Wednesday News and Notes

An article in the Boston Globe has become a flashpoint in the complex and endlessly fascinating casino situation in Massachusetts.  The Globe reported that Connecticut casinos owned by Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, two of the applicants for licenses in Massachusetts, have placed liens on "dozens of homes" owned by customers to whom they had loaned money that, obviously, has not been repaid.

Not only is the collection tactic uncommonly aggressive — a number of industry specialists said they had never before heard of casinos using it — but the liens raise questions about whether the businesses allow or enable gamblers to extend themselves too far.
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“Frankly, I have not heard of any casino company that goes after homes,” said Whittier Law School professor I. Nelson Rose, an international expert on gambling law. “It’s really extreme.”
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Green said it would be “ridiculous” to use a lien to chase a gambling debt. “From a PR standpoint, you can’t have it both ways.....If we’re going to argue to legislators and the public and to you guys in the press that we’re an entertainment business, we can’t at the same time be foreclosing on people’s homes.” [Boston Globe]

The more disturbing issue raised by the Globe is the circumstance of some of the loans.  The article focuses on one particular customer who was, for some reason, lavished with loans that were far beyond his means by both facilities .

Cutler’s 2007 bankruptcy filing declared that his sole income was a monthly Social Security check of $640, yet two of the world’s biggest gambling palaces — both applicants in the Massachusetts casino sweepstakes — had lent him more than $66,000 to make bets, and then went after his house when he could not pay it back.

Huh?  Well, it took about 24 hours for Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley......yes, that Martha Coakley..... to step up to the plate to bash that softball out of the pahk.

‘‘Protecting against predatory lending and overly aggressive debt collection in the gaming industry is critical, because the odds are stacked against the patron being able to earn back the value of the loan."

 Meanwhile, Mohegan Sun has gone on the offensive against Steve Wynn, with whom it is competing for the Boston area license.

 “Unlike Wynn, our commitment [to building in Massachusetts] is not contingent on anything,” Mitchell Etess, chief executive of the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority, said in an interview at the Globe. He said that Wynn Resorts, the Las Vegas company run by billionaire casino developer Steve Wynn, has demanded numerous accommodations from state offices — on environmental regulations, taxes, access to his proposed site, and other considerations — and suggested Wynn may not proceed with his project if he does not get what he wants. [Boston Globe]

Wynn has asked that the tax rate for his casino be reduced to be in line with that which would be charged to a tribal casino; and the accusations over environmental regulations relate to the fact that Wynn is cleverly proposing to build his casino on a contaminated former Monsanto site.  On the other hand, Wynn questions Mohegan Sun's motives, suggesting that they have an incentive to drive customers to their Connecticut locale, where table games aren't taxed. (That's an accusation which has surfaced before.)

The vote in Revere on Mohegan Sun's proposed casino at Suffolk Downs is coming up on February 25.

Back here in New York, it was reported that NYGA President and Saratoga Raceway principal James Featherstonhaugh visited other prospective casino sites in the Capital District, including the possible competitor for the license in Rensselaer, where residents voted in favor of casino gambling.  Can't say what he's up to; maybe looking for a backup plan, maybe trying to scare supporters of a Saratoga casino in order to light a fire under them, or maybe he's not happy about the notion of a Saratoga casino being of the scaled-down variety in order to appease residents.  I suppose that the harness track could, in theory, apply for a license to build a casino somewhere else where they would be free to make it "Las Vegas" style.

A rough week for the Resorts World site at the Big A.  On Friday, a patron in the racino, who was said to be on a winning streak, offed himself by diving head first 30 feet from the top of an escalator.  Yikes.  On the previous Sunday, there was a sexual assault in a bathroom on the racing side, which is described in quite explicit and disturbing detail in the criminal complaint which is contained herein on the Capitol Confidential blog.

What I'm wondering is why exactly was this story reported there, on the Albany Times Union's blog which covers matters of Albany politics and, therefore, mostly corruption and fraud.  As one commenter queried: This relates to fraud/waste, how?  Then we see that the entry is by James Odato, and the picture becomes clearer.  Odato is probably the leader of the New York press corps' NYRA-bashing club, as we've documented here before on more than one occasion.  And the inference here is clear when Odato leads with: A previously unpublicized report of a sexual assault in a women’s restroom was reported in Monday’s Times Union column.    Oooo, smacks of a coverup, eh?  Let's see, who wrote that column in Monday's Times Union?  Oh, it was Odato; he was linking to himself. 

  A female attendant previously staffed the washroom, but because of cutbacks that hasn't been the case for a few years, according to a union official.

Yeah, guess it's all NYRA's fault, how dare they not have every bathroom attended?  Right underneath the story, after it notes that NYRA has dismissed its director of seating and parking, Jerry Davis, a longtime NYRA official who made $170,298 a year - thereby no doubt increasing the chances of a sexual assault in the clubhouse seats - is the signoff: 

  Do you have a story about waste and abuse of public funds? Contact James M. Odato at 518-454-5083, jodato@timesunion.com or on Twitter at @JamesMOdato

I'll be sure to keep that in mind. (And, by the way, Jerry Davis is still listed on the NYRA site as an active Racing and Operating Official as of this writing.)

Bigger is Bettor, But Is It Better?

I want to talk just a bit about the super duper Belmont Stakes day, as indicated in the title.  But first, I wanted to expand and embellish a bit on the post I wrote about the Donn and the FOX telecast on the TimeformUS blog.  If you want to check it out, I'll wait before I go on.

I'm not really qualified for a full review of the FOX telecast, since a series of restless nights caught up to me and I was passed out on the couch for the first 23 minutes.  But a few comments.  Just want to be clear(er) that when I say that the broadcast team looked nervous and needs time to develop chemistry together, it is certainly not meant as a criticism.  This was a pretty significant step up in class for all of the team, even given all of their prior experience.  So of course there were nerves.  And, after all, this team was selected just a couple of weeks ago.  Though Simon Bray and Greg Wolf work together at TVG; and Andy Serling and Richard Migliore have worked together on the MSG telecasts, here they were split up and working in roles and settings that they were not all accustomed to.

I was a little surprised to see The Mig in the on-track analyst seat; seemed a closer fit for Simon Bray, or maybe even Serling.  But he actually seemed the most at ease of anyone.  In fact, someone suggested that he seemed maybe a little too loose, and expressed fears that he's liable say something he'll later regret!  At one point, he teased Serling over his remark that he was fine with trusting the jockeys to do their job.  That might have been funny for those of us familiar with the NYRA feed, but it surely went over everyone else's head, including probably their colleagues on the telecast.  But that's just part of the adjustment to this new stage.  These guys are gonna be fine.

I thought Simon seemed a bit stiff and uncomfortable in his paddock analyst role. Serling seemed fine, curtly dismissing Will Take Charge in his way that you don't normally see on these telecasts.  Usually, the commentators are almost apologetic about picking against the main horse of interest.  I'm not sure where Andy was, somewhere up there in Stronach's folly somewhere it seemed.  I liked when those two disagreed about whether the track was speed favoring or not; but it seemed like a tentative debate, as one might expect with two guys who may never have even met until the night before.  As this series goes on, this year and hopefully beyond, they'll become more comfortable with each other, and it'll be great.  The next telecast is the Dubai World Cup, and whether they actually go there, or broadcast it remotely, it will give them some time to spend and work together in closer quarters.

Other than that, don't really have much to say, which, in this context is good.  It was just a good, solid intelligent racing telecast for the racing fan - with a little beginner stuff mixed in (though I personally wouldn't recommend $50 show bets on the two favorites); more like the yeoman's work we see from TVG and HRTV when they are on site.  No extraneous camera angles (which was probably as much of a budgetary decision than anything else, but you can't beat the good ol' pan shot); and no sappy features (unless I missed one in the first 23 minutes).

One note on the race - I saw some chatter on Twitter about the fact that the track was sealed during the four consecutive grass races that were run prior to the Donn.  There was speculation that perhaps that caused the track to get souped up and contribute to the jackhammer performance by Lea.  Previously, closers had done pretty well.  Makes sense, but it's just speculation, and I don't want to take anything away from Lea, who had every right to improve as he did without any extra assistance from the track maintenance crew.  Nobody had a chance once he reeled off three consecutive quarters of 23 4/5 to the eighth pole, and it was quite the remarkable performance by Will Take Charge to get as close as he did, with the rest of the field spinning their wheels, strung out behind him.

