DRF HARNESS HOME DIGITAL HARNESS EYE HARNESS PPS DRF BETS ENTRIES ARCHIVE THURSDAY, MAY 21, 2020 Welcome Back: returns as Morris guides Scioto into the future NEW PLAYERS Joe Morris, the new Senior Vice President for Racing with Eldorado Resorts, has a passion for racing and hopes to bring Scioto Downs to new heights DOUBLE YOUR FIRST DEPOSIT for maximum safety and JAYWALKING efficiency. UP TO $250 “We still By Jay Bergman have eight JOIN NOW @BergmanJay barns on the grounds that are empty,” When Eldorado Scioto Downs opens on said Morris. Friday night for live harness racing, many “We used will not realize what a monumental task it them for really was. Lost on some, but most definitely horses to ship not those living in Ohio, will be the incredible in and we’ve coordination and cooperation that was neces- made certain sary to go from “Pandemic” status into the that the stalls reopening of the first harness track in North are reserved Inside this issue America. for horses “There has been incredible support from from the

Hoofbid makes a splash in first auction the horsemen, both harness and thorough- same stable.” Santa Anita.com session, Page 4 bred,” said Joe Morris, Senior Vice President In this way, Joe Morris was brought for Racing with Eldorado Resorts Inc. From Morris has on by Eldorado to oversee Bettor’s Wish completing double-duty the moment Ohio Governor Mike DeWine s e c u r e d what is expected to soon be and nearing a return to racing, Page 4 gave the go-ahead to begin Phase One of his that cross- six racing properties. reopening plan, Morris and the Ohio Harness contami- Darin Zoccali: Cultivating our newest Horsemen’s Association quickly coordinated nation is unlikely to take place, even when players into repeat customers, Page 5 a near-impossible timeline that would allow horses ship-in, since the same people will be them to open with a full complement of races using the same space. gets narrow win in Catch within a two-week framework. As for race paddocks, separation and sani- Driver “Battle of the Decade”, Page 6 “It was critical that we got horses quali- tization was followed flawlessly during the fied,” said Morris. “That’s why when we set Friday and Saturday qualifying races. “We Industry: NA Cup now scheduled for up the 16 qualifiers for this past Saturday and had two races in at a time and once they Aug. 29; Elver Hanover qualifies, Page 6 Sunday, we did so with conditions attached.” cleared out we went and completely sanitized In doing so, Morris helped pave the way, not all of the areas,” said Morris. The process Scioto Downs full-card analysis for just for the betting public to have charted was repeated and 16 races were completed in opening night, Page 7 lines, but to ensure that the track wouldn’t be roughly three hours time for both Saturday’s short horses and unable to put out a balanced and Sunday’s qualifying sessions. On The Backstretch: Profile of USTA racing card. “With qualifiers being held at the Delaware Executive VP Mike Tanner, Page 8 While all horsemen were anxious for the Fairgrounds this week, I think we’ll have at least 750 horses that are qualified and ready Comments? Questions? return, given the state of what is expected from all during a post-lockdown phase, Morris Email the Editor [email protected] set up important protocols that were designed CONTINUED ON PAGE 3

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DRF.COM/HARNESSNEWSLETTER Conrad Photo On May 22, Scioto Downs will become the first Standardbred track in North America to race since Cal Expo on March 31.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 men’s group to come up with an initial plan that will work to help horsemen who have been idle for three months while safeguarding the purse account. to race by this weekend,” said Morris, who will need every horse “Without knowing when the casino will reopen, we’ve decided to available to put on a five-day-a-week racing program. “We (Eldorado cut back the purses by 25 percent,” said Morris. “We all hope the Resorts) definitely wanted to be first to reopen and when given the casino can open at the earliest possible time, but if it doesn’t we should opportunity by the Governor, we did everything we could to make be safe at this level.” Fortunately, there is a solid purse account base that happen safely,” said Morris. and Morris predicted that the track should average about $140,000 for Eldorado Scioto Downs will open on Friday with a 6:30 p.m. post each of its racing programs. time as the first harness track in North America to return from lock- Eldorado Scioto Downs will race a 5-day/night schedule that will down. Morris, who just began his role with Eldorado on February be somewhat altered for its opening weekend. “We’re going to race on 24, has had a whirlwind of events since joining the company, but his Memorial Day but go with a 6:30 p.m. post time,” said Morris. “I don’t experience with harness and thoroughbred horsemen has obviously want to be running head-on into Santa Anita during the afternoon.” paved the way for the meteoric speed at which the track will reopen. While the track has never been part of the TVG offering, Morris is in At the same time, the reopening does come with certain caveats, most conversation with the network and is hopeful to have the track show- notably the lack of fans in the stands. cased there at least for the coming weeks. “I just got off the phone with “That’s a tough thing for horse owners and their families,” said TVG,” Morris said Monday. “We’re hoping to be featured on Friday Morris. “I know that as an owner myself that you want to be there and Saturday nights,” Morris said. when your horse races and that’s something we just can’t have right The complete weekly schedule will feature afternoon racing on now,” said Morris. “Harness racing more than thoroughbred racing Tuesday’s with a 2:00 p.m. post time and racing nightly Wednesday has more families that come out and support the horses.” through Saturday with first-race post time at 6:30 p.m. There will be While no fans will be present when the track opens on Friday, 14 races per card. Morris has worked hard to create a new buzz surrounding the racing While Phase One of Ohio’s reopening plan puts no restrictions product at the Columbus, Ohio five-eighths oval. “We’ve brought in on horses arriving from out-of-state, Morris was quite firm in his Gabe Prewitt to help with the simulcast. Gabe’s done a great job with commitment to local horsemen. “We’re open to those horsemen who social media,” said Morris. “We’re trying to freshen things up a little competed here last year. We’re not taking on stables that just noticed bit.” we’re open first and want to come in,” said Morris. “There’s no restric- With that in mind, the betting program at Eldorado Scioto Downs tion on horses crossing state lines, but where we are located, most will will offer a ‘Players’ Pick 5 with a 14 percent takeout, as well as two be local.” separate Pick 4’s linking the first four races on the program and the For Morris, who was hired by Eldorado to help manage what is last four races on the card. expected to be six racetracks for the casino company, he’s already had A 20-cent Pick 6 wager with carryover will also be part of the to help manage a crisis in Florida (Pompano Park announced barn wagering menu, along with three Pick 3 wagers and the addition of a area closure) and has spent time in Indiana planning for the acquisi- late daily double. There will be many 20-cent and 50-cent minimum tion of both Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand from parent company wagers as well on the card, according to Morris. Caesars. Now he has quickly helped Eldorado get Scioto Downs to the Of importance to all horsemen that will race in the coming weeks starting line first with a sharp plan to gain valuable exposure in a is the overall purse fund. Morris has worked closely with the horse- racing market hungry for action.

