. The fact is that the Comptroller's position has nothing to do with the important issues at hand. Cut out those portions of this ad, and you have an effective, if arguable factually, statement of the case for slots.

Meanwhile, slots opponents found new hope in a Zogby poll which, in stark contrast to the Washington Post poll showing that voters strongly favor slots, actually showed the no vote winning by 47.5 to 44.6 percent. Then again, on Saturday the same outfit also came up with some kind of tally showing McCain up by a point. So those Zogby guys must just be fucking whack. Right?

Belmont Outlook Uncertain

- The general wisdom is that a Republican hold on the NY Senate Majority on Tuesday would help to maintain whatever momentum there may currently be for a slots parlor at Belmont. Current Majority Leader Dean Skelos is a strong proponent of the games, and represents parts of the surrounding communities. Governor Paterson probably wants them too, in my mind; but he did not explicitly say so in his statement this past week about "developing" the site.

However, I think what will happen post-election is up in the air. The enmity between Paterson and Skelos has reached the point where one might wonder if the two would be able to work together on that, or any other issue should the GOP prevail. Skelos went as far as to say that Paterson was "more partisan" than Eliot Spitzer...."From what I can remember, Spitzer helped do some TV ads," he said, noting that Paterson is traveling around the state to campaign for Democratic candidates.

The governor did just that on Saturday, appearing in Buffalo on behalf of embattled incumbent Senator William Stachowski, and hopeful Joe Mesi. He's scheduled to make two appearances on Long Island on Sunday.

On the other hand, if the Democrats pick up the two seats they need (and a new Siena poll on Sunday is supposed to cast some light on the key races), then Paterson can take ownership of the matter himself, cite the desperate nature of the state's finances, and perhaps convince Senate Democrats to go along in the immediate glow of achieving supreme state dominance.

Of course, no matter what happens, there's that slight Shelley Silver problem.

Newsday endorsed the Republicans in the two races that Paterson will involve himself in on Sunday. The influential Long Island paper tabbed Senator Kemp Hannon over Kristen McElroy in SD-6; and in SD-3, it recommended 82-year old Senator Caesar Trunzo, despite lamenting that his nearly four decades in Albany have given him a jaded perspective on what it's possible to accomplish there.

Aqueduct Notes

- The Long Island Handicap came up with an international flavor at Aqueduct today, as trainer Andre Fabre ships in a couple of sharp B team type three-year old fillies which comprise the favored 5-2 entry. This could be one of the turf races on next year's unofficial dirt breeders' cup card at Belmont next year; the Euro barns could drop off the horses that don't quite make the cut to continue on to Santa Anita. Both Shake the Moon (Loup Solitaire) and Astrologie are proven at the distance up to listed stakes company. But I'd certainly take a shot against them as the favorite, especially if overbet as entries sometimes are.

Criticism (4-1) stretches out to a mile and a half for Darley and Tom Albertrani in only her second start of the year. She had a handy prep for this, in her first US start, when she rallied wide for a close second to Sunshine for Life (12-1) after that one set an uncontested pace at a mile and a sixteenth in the Athenia. I think the class of her three year old form in France last year is at least at the level of those of the Fabre entry; more really, considering her third against males in a Group 3. And though she's 0 for 2 in two races at the distance which came early in her career, I think she may love it. Criticism is by Machiavellian, out of Innuendo, a multiple stakes winner at a mile and a half, and a half to another in Moon Queen; and her second dam is Infamy, who won the Rothmans International at the distance in 1988. So plenty of stamina in her family.

J'Ray (3-1) gets an excuse in the EP Taylor with its slow pace, but has never won beyond a mile and an eighth. I think she'd be a real underlay at these odds. Doesn't figure to be a quick pace either. The aforementioned Sunshine for Life (Giant's Causeway) should find herself on the lead again, and should be in front as far as she goes in her first try beyond 1 3/16ths.