 - The announcement by NYRA that Belmont Stakes day will be part of a 'Belmont Stakes Festival,' including ten stakes races for purses of $8 million - the second biggest purse day of the racing year - left me cold.  Well, maybe that's because everything is cold around here these days.  I look outside and at the upcoming forecast and I wonder if this stuff is gonna melt by Wood Memorial day!

Strictly as a betting card, I'll probably prefer the fare on Wood day over Belmont day, because I'm just not a big stakes race guy....at least when it comes to wagering.  A perfect card to me is what we see these days on a typical weekend day at Gulfstream.  Full-field claimers, a lot of interesting maiden races, competitive allowance contests on both surfaces, capped off by a nice graded stakes race or two.  To me, that's a "full day of quality racing."

So I'm not really that impressed, or thrilled.  That's just me, but I'll be going anyway.  On the other hand, our buddy Figless is excited about it.  But he'd also be going anyway even if the format was unchanged.  The point being, as Pullthepocket succinctly pointed out the other day, big days are big - and Belmont day is already about as big as they get - and they won't necessarily get any bigger if they're made bigger.  Or something like that.  Of course, the handle will likely be bigger, because people bet more on graded stakes races, as shown by the study we did over at TimeformUS.

Yup, we sure like to bet on these races; or at least many of us do.  (Do note please that the stakes pool sizes are inflated in part by bridgejumping show wagers, which are more likely to be more bigger in a stakes race with an outstanding favorite.)  So, one can surely expect a record handle day.  But how about the days from which stakes such as the Met Mile will be taken away?  Won't they suffer, if not proportionally, surely in a material fashion?  And wouldn't the Belmont day handle still be extra big on an allowance race if it was thrown into the sequence?  By around 4:30 PM on Belmont day, I'm thinking that people will bet on just about anything!

We all understand what they're trying to do here.  But personally I'm skeptical that the big purses will bring many extra people out to the track; hopefully it will entice some from out-of-town to make plans and not wait until after the Preakness to decide (and this is partially a bet against the same horse winning the first two legs).  But people like us are going to go anyway.  And are new or casual fans really going to be attracted by outsized purse monies anymore than they are already lured by the event?   Seems to me that attractive entertainment and/or hospitality features alone - yet to be announced - could very well accomplish that without the extra stakes and prizes.  One thing I think I can say for sure - the idea that there will be more press coverage of the event is just wishful thinking.  As we've seen from the Breeders' Cup, newspapers devote a certain amount of space for a horse racing event - and the more "big" races there are, the smaller the coverage of each will be packed into the same amount of space.

Siting Board Appointments Include Cuomo Allies

The first three members of the Resort Gaming Facility Location Board, the panel that will decide the sites and operators of the four upstate NY casinos, have been named by the NY Gaming Commission.

Most notable in terms of name recognition is the former NYC Comptroller, and two-time NYC mayoral race loser, William Thompson, Jr.  We last saw him managing to run second in November, ahead of Christine Quinn, despite what seemed like a lackluster campaign.  He barely qualified for a runoff against de Blasio, but bowed out after a couple of days of bluster after realizing that he had no chance.  Thompson gets a major demerit from this corner for hiring Hank "Take the Fifth" "It’s none of his f–king business, how’s that" Sheinkopf as a senior campaign strategist for his latest bid.

Thompson has had prior dealings with the governor.  Cuomo campaigned for him in 2009, when Thompson ran a surprisingly close second to Bloomberg and Cuomo was preparing to run for his first term the following year.....and Thompson subsequently served as co-chairman of that campaign.  In 2011, Cuomo appointed Thompson as chairman of a task force with the goal of expanding state contract opportunities for minority and women-owned business.  So, no question that these two have a relationship that goes back at least several years.

That's also the case with Paul Francis. He worked on Cuomo's 2010 gubernatorial campaign as well, as an advisor on budget and policy issues. After the election, the governor appointed him as State Director of Agency Redesign and Efficiency and named him Chairman of the Spending and Government Efficiency Commission.  He served in those roles until retiring last year.

And the third appointee, Hofstra University president Stuart Rabinowitz, has dealt with Cuomo as well, though not nearly as closely as the other two..  He is a co-chairman of the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council, one of 10 regional councils created by...Cuomo to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth.  Just last month, Cuomo extended his term as well as those of the chairmen of the other regional councils.

So, while there may not be that much of a connection between Rabinowitz and the governor, I think the title of this post is certainly fair in referring to the other two as allies of the governor; they both did work to get him elected, after all.  And note that neither of those campaign roles is mentioned in the otherwise comprehensive biographies of the three men included in the Gaming Commission's press release.  As presently constituted, those two make up a majority of what constitutes a quorum, though we're told that two more members will be appointed.

Now, I certainly can't say that Governor Cuomo will simply pick up the phone and tell the panel members where he wants the casinos to be sited and to whom (though nor would I rule that out).

However, as we've seen, the governor has already tilted the process in the racinos' direction by stating in the budget that new casinos could be operating by January 15 of next year.  The more I think about that, the more fantastic the idea seems.  In the press release announcing the appointments, the Gaming Commission restates the timetable, with "Early Fall 2014" being the goal for announcing the selections.  Only an existing facility could possibly be operational by January 15.  The budget might as well just have said flat out that existing racinos will be operating table games by that date.

If the location board accepts that date as a deadline for an operating casino, be it through coercion, corruption, inference, or telepathy, then the process surely will have been steered in the racinos' favor.  Better yet, if potential bidders get the message that Cuomo wants these things up and running early next year, and that they will therefore be in too disadvantaged a position to make it worth their while to even bother with a bid, then we won't even see any qualified applicants enter the process.  Even with a level playing field, it's an open question as to whether there's any interest amongst the top casino operators to invest in a facility in the Southern Tier/Finger Lakes region where Gural hopes to get the license for Tioga Downs.  And the notion that the long-dormant Catskills region could be revived to its former status as a resort haven is merely a theoretical one at this stage.  The casino giants may prefer to wait for more lucrative opportunities down the state road.  In that case, then there wouldn't even be much of a decision for the siting board to make.

 - Simulcast signals are the lifeblood of the racing industry these days, and it's all too common, as we know, for them to be the subject of disputes amongst various industry parties.  We see fights between racetracks over payment rates for signals, as with the simmering situation between NYRA and Churchill Downs.  And then there are the situations when horseman's groups exercise their right under the Interstate Horse Racing Act to withhold approval for interstate transmission of signals  (Pullthepocket took a humorous look at that here, and a more serious one here.)

The ongoing situation at the Monitcello harness track however is apparently not your grandfather's signal fight.  Led by the Standardbred Owners Association of New York president Joe Faraldo, the horsemen there are taking a stand against the provision in the casino law that would cap payments towards purses from VLT's at 2013 levels at any racino that gets a casino license.  

 “I expect a purse cut, because the last time this happened in 2006 that was the first thing they did,” said Faraldo. “I’m not looking short term, I’m looking long term. To remain competitive, the agricultural and horse industries need to share in the profit.” [Daily Racing Form]

 Monticello seems like a small stage for what is a much larger fight; indeed, this is an issue that cannot even be resolved strictly between the horsemen and the track management.  Empire Resorts, as part of the NYGA, may have had a hand in inserting the provision as part of the backroom dealings that led to the language in the law; but it's the law and they surely can't change it by themselves.  It remains to be seen whether Faraldo intends to hold out there indefinitely, or whether this is intended as a shot across the bow; a warning for the future as agreements at other tracks come up for renewal, especially at Yonkers, which would have a more significant impact to revenues for the track, and for the state.  And, should the more staid thoroughbred horsemen get involved, then things could really get interesting.  Stay tuned.

Cuomo Rushing to Racinos' Advantage

In an opinion piece published in the Albany Times-Union, Marc Baez, the president of The Partnership for Economic Development in Sullivan County (located in the Catskills region which is slated for two casinos, both of which may very well be sited in that county), writes that Governor Cuomo originally projected that revenue from casinos would start to flow to the state in 2016. However, as you may recall, the good governor's budget envisions casinos operating in January of next year.  Mr. Baez thinks that this raises serious concerns.

If we don't adhere to that original time frame, existing racinos could be given priority in licensing, because they can simply throw on an addition and begin operating what they call a "casino." Fast-tracking an existing racino would severely limit the creation of hospitality and tourism jobs generated by full-service resort destination casinos with amenities like hotels, golf courses, spas, world-class culinary options and performing arts venues.
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It will also eliminate thousands of construction jobs across upstate, where they are so desperately needed.

Well, this all makes perfect sense; it's all coming together now. Indeed, how convenient for the racinos that the governor has moved up the timetable by a year!  As I've been saying all along, the fix is in on this thing.  The New York Gaming Association, representing the racinos, was against the casino referendum before they were for it; and they were the one group with the motive and means to effectively oppose it.  There's little doubt in my mind that their support was sealed in a backroom deal.  Jeff Gural will get his casino at Tioga Downs, the Saratoga harness track will get theirs, and Genting will get a piece of the action through its interest in Empire Resorts, the owner of the Monticello harness track racino, which will get their casino at the old Concord resort.  The accelerated timetable for the revenue creates the scenario for the siting board, to be selected by Cuomo's hand-picked gaming commission, to go through the motions - if any company is dumb enough to bother - and then pick the racinos based, in part, on the "economic activity and business development factor" component that is supposed to weigh 70% towards the siting decision.

And if that indeed transpires, the governor, who once called the racinos a "scandal" and said he "one hundred percent" opposed them getting casinos (a couple of days before the Times published an expose about NYGA's contributions to a pro-business group closely associated with the governor, in an attempt to head the story off and blunt its impact - unsuccessfully since the Times pretended that those remarks never happened), and who once gushed about all the great companies out there that would compete to bring the best world-class casinos to the state, will have completely reversed himself on the matter.  And he will likewise pretend that those remarks never happened.

I'm not really sure what the gentleman from Sullivan County is concerned about.  Surely, whichever casino or casinos are granted to companies there will be resorts and not racetracks, with the possible exception of a temporary facility at the Monticello harness track until the Concord is ready with its golf course, hotel, and spa.  And I'd think that the Catskills casinos will be in a strong competitive position with the other two.  Saratoga harness will agree to be somewhat scaled-down in deference to community concerns.  (Though our buddy Figless sure makes an excellent point about a giant hotel at the casino there.)  And Tioga Downs as a destination resort?  Well, maybe they can draw from surrounding areas, but I just don't see many people making specific plans to go to Nichols, NY when there are so many options available (and to be available) in the Northeast.  (No offense intended to Nichols, NY.)

  - Senator John Sampson....and yes, he is still a State Senator despite his being indicted last year on charges that U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called “an especially breathtaking bit of corruption, even by Albany standards," has been indicted again.

The U.S. Attorney’s office today announced that Mr. Sampson, who once led the Senate Democrats, is accused of “making false statements to FBI agents about directing members of his Senate staff to take actions to benefit a Brooklyn liquor store in which Sampson secretly held an ownership interest.”
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Mr. Sampson was also recorded instructing an anonymous government staffer to help the store deal with outstanding tax obligations. The senator even appeared to be aware of the potential illegalities involved, telling the staffer to “do it on your own cell phone and do it on your own time.”  He is further accused of lying about these incidents and others when speaking to federal agents. [Politicker]

Not sure if that was the same conversation as when he told FBI agents that "Not everything I told you was false."  Sampson's defense lawyer responded to the new charges the same exact way he responded to the first indictment....not even bothering to directly deny the charges, but instead asserting that his client has been fully cooperative, and adding:

 “We can, however, state categorically that Senator Sampson has not betrayed the public’s trust while acting as an elected public official. Indeed, after years of investigation and two indictments, the government has not charged Senator Sampson with a crime relating to the misuse of his public office."

The reader who sent this news along to me lamented the fact that, with all these charges, the feds will probably never even get to Sampson's sordid role in the AEG matter.  But if they ever do, Sampson's lawyer will have to come up with a new line.  Any charges along those lines would surely involve his client betraying the public trust and misusing his office by trying to steer the Aqueduct racino to his favored group, which was clearly less qualified to operate the facility than its competitors (which did not at that time include Genting).

Siting Without Representation

 - I wrote about some of the weekend's racing action over at the TimeformUS blog, here and here

 - With the New York casino siting process still in its formative stages - and with other pressing matters in the area - Saratoga Springs residents and other affected citizens in the 113th Assembly District do not currently have a representative in the State Assembly; as reported by Dennis Yusko in the Albany Times-Union.  Seems as if Governor Cuomo has not seen fit to call a special election to fill the seat vacated when the Republican Rep. Tony Jordan resigned for another position.  Nor for ten other vacant seats.

More than 1.2 million New Yorkers are missing legislators, and the open seat in the 113th District has deprived its more than 83,000 registered voters of an advocate on important budget issues, education and where to place casino resorts, candidates and government advocacy groups say.
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"It's seems like every week there's another open seat, given the travails of our friends in the Legislature," Cuomo said.

Oh, that governor, what a wit.  Should Cuomo not call for an election, the seat would go unfilled until November, which would be after the "early fall," which is when, we're told, the sites and the operators will be announced.  Given that both the leading Democrat and Republican candidates for the seat support the bill introduced in the Senate that would give local communities the right to vote on a casino being located there, would it be too cynical to suggest that the governor is in no special rush to fill the seat for the 113th A.D?

 - Back to the fun and games in Massachusetts.  I'd mentioned that, in the backdrop of all this, is a movement to repeal the casino law.  Once largely dismissed as the whimsical campaign of a few antigambling zealots [Boston Globe], the repeal movement has hired a respected team of lawyers to fight to get a measure on the ballot in November.  They have already gathered the 68,911 signatures required to do so.  However, Attorney General Martha Coakley.....yes, that Martha Coakley....ruled that the repeal petition was unconstitutional, on these grounds:

 ...the repeal would “impair the implied contracts between the commission and gaming license applicants” and illegally take those contract rights without compensation. [Boston Globe]

One of the repeal group's lawyers responded to Ms. Coakley's "takings" theory.

Witherby said litigation over the 2008 ballot effort to ban live dog racing in Massachusetts applies to the current lawsuit over the question to ban casinos.  “If the owner of a dog track that has been licensed for decades can’t prevent the people from voting to outlaw dog racing, it’s hard to see why mere applicants for a license should be able to prevent the people from voting on casino gambling."

So, this fight will play out in the Supreme Judicial Court after the repeal group appealed the AG's decision.  And no surprise that the gambling companies plan to intervene in an effort to quash the appeal.  (Though they apparently won't have to be concerned about losing their licensing fee of $85 million each.)

Separately, in an editorial, the Globe meticulously lays out the pertinent facts surrounding the (separate) contest for the one slots-only parlor that is the subject of a three-way bidding war.  You might be interested to read its explanation as to why it doesn't care for two of the proposals....though it's not pleasant.

Both the Raynham and Plainville plans brag of the boost that they would deliver to the ailing horsemen. At Plainville, Penn National promises that slot-machine revenue would subsidize harness racing, keeping the track alive. The former dog track at Raynham is too small to host horse racing, but Carney says he will reopen another track that he owns in Brockton for harness racing if he’s granted the slots license.
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The sinking popularity of horse racing threatens the livelihoods of veterinarians, blacksmiths, breeders, and trainers. For them, and the sport’s remaining fans, it’s a tragedy. But faced with any industry in decline — whether it’s horse racing or typewriters — the state should work to ensure new opportunities for affected workers, rather than keeping an unsustainable business on life support indefinitely.

The gambling legislation, unfortunately, gives the horse tracks a permanent bailout. The law devotes a chunk of the slot parlor revenue, plus a share of the initial license fee, to fatten horse racing purses. That’s more than enough state aid: Combining the slot license with a horse track will only take more dollars that could be used for other purposes.

While Raynham and Plainville boast of their lifeline for horses, Leominster has a better strategy. It promises to give an annual grant to a UMass program that supports startup medical device companies, a growing sector of the high-tech economy with realistic prospects for Worcester County and beyond. [Boston Globe]

We can argue jobs, jobs, jobs, and how the industry sustains and creates them.  But arguments like this are surely resonant, coherent, and fair.  Of all the sound business reasons that this industry needs to find ways to stand on its own without revenue from slots - however one wants to characterize them - eliminating these arguments from the conversation is paramount. Some states may be running surpluses now.  But that won't always be the case; and gambling revenues directed towards horse racing will continue to be in play as long as racing remains dependent on them.

Saratoga Mayor Faces Reality

Saratoga Springs Mayor Joanne Yepsen, delivering her State of the City address on Tuesday, asserted that local residents should get a say in the state's casino licensing process.  But not in the sense of if there should be a casino there; but rather to the point of what shape it will take.  Because the mayor seems to know full well that the decision is in the hands of those who have already decided.  She urged everyone, for and against, to "think about how we can maximize the precious little input that we do have."

Yepsen reaffirmed her stance against a Las Vegas-style casino, and said she seeks a solution that says “No” to an event space that could harm the City Center, to a ”colossal casino hotel” that could draw business from local hotels, or an “untold number” of restaurants and retail businesses that would harm downtown. She also said she supports a plan that benefits the city’s finances, supports jobs, and benefits harness racing. [WAMC]

That "precious little input" that the mayor referred to comes to, by law, a maximum of 20%.  That's the percentage that the legislation declares that "local impact" should be considered in the siting process (70% for economic development / 10% on labor matters).  But, as the Albany Times Union pointed out in an editorial a few days ago:

If the siting board decides that all the traffic worries and other logistical local concerns are addressed, how people feel about what a casino would do to the character of their community might well be deemed moot.

The editorial blasted Governor Cuomo's office for their dismissal of the Senate bill proposal to require local approval of casinos on the basis that it would "politicize the selection process."  It's the rare politician who is not being cynical when he/she accuses others of 'politicizing' something, and I don't believe any of them reside in the city of Albany.  I'm just so sure that politics will not be at play in the selection of the siting committee, which appears to be running behind schedule.  The governor has an ambitious schedule as we've said.  His budget proposal claims that "casinos are expected to be open to be open as early as January 2015."  As Michael Treanor, the man heading the bid by the old Nevele resort concedes, that clearly gives an edge to the existing racinos.

"So far everything the governor said he's going to do is happening......So I think that among (those awarded) the licenses will be a racino. If they're able to put table games in right away, they can operate a temporary facility...We don't have a temporary facility, so I don't see how I can open by January 2015." [Recordonline]

The possible temporary facility he is referring to is Monticello Raceway....the thinking being that its owner Empire/EPR (in which Genting has a majority stake through a subsidiary) could install table games at the harness track and then move to its proposed site at the Concord when it is ready.

 - Let's take a look at a Pick Three sequence at the Big A on Saturday.  In the 7th, the Busher Stakes for  3yo fillies, Ballylee (2-1) comes into the race off of just one career race, and that naturally against maidens.  But what a race it was.  He pressed a pace that we (at TimeformUS) have rated extremely fast, and went on to roll to victory over a hot 3-5 favorite in Fade to Black, earning a TFUS speed figure of 95 that lays over this field.  Darley homebred is a daughter of Street Cry out of stakes winner (in Dubai) Devotee (Elusive Quality).

The 8th, the Correction Stakes, is a wide open affair, so we'll spread the wealth in this spot. Expression (20-1) showed nice improvement in her four-year old season, capping it off with a win over this track in which she took advantage of a hot pace in just a four horse field.  Not a particularly fast speed figure on our scale; but her race three back, when she earned a big number despite a troubled start, a wide trip, and a late rally on an extremely speed favoring track, points her out.  Throw out the intervening race in the mud, and she can surely hit the board here at a price if she runs back to that effort.  Baby J (6-1) has been consistent at this distance, and has progressed nicely of late in the speed figure department; figures to be prominent from the get-go.  I'm Mom's Favorite (10-1) makes her first start, for new trainer Robert Reid, Jr, since running in the Test at Saratoga. This daughter of Indian Charlie ran a couple of big numbers last year, including one over this track and distance - a 106 TFUS speed figure which is the best of anyone in this field.  Merry Meadow (8-1) is projected by Pace Projector to have a nice stalking trip behind the leaders, and comes off the best two figures of her career, both at this distance, and both quite competitive in this field.  Morning line favorite Delightful Quality (3-1) was beaten by a couple of these in her last start with no real apparent excuse; but she has some big back figures, and trainer Tom Albertrani excels with horses going third time off a layoff. I'll use her defensively on a backup ticket.  But I'm leaving out Lion D N A (7-2), who just seems a bit slower than these.....that despite the fact that she beat Baby J in her last.  The latter earned a higher figure due to considerations of the pace of the race, which is factored in to the TimeformUS figures.

The 9th is the Withers, and oh man, what a weak version of the Withers this is.  Just six three-year olds, and the two morning line favorites come out of romps against state-breds of questionable quality; Uncle Sigh (9-5) won his race against state-bred maidens.  So let's go with Classic Giancroll (5-1).  This son of Giacomo was carried a good five wide going into the first turn of the Jerome, progressed nicely up the backstretch, was three wide under a drive turning for home, and actually looked like he might go by Noble Moon before settling for second best.  He earned a figure of 96 which surely puts him right there in this race for the under-the-radar Lisa Guerrero barn.

New Player Seeks to Winn Casino in the Catskills

The Post reports that an "Alabama gambling operator," one Luther "Nat" Winn Jr., wants to be the operator of one of the two casinos that are slated for the Catskills region. Winn, not to be confused with Wynn, operates Greenetrack, a electronic bingo parlor and simulcast center located in Greene County, Alabama. Winn's website for the New York effort is gamingfornewyork.com.  The Post reports almost gleefully that Winn has "ties to the Rev. Al Sharpton" as if he's another politician in a position to influence the outcome.  (Winn is on the board of directors of the Rev. Al's National Action Network.)  And the article reports that the Greenetrack group has hired at least one Albany lobbyist to assist with the effort.

Winn and Greenetrack have had a rather eventful history in Alabama, not one of the country's bastions of gambling to be sure.  Greene County overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to permit electronic bingo in 2003.  The state, however, decided around the turn of the decade that the bingo machines were really slots machines in disguise, raided the facility and seized 700 machines in June, 2011.  And that was actually the second time in a year that Greenetrack was raided by the state.

The bingo games resumed in August of that year after a judge ruled that the state must return the machines (a case which is still pending).  For his part, Winn turned the issue into a matter of the civil rights of the population of Greene County, more than 80% of which is African-American.

“This has gone beyond bingo for me. This is about our basic civil rights and voting rights. This is why I walked out of Carver High School in 1965 to protect our basic rights including the right to vote. The State of Alabama has engaged in judge shopping and cast a shadow over the fairness and effectiveness of the entire justice system in the state.....We intend to bring games back to Greenetrack and then we will ask the Sheriff to deputize all of our employees, so they can defend and protect the machines.” [Greene County Democrat]

However, as one might expect from a guy with a middle/nickname in quotation marks, Winn has been the subject of various allegations.  In the wake of the first Greenetrack raid in 2010, he was arrested twice in one day; once on charges of blocking government operations, and the other leading to charges of reckless endangerment for allegedly striking a police officer in the arm with the side view mirror of his truck; charges that were eventually dismissed.

Last year, Winn and four other directors were sued by a group of minority shareholders for "gross and/or willful mismanagement, gross negligence, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, oppression and squeeze-out of the Plaintiff minority shareholders....In addition, the Defendants have engaged in a pattern of self-dealing, non-disclosure, and wrongful acts designed to benefit themselves to the detriment of GreeneTrack and its shareholders." [AL.com] Winn was accused of using company funds to pay for, amongst other things, cars, a Caribbean vacation, and a family trip to President Obama's inauguration.

Plaintiff Deborah Harris worked in the bookkeeping office and discovered that bookkeepers were concealing records and other financial transactions, according to the complaint.

“Plaintiffs observed the repeated issuance of checks to Greenetrack directors and upper management, including Winn, Pham, Byrd, Sugars, and Pasters, for expenses that were not related to their positions or Greenetrack's business,” the suit states. [Tuscaloosa News]

Winn and the others deny the charges.  I say, yeah baby, bring this guy on, we can use some fun around here!

Last week, two state senators proposed a 'home rule' requiring local voter approval for any casino sites.  This is no doubt inspired by the controversy in Saratoga; as well as the requirement for local referendums in neighboring Massachusetts which has become a rallying cry amongst casino opponents here.  Not surprisingly, Governor Cuomo threw cold water on the idea.  A spokesperson asserted:

"A process for selecting and siting casinos -- which already does include local community support as a required factor -- has been voted upon by the Legislature, subject to intense public debate and ultimately approved by a majority of New Yorkers. We will reject any attempts to politicize the selection process with unnecessary legislation."  [Democrat and Chronicle]

This coming from the governor's office that politicized the referendum with the ballot language that practically demanded that voters approve the casinos.  Cuomo's budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year envisions the possibility of casinos operating upstate by January 15, so the governor will surely fight anything that could cause a delay.

 - We had a winner at the Big A yesterday in NYRA's Grand Monday promotion, in which a lucky on-track patron wins a $1000 wager on the horse of his/her choice.  My first impression was to think the winner took the easy way out by selecting Abra, the 2-5 favorite (with the hot apprentice jockey) in the 8th race.  But I guess that's the way to go.  After all, you get back the betting stake in addition to the winnings, so it's an easy $1,000 plus whatever if you find a big favorite who's a lock.  Easy for me to say that I'd get all brave and fancy and look for some live longshot.  Knowing me, I probably would.  And I'd probably walk home empty-handed.

 - I wrote about the Holy Bull over at the TimeformUS blog....and took a look at some other results (including the Toddster's latest Gulfstream winners) here.

Holy Bull / Holy Crap

This is the TimeformUS Pace Projector for the Holy Bull, at Gulfstream on Saturday.

By the way, this race is one of our free races of the day on Saturday, which you can see now (Friday) over here.  We just ask that you please register with an email address at which we won't bug you too much.

This race doesn't get the 'Fast Pace' designation that you'll see in the more extreme projected pace scenarios.  But it still suggests something contentious.  The #1 horse is Coup de Grace (4-1), two-for-two, for Chad Brown.  Thinking that he figures to face a tougher pace scenario in his first try around two turns than he has thus far.  He stalked and led in his debut through a slow pace, and his allowance win over this track came in a pace rated not much faster, and on a day that we show the main track as favoring speed.

He may have his hands full early with #4, Almost Famous (8-1), who set a hot early pace when adding blinkers going two turns in his last.  This is a son of Unbridled's Song out of the speedy multiple graded stakes sprinter Wild Gams.  Don't know about his ability to handle longer distances, but he figures to be prominent at least early on here.

Cairo Prince (#7, 3-1) comes out of two races at the opposite ends of the pace spectrum.  He middle-moved into a hot pace to win the Nashua; and then missed by a nose after tracking the aberrantly slow pace of the Remsen.  He has the highest TFUS speed figure in the field, the 100 earned in the Nashua.  That, as well as his ability to handle each of those two widely different race situations surely makes him a threat here.

Quite interested to see the dirt debut of Mr. Speaker (5-1) after four races on grass, including his win in the G3 Dania Beach last time out.  As I noted in this post, he really is bred for dirt (his second dam is Personal Ensign); but, at this point, he's an unknown quantity on the surface, so we'll demand some value in this deep field.

Should a tussle up front indeed develop, Wicked Strong (8-1) could be the ultimate beneficiary, for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.  Taking a look at his running lines...and I have the fractions line below the points of call set instead to pace figures for the race leader.  I've spent the last 30+ years staring at fractions in running lines, and it took me about two days to get used to using pace figures in their stead. (If you click on this image, you'll get a blown up version that you can actually read, and then X out at the top right hand corner to return to the blog.)

His debut came in a race that we have rated as being on a strongly biased speed track that day (in dark red).  Next out, he took over in a fast-paced race, and improved his speed figure by 11 points.  And his last was that quirky Remsen; and note just how slow those pace figures are.  Hard to judge his performance.  Think he could do some really good things in this spot if the pace is indeed contested....or at least fair!  This is a son of Hard Spun, out of a Charismatic mare to Gulch Approval, a graded stakes winner in turf routes.  This is also the distaff family of the two-time Grade 1 winner Student Council (two graded wins at a mile and a quarter); as well as Don't Get Mad.  Remember that dead closer?  (As in, he had no early speed, not that he's dead....which, unfortunately, he is.)  Think Wicked Strong would be excellent value at that morning line.

What would an early season three-year old stakes be without the Toddster? Unfortunately for he, Intense Holiday (6-1) is stuck in the 11 hole with the short run to the first turn.  Still, it's Pletcher, and this son of Harlan's Holiday, out of an Unbridled's Song mare, has shown some late foot in his last two (and he was also stuck behind the slow pace of the Remsen).  In fact he has the best late pace number in the field (the number to the right of the running style; see the red arrow in the example above.  Think one could regret not using him on the ticket somewhere.

 - In the 5th at Fair Grounds today, there's a really nice looking three-year old in Unknown Road (3-5).  This colt was a close second to the abovementioned Coup de Grace in his debut, and then graduated by nearly 12 lengths, with a TFUS figure of 98.  He's stretching out from six furlongs to a mile and 70 yards....but one would have to like the chances of a Bernardini half-brother to the spectacular champion filly Banshee Breeze to get a distance of ground.

 - As I read about and learn more about the casino situation in Massachusetts, the more fascinating it becomes.  I hadn't been following it too closely, and I'm kind of learning about it with any of you who are following along with me here.  It's a story with many layers; tales of bids gone by the wayside, a well-organized effort to repeal the law that authorizes the casinos, and at least one lawsuit regarding at least one absolutely stunning instance of conflict of interest.  The head of the gaming commission which will decide between the two competing bids for the greater Boston area (assuming that voters in Revere approve the project next month) is a former business partner of a co-owner of the land on which Wynn is proposing to build its Everett site; and who therefore stands to make a windfall on the sale should that project be approved.  In addition, the commissioner, Stephen Crosby, apparently contacted Wynn at one point to urge him to stay in the running when he threatened to drop out.  I'm pretty sure that, even here in New York, this would not be permitted!  I mean, holy crap! (Stuck that in just to make the title of the post relevant)

MGM presented to the commission yesterday; they are the sole bidder still standing for a casino in the western part of the state, to be built in Springfield.  Part of their pitch is that they'd be building a casino that's not just a casino, an approach we've seen floated here in New York as well - here's a page from the Nevele's website touting it as a potential "family destination"....you have to dig deep to even find a reference to gambling here.  Similarly, MGM is proposing to make the city a destination for international conventions, and to build 19 different entrances to its facility, so that "If you don't want to interact with the casino, you don't have to." All of which reeks of the usual hypocrisy to me.

More here on the competing presentations by Wynn and Mohegan Sun to the commission on Wednesday; and Mohegan Sun ended theirs with a musical flourish courtesy of a local outfit called the Dropkick Murphys.  I listened to a couple of their songs, and I might have to support the Wynn project just on the basis of bad musical taste.

 - We have indeed added some great features to the TimeformUS past performances - the track bias indicators, pace figures, running styles, early and late overall pace numbers for each horse, result charts, and more.  We do offer a trial plan of three days of unlimited access for $2.99 for those who have never tried them.  If you had checked them out at one time, but haven't for awhile and would like to try them again, drop me a line at ckck94@yahoo.com, and I'll set you up with the same trial plan offer.

Thursday News and Notes

Let's start with a correction from the last post.  (And if you muddle through all of this, I'll even kick in a bad horse pick at the end.)  I mentioned some aspects of the law that authorizes the casinos in New York that were actually part of an older draft.  This is what actually passed.  So, to be clear....should the Saratoga racino become a casino (or for any existing racino getting a license), VLT payments will be set at the level for 2013, not 2012, subject to annual adjustments based on a particular consumer price index.  As we've said, this does protect the horsemen against the threat of casinos replacing VLT's with table games from which there is no cut for purses.  But it also cuts them out any increases that could result from a racino turning into a "destination" casino.

Additionally, the vague clause about race dates being subject to the whims of the gaming commission was taken out.  And the law provides support for the "licensed racetrack in the region" even if the Capital District casino is awarded elsewhere.  That facility would have to make payments to purses to help maintain those 2013 levels (plus or minus CPI changes) should payments from the spurned racino fall short.  So, that horseman who spoke up at the City Council meeting doesn't have to worry about support for purses.

This situation in Massachusetts is really quite fascinating, and fluid.  Steve Wynn and Mohegan Sun presented their competing proposals for the Boston area license, and it sounds like it was a lively affair.

 Wynn called his proposal Mohegan Sun’s “worst nightmare,” mocked the company’s proposed Suffolk Downs casino for being backed by a hedge fund, and dismissively classed Mohegan’s proposed resort as “three stars.”

Mohegan Sun CEO Mitchell Etess highlighted the Wynn site’s contamination problems and claimed Suffolk Downs’ Revere property will be easier for customers to access. [Boston Herald]

The "contamination problems" stems from the fact that Wynn is proposing to build his casino on a former Monsanto chemical plant.  I know it's silly and undignified to write lol in a post on a sophisticated blog such as this one.  But: lol.

Suffolk Downs COO Chip Tuttle gave an interview to the East Boston Times-Free Press to answer questions about the effect of a casino on East Boston, the neighboring town that thought they had voted the idea of a casino down.  It's a rather cold and totally unapologetic explanation, and amongst the things that are made perfectly clear is this:

"The racing operation is no longer sustainable as currently constituted. The track hasn’t been profitable since 2007 and without the benefit of expanded gaming on the Revere portion of the property, the revenue from leasing the property and the visitors to the area that the resort would bring; it is very unlikely we would be able to continue to race."

 Chip Tuttle is a racing guy and he's fighting on, doing what he has to do to keep the sport going at the storied track there.  I'm certainly not one to judge; I held my nose and advocated for slots here because I wanted racing to continue to thrive in New York.  Now I walk through Resorts World, see what we've done, and I want to piss on the damn things.  It's a rather ingenious scheme to save Suffolk Downs, however devious one may consider it, and it will be quite a feat of survival if they pull it off.  But for the people in East Boston that voted against the casino, they will still have to deal with their concerns over potential problems of traffic, crime and addiction.  In addition, if Boston is designated as a surrounding community rather than a host community (and Tuttle makes it quite clear that he opposes the latter), the payments to deal with any consequences of a casino will be far less.  And East Boston might get some horse stables within its boundaries as a little bonus too.  I think one can understand why some people there are not happy.

Governor Cuomo is in hot water these days over the remarks he made on public radio last week.  If you missed it, this is the contentious passage:

 "Who are they? Are they these extreme conservatives who are "right to life," "pro assault weapon" "anti-gay"? Is that who they are? Because if that's who they are, and if they are the extreme conservatives, they have no place in the state of New York because that's not who New Yorkers are."

 Well, Cuomo is getting it from near and far, from the state GOP to national-profile conservatives like Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity, who "can't wait" to move out of New York (and we can't wait until he does).

Attempts by the governor's office to argue that the remarks were taken out of context have fallen flat, because that's what he said.  And it doesn't matter these days what you mean, it's what you say.  I have no doubt that what Cuomo's office says is true: that he was really referring to political candidates running for state-wide office - that those who are anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, and against reasonable gun control cannot be elected in this state.  In a state in which Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1, that is no doubt true.  Cuomo touts his ability to work with the "moderate Republicans" who control the Senate.....meaning the ones who kiss his ass just enough to stay in control (with the help of the IDC), and then turn against him when they're able to.

However, as we've seen in the past, the governor doesn't always express himself very well.  Here, he did so rather awfully.  Besides muddling the matter of exactly whom he was referring to, "right to life" is hardly an extreme position; "anti-gay" is (somewhat of) a mis-characterization of those opposed to gay marriage (which will be an extreme position by the end of the decade); "pro-assault weapon" should be considered an extreme position, but it's not here in the gun-loving home of the free and the brave. I think that Cuomo would serve himself well by clarifying his remarks, and, as hard as it may be, a-a-a-apologizing to those he may have offended by his misspeak.  While some will never be satisfied, the whole brouhaha would quickly pass, as the one in the neighboring state goes on.  At least Cuomo wasn't endangering peoples' safety and lives in the name of petty retribution.  (And even if Christie didn't know, which seems highly implausible, he obviously created and encouraged an atmosphere in which his closest aides had free reign to do what they did.)

And besides, the usual political hypocrisy is no doubt at work in the Republican attacks on the governor.  "Love it or leave it" does not have its roots in liberal philosophy as far as I recall.  And I don't remember any Republicans objecting when, at last year's high profile Conservative Political Action Conference, Iowa's firebrand Rep. Steve King declared that liberals should move to Detroit or Chicago....or self-deport.

 - In the 6th at Gulfstream today, the cleverly-named Life in Shambles (4-1), by Broken Vow, out of Life, makes his career debut, on grass, for trainer Christophe Clement.  You may recall the roll that this barn was on at Saratoga with this type; and he's 1-1-2 from six such starters at the GP meet.  Life in Shambles is a half-brother to two others who won their debut in turf routes.  Interestingly, one of them, Thunderous Lady (Thunder Gulch), made that successful debut in a 75K maiden claimer at Gulfstream, the same conditions as this race.  Best of luck and have a great day.

SAVE Sits This One Out

The Saratoga Springs City Council met on Tuesday night; but unlike the prior meeting - as described here by Thomas Dimopoulos on the Saratoga Wire site - the anti-casino expansion group SAVE did not attend. Destination Saratoga - the harness track-funded group in favor of a full casino at the harness track - bused in at least 100 supporters, and the group declined to engage.

“We do not want to contribute to the illusion the hired PR firm is trying to create that there’s some kind of division in our community on this issue,” said SAVE Saratoga founder Colin Klepetar, who attended the meeting but did not speak out. [Saratogian]

So, it was a one-sided argument, including a dire warning, as reported by Saratogian reporter Caitlin Morris on her Twitter feed, that the harness track in Saratoga will not survive.....if the casino goes to Albany or Renneslaer counties. Purse structures won't hold up.  Obviously, fear will be a major tool of the casino supporters as they tell us about all the awful things that will happen if the casino goes somewhere else.  The interesting thing about this particular speaker is that he's a member of the Saratoga Harness Horseman's Association.  Intuitively, to me, anyone associated with horse racing should be terrified by the coming casino age in the state. However, the harness horsemen - who are not rolling in purse dough like their thoroughbred counterparts to start with (you can see the purses for a typical weekday for yourself here) - would, I imagine, be particularly susceptible to the fear-mongering and it's understandable why they would be nervous.

Of course, is isn't clear either what the effects of a Saratoga casino being approved would be on the harness horsemen either.  Unlike the VLT's, a percentage of revenue from which for purses is mandated by law, it's unclear if any table game revenue would be earmarked for racing.  What's more, VLT payments would be frozen at 2012 levels, and track management's obligation to maintain current racing dates would be subject, according to the authorizing law, to the vague notion of what is deemed appropriate by the [Gaming] commission.  And that's not to mention any local gambling revenue that would be lost to increased gambling options. So I think that the gentleman from the Saratoga horsemen has things to fear about either outcome.

The New York Times came out with an editorial against a Saratoga casino, which probably has some supporters telling them to mind their own B-I business!  Citing the majority of Saratoga residents who voted against the referendum, the Times notes:

The problem is that Saratoga Springs residents can’t say no if the state decides to place a casino in their area. In Massachusetts, for instance, local residents can vote to reject a casino development in their community. New York State law offers no community veto. It will be up to a new gaming commission and its appointees to choose where and what the new casinos will be.

Well, and again, tell that to the Massachusetts voters in East Boston who voted against a casino at Suffolk Downs. In a piece on Commonwealthmagazine.com, Jim Aloisi, a former state secretary of transportation (and a self-described "unabashed George McGovern liberal"), explains why he thinks that the track's plan to instead build a casino on track property that's in the neighboring town of Revere insults East Boston.

What’s worse, when East Boston voters resoundingly voted against the casino, the immediate response (of doubtful legality) was to fashion an electoral bait-and-switch by offering a supposedly “Revere-only” casino site. The Revere-only proposal is an insult to East Boston’s intelligence, not simply because such an outcome is not practically feasible (unless the owners are prepared to accept a perpetual restriction on the use of their East Boston land for non-casino uses), but also because it proposes to relocate horse stables and highways on the East Boston side of the site. Imagine that you are the mayor of Boston, and you have a 100-acre, largely undeveloped site in your city that is two minutes away from an international airport and adjacent to two MBTA stations and an urban wetland. And the owner tells you he wants to use the land for horse stables and a roadway system to feed into another city. You might throw that person out of your office, or at least question his sanity. But that is exactly what Suffolk Downs is proposing to do on this site.

The two contenders for the Boston-area licenses - Mohegan Sun (Suffolk Downs/Revere) and Wynn Resorts (Everett) - will present to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Wednesday.

- At a hearing of the NY Gaming Commission on Tuesday, harness interests continued their efforts to stave off the imposition of uniform medication rules for clenbuterol and corticosteroids that they contend are inspired by problems in the thoroughbred industry and not appropriate for their breed.

Joe Faraldo, president of the Standardbred Owners Association of New York, made the case before the NYGC.

He suggested a rash of breakdowns among Thoroughbreds a few years ago at Aqueduct Racetrack was the impetus for the push for the new rules in New York. Meanwhile, the rate of deaths in Standardbreds in New York is a fraction of those in Thoroughbred racing, Faraldo said.  "(The RMTC) has drafted rules it sees best fitted for Thoroughbred racing," Faraldo said. [Bloodhorse]

Having My Doubts

Here's a blog post, by Sara Foss, in the Daily Gazette (of Schenectady) regarding the fight over a casino....or rather, an expansion of the one already there....in Saratoga.  And she says pretty much what I've been saying:

But given the powerful interests that want a casino in Saratoga Springs, I’d be surprised if the casino ended up anywhere else.  

The leader of SAVE (Saratogians Against Vegas-style Expansion) said that he's "optimistic," pointing to the "solid majority" of votes in Saratoga Springs that voted no to the referendum.  However, the grass route thing only goes so far when competing with money and power.  So, and as Ms. Foss agrees: "I have my doubts."

I know that Saratogians opposed to the casino expansion point to Massachusetts, where the vote was put to local communities to decide for themselves, and claim that their vote should count too.  But that concept hasn't exactly worked in Massachusetts.  When voters in East Boston rejected a plan for a casino built at Suffolk Downs by Caesars, the track came up with a plan for one by Mohegan Sun on the other side of the plant, and totally within the borders of Revere, which approved a casino at the polls. Now, we all sympathize with Suffolk Downs and don't want to see the industry die in the state.  But, hmmm, I just don't know what to say about that.  Voters in Revere have to vote again on the revised plan in February (59% of voters approved the plan in November); and then the track would compete with Steve Wynn, who hopes to build in Everett, for a single Boston-area license.  So, while, in theory, New York is no longer in danger of losing gambling dollars to Massachusetts, it has already lost a lot of laughs to the Bay State.

Ms. Foss also calls our attention to a purchase of an old packing plant on the border of Albany and Colonie by a Rochester-based entity called Capital Gaming LLC, which has obvious aspirations given its name.  But seem as if voters in Colonie don't want a casino there either.

Colonie voters opposed the casino amendment on last November's ballot, with 48.7 percent in favor and 51.3 percent opposed, according to AllOverAlbany.com. [Albany Times Union]

 - I've been following the recent exploits of Pletcher at Gulfstream in my Today in Racing feature at the TimeformUS blog.  Depending on what one considers to be the beginning of the current Gulfstream meet, he's hitting somewhere between 30%-35%.  The track's website is now showing the stats for the current calendar year, for which he is 52-18-13-5, for 35%, and 69% in the money.  These are the kind of statistics that could earn him extra security scrutiny if he didn't have Eclipse Awards and a high class of clientele.  We hear people complain today that "super trainers" are ruining the sport (as if it is a new phenomenon), but I don't think they are referring to the Toddsters and Chad Browns of the world.  Maybe David Jacobson should find himself a personal attire and hairstyle consultant.

Pletcher's latest winner, Gala Award ($4), in the 8th on Monday, was a $1.6 million yearling purchase in 2012 for Coolmore.  He was 10-1 in his debut last month when he ran second.  He's by Bernardini out of a Carson City mare; and he's a half-brother to the G1 Hollywood Futurity winner Stormello, and to the multiple turf stakes winner My Best Brother.

Cuomo Contributions Shocking, and Not

Governor Cuomo has amassed some $33 million for his re-election campaign against a yet-to-be determined Republican opponent who figures to be either an unknown, or a joke.  For entertainment purposes, please let it be the latter.

The list of the governor's larger donors was released this past week, and it's rather mind boggling, in scope, content, and context.  We talked a couple of posts ago about how it may not be "shocking" that Cuomo didn't mention horse racing or Saratoga when he discussed the upstate economy, but that it continues to be shocking to the senses.  Similarly, the money game in politics is old hat, and we hardly blink an eye when we read the details.  But still, upon further thought (and not too much required), it's still shocking to any common senses that individuals and entities with pending business before the state are able to pour cash so openly and brazenly into the coffers of the politicians who will decide their fate.

We'll hear the usual from the politicians about how they make their own decisions and are not influenced.  And, in this case, we hear the governor confirm that he is in fact in favor of campaign finance reform, and against the loopholes that allow entities to far exceed the supposed limits on contributions.  " At least 41 donors have exploited various loopholes to give Governor Cuomo more than the purported $60,800 contribution limit," noted the NY Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG).  To which Cuomo's office cynically noted: "Gov. Cuomo abides by the same rules as everyone else while leading the charge to change them.”

I suppose that, maybe, real estate developers such as Leonard Litwin ($800,000) or The Richman Group ($264,000) can justify their contributions on the basis that the policies of the Cuomo administration have created a favorable environment for their business that they wish to continue for another four years.  But when it comes to lawyers and lobbyists, what other rationale could there be other than ensuring that they will have a willing and open ear in the governor's mansion?  Even if they have no specific issue in mind, I'd imagine they want to make sure they don't cross the governor and end up with a massive traffic jam in their town.

Then there are organizations such as Ultimate Fighting Productions ($115,000).  The matter of mixed martial arts in New York State is one which is very much in play in the capitol, and one which Cuomo has expressed guarded support for.  Just guarded enough to make sure that contributions from the group continue to flow.

And what exactly does Jeff Gural ($56,000) have in mind?  He's a Democrat who I saw a couple of years ago talking in favor of higher taxes on the rich on a show hosted by a certain conservative - I won't mention her name because I might then violate my resolution to be nice and not call people names - so I suppose he may just be interested in progressive issues that this governor may - or may not - support. However, as we know, Gural has direct business pending before the state, in the form of the casino that he wants for his Tioga Downs facility....the fate of which will be decided by the siting committee that will be appointed by the Gaming Commission made up entirely of Cuomo appointees.

We also see Saratoga Gaming Resources LLC ($40,000) on the list.  I imagine there are other casino entities there, either under a name that's not immediately recognizable, or under the $40,000 cutoff for this particular list, no doubt.

The Times reported last weekend on the "surprise" opposition to the casino in Saratoga.  Little surprise though that the racino employees came out in favor of the expansion.  Yeah, I'm sure they don't feel any pressure from their employer to do so, right?  I would think that the prospect of significant change and more hiring would actually make employees feel less secure in their jobs, not more.

Gulfstream Sucks, But...

Still haven't quite gotten over my visit to Gulfstream in November, and how it sucked much more than I could even imagine. God damn it, Frank. What the hell were you thinking?  Fuck.

Somewhere, I must have some photos of the way it was.  Which was just about perfect.  I used to fly into Ft Lauderdale in the morning and head straight to the track, and man, what a feeling when walking in, through the clubhouse backyard entrance, for the first time each year.  I literally kissed the ground on more than one occasion.  (OK, more like I blew it a kiss, but still.)  The backyard was expansive and always lively; and one thing I particularly recall was the way it emptied out during a race, as people went up front or to a TV to watch.  Imagine the backyard at Saratoga, except that people actually go to watch the races.  What an odd scene that would be.

I was told after this recent depressing visit that I missed out on a Tiki Bar area at the eighth pole (which I'm not even sure was open when I was there before the "official" start of the meet) and it sounds pleasant enough, but I'll never be back there to see it for sure.  In fact, I was so disgusted that I entertained the idea of boycotting the track for the rest of my life, and not writing about it either.

Well, that didn't last too long.  It's the best winter racing, hands down in my opinion, as east-coast biased as it may be.  (Other than the fact that Frank screwed up the track itself as well, with the start for route races being far to close to the first turn.)

Two more winners for Pletcher on Wednesday, giving him 24 from 84 starters (29%).  Interestingly enough, both horses were making their first starts since running at Churchill in May, and their first for the Toddster, as both had previously been conditioned by Dale Romans, for breeder/owner Siena Farms.  In the 5th, Alaura Michele ($10.60) had lost her last seven races, for Romans and Bill Mott; and got her first win since taking an overnight stakes at Saratoga in 2012.  8th race winner Private Ensign ($5.20) was winning her third race over this track from four tries; and yes, the third dam of this four-year old daughter of AP Indy, out of a Horse Chestnut mare, is the inimitable Personal Ensign.

Another barn which is sharp at Gulfstream is that of Christophe Clement.  He was a close third to Pletcher's first winner with Long Face (which is what those who bet him have had after the race the last ten times he's run); and a second with first-timer Henry's Song in the 7th.  This barn is now 6-1-2 with its last 14 starters going back to New Year's Day.

Chad Brown has gotten off to a "slow" start, hitting "only" at 20% with six winners from 30 starts.  In the 9th, his Ack Rider ($4.80) won easily off a drop in class, and I wrote on Today in Racing before the race how the TimeformUS pace figures helped to point him out.

Pletcher had two debut winners over the weekend, and in the 5th on Thursday, he has a couple of high-priced three-year olds making their career debuts. Hartford (5-2), a 700K purchase as a yearling at Keeneland, is by Tapit out of an Editor's Note mare, and he's a full-brother to the Grade 1 winner Dance Card.  Againsome (5-1), a 400K yearling purchase at the same sale, is by Awesome Again out of an AP Indy mare who's a full sister to none other than Pulpit.  Looks like the two worked heads up at Palm Meadows on Sunday, with Againsome getting the nod by a tick.  That one has a long, long workout tab going back to May, though with a long hiccup from August to November.

Still, he certainly seems ready for the races, and if Hartford gets overbet with Castellano aboard, one could do far worse than have Againsome if he's around that morning line.

In the 10th, Win Exchange (5-1) returned in December from a layoff of 608 days, and has shown some high speed in his two return efforts, earning TimeformUS early pace figures that compare quite favorably to the others in here.  He lasted for second at this mile distance in his last, beaten out by a Chad Brown 9-5 favorite.  Hails from a low percentage barn, but figures to be tough to run down if he gets his way up front.  To Dare is to Do (6-1) missed the place spot that day by a nose to Win Exchange, and trainer Scott Volk has a TFUS trainer rating of 90 (out of 100) for maiden claiming races that exceeds his general performance.  This horse's best efforts have generally been preceded by a workout a week before the race though, and the lack of one here is of some concern.  Best of luck and have a great day.

Untitled

Hello, hope everyone had a great holiday, healthy and safe, and greetings for a happy new year.  Was planning to get back to this sooner, but, for one thing and in addition to all of the holiday obligations and festivities, was "stranded" at my mom's house in Florida for five extra days on what was intended as a short New Year's jaunt.  With just one laptop between the Head Chef and I, computer time was at a premium, and tensions were high at times.

Also, I have been blogging over at the TimeformUS blog.  My latest Today in Racing entries mostly concerned the racing at Gulfstream this past weekend.  As for this blog, have to say that I've been working on this particular post for several days now, which is honestly not a good sign for its short-term future.  With a busy week ahead, I'm gonna throw up what I got now, as rambling as it may be, and we'll hope for better results next time.

Got a call for a survey the other night and agreed to participate.  It was already ten minutes in when the guy said there was only around 15 minutes to go! Would have canned it at that point, except that it was about online poker in New York State, so I was curious to see where it was going to go. He kept referring to "the proposal" for online poker in NY, and I felt compelled at one point to point out that there actually is no formal proposal in the legislature...at least that I know of.

I was told that the survey company did not actually know who was paying for and conducting the survey.  It did not seem like a push-poll at all; questions were not leading and covered both sides of the argument.  One hint though is that the only person other than Andrew Cuomo on whom my opinion was requested, was Sheldon Adelson.  That seemed kind of random, and he seems like the kind of guy who would be interested to know what random people might think of him!

As opposed to the notion of online casino games like what is now offered in New Jersey, I really don't have strong feelings about online poker one way or another.  Still, I found myself replying "strongly opposed" to anything having to do with it, and "strongly agree" to all of the arguments against it that were offered for my comment (those arguments actually being quite well-articulated, covering addiction and inequality and all the other bases).  Just the association with online casino gaming - especially since they did mention the New Jersey situation - was enough to stir the emotions.

The concept of casino games being made available 24/7 on the internet had always seemed so radical to me, that I naively never believed that state governments would really stoop to this.  I often wonder if I'm being hypocritical here, being that I take full advantage of the ease of betting on horse racing online.  But the idea of this particular kind of gaming being made so readily available is just revolting to me.  To take the most mindlessly addictive games and make them so readily portable and available to the most mindlessly addictive amongst us is just wrong to me on any and every moral and ethical level.  And, while it's bad enough as a revenue-raiser for state governments with all the attendant justifications - they'll find a way to gamble it anyway - the corporations involved, exploiting vulnerable gamblers in this crass way for nothing but their greedy pursuit of profits as they are, are shameful.

Governor Cuomo delivered his State of the State address last week, and David Grening noted on Twitter that:

 Gov. Cuomo, talking tourism in upstate NY, shockingly fails to mention Saratoga or horse racing

I must presume that the esteemed New York correspondent for the Form was being sarcastic regarding the use of the word shockingly, as it would have been a surprise if Cuomo did mention racing in his State of the State, or at any other time other than being critical.  However, it does remain shocking to the senses, in any event.

If you missed it, the governor finally named a chairman for the New York Gaming Commission (subject to Senate approval), and he's a fellow with an interesting - if not always successful - background.

 Gearan, 57, has deep Democratic roots as a former top staffer for the presidential campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, the executive director of the Democratic Governors Association from 1989 to 1992, and a deputy director of the 1992 Clinton-Gore transition team. He served President Bill Clinton's administration as deputy chief of staff and assistant; Clinton named him director of the Peace Corps.

 It is this commission - currently consisting entirely of Cuomo appointees - which will, in turn, appoint the members of the Gaming Facility Location Board, which will do what its name quite explicitly says it will.  And that, of course, will be a lot of fun.  Those appointments are supposed to come this month, with casino proposals due in June, and licenses issued in the fall.  Sounds like a whirlwind schedule.

 - For 2014, Tweet Less, Read More was the title and topic of a New Year's Eve column by the Times' Frank Bruni.  And man, there's some solid advice for the new year!  I've already taken it to heart, and with some intriguing results thus far.  But I found the most interesting point of Bruni's piece to be this:

 Lately there’s been a bit of academic attention to our etiquette online, which is where so many of us spend more and more of our time. It rightly notes how much rudeness makes its way onto message boards and into Facebook threads, how quickly the back-and-forth on websites turns nasty.

That happens in part because the exchanges are disembodied: We don’t have to face whomever we’re lashing out at. But it’s also because they’re impulsive. Their timbre conforms to their tempo. Both are coarse.
......
On social media, on many blogs and along other byways of the Internet, the person you disagree with isn’t just misinformed but moronic, corrupt, evil. Complaints become rants. Rants become diatribes. And this tendency travels to cable news shows, Congress and statehouses, where combatants shout first and ask questions later.

 No sooner had I read this when I wrote a Today in Racing post, and noted at the end how little I care about the Kentucky Derby points system (especially in early January), when some guy with a dumb handle on Twitter responded:

 Enjoyed the blog not sure why the author had to lob in a puerile rant at a pretty simple points system last paragraph mind.   

Suppose I should throw a [sic] in there somewhere for the fractured English.  In any event, I guess you can add puerile to moronic, corrupt, evil.  This served as further incentive to limit my time on Twitter - which does have an addictive quality I must say, as well as providing fodder for blog material.  It's also a reminder that I myself have surely been guilty of the same kind of incivilities over the years.  So I will resolve to be better in that regard and, amongst other things, not write that people with dumb handles on Twitter have dumb handles on Twitter.

One more Twitter note:  Joe Drape chimed in at one point with an excerpt from a (not-so-) recent post.  Instead of addressing any of the legitimate points contained therein, he wrote:

What's wrong w/ #horseracing? "I know 2 people who tell me that they would bet less if they didn't have juice trainers to follow," @alanLATG
— Joe Drape (@joedrape) January 2, 2014

Well, I dunno, horseplayers incorporating an angle of suspected underhandedness into their wagering and thereby embracing the scoundrelly side of the game?  Sounds to me like they're having fun.  I thought that fun was actually what's right about the game. I get the feeling that less people are having any with the game these days. And I think that amongst the things that's wrong with horseracing is that the lead racing writer for the New York Times hates it, and regularly uses his platform to demean it with half-truths, innuendo, and distortion.  (Oh, am I being uncivil again?)