DRF Harness Weekend | 3 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Hoofbid makes a splash Bettor’s Wish completing double-duty; in first auction session Nearing a return to racing By Jay Bergman By Derick Giwner While much There is a new shooter in the online auction business for horses and of this indus- Hoofbid.com certainly started with a bang. Launched in early May as try has at least a website and state-of-the-art app, Hoofbid provides an easy and quick been partially outlet for sellers to find interested buyers of racehorses, broodmares, idle since all stallion shares and more. racetracks shut While Hoofbid allows for regular listings, perhaps the most exciting down in March, feature involves the Sunday night auctions. Every five minutes, start- one athlete has ing at 7 PM on Sunday, a number of horses are sold in rapid-fire succes- been working sion via 10-minute auctions, with the bidding resetting to one minute double-time in Derick Giwner each time a buyer ups the ante with a minute or less remaining. harness racing’s Bettor’s Wish could be aiming for the “You can watch the bids coming version of “multi- Graduate series leg at Tioga on June 14 if in against each other via the bidder tasking.” Bettor’s it goes as scheduled. numbers and follow the action,” said Wish has already co-owner Adriano Sorella, who is also been bred to 45 mares this season and hopes to complete his 60 handling the marketing for the new booking assignment before returning to racing. The 4-year-old’s venture. “I was getting calls from all primary assignment, however, is to prepare for the return of over the place today from people who stakes competition and a potential assault on the Open-pacing told me they were just watching it and division. mesmerized by the bidding. We figured “I couldn’t be happier with the way he’s handled everything,” it would be a good concept, but you don’t said Chris Ryder, his trainer and co-owner. “He’s breeding mares know until you put it out there. four days-a-week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We’ll A total of 14 horses were placed in jog him or train him early and then he’ll go off to breed between the site’s first-ever Sunday auction on 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.” May 17, which lasted just over 60 minutes. Four of the horses were The schedule has gone smoothly and Ryder notes that although part of a “choose your horse” option where the winning bidder the owners were initially reluctant to ship semen, they have in fact could pick between two horses. Half of the 12 auctions resulted in sent to mares in Kentucky and the results have been great. “There sales, some to new owners and others as buybacks. Four horses had was a delay in one of the shipments to Kentucky but the mare got reserve bids that weren’t met, while every horse offered received a in foal anyway,” said Ryder. bid except one. On the training side, Bettor’s Wish is right on schedule, with “Under the circumstances it did very well. There are only so many Ryder suggesting he’s three weeks away from an actual race, horses that people want to sell right now. They want to hold onto their but could qualify sooner if need be. “I’ve gone in (1:)55 with him horses until they start racing so they can get past performance lines and he’s more of a man now than he was at 2 or 3,” Ryder said. on them,” said Sorella. “We had a lot of people registering, many of On the other hand, Ryder suggests that breeding a horse with the them 30 minutes before the auction started. regularity they have Bettor’s Wish this season, sometimes has an “Once racing starts, people will want to buy horses and get rid of impact and makes them unruly when in the racing barn. “He’s ones that aren’t good for their stable. We figure there will be a lot of been a perfect gentleman,” Ryder said. traction.” Looking ahead, Bettor’s Wish may get the chance to open his Entries for the weekly auction on Sunday open on Monday and 4-year-old campaign at Tioga Downs, where a leg of the Graduate close 10PM on Thursday. The horses available are visible on Friday Series is currently scheduled to go on June 14. The track recently afternoon via the app or online but bidding doesn’t start until Sunday got permission from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to evening. This gives potential buyers a chance to view past perfor- reopen in June. mances, pedigrees or replays through the platform. While there are no current talks in place for Bettor’s Wish to Hoofbid was the brainchild of co-founders Frank Tatulli and Jeff be syndicated, Ryder is hopeful that a more dominant 4-year-old Davis. The pair and Sorella were independently working on similar season could vault the son of Bettor’s Delight into national promi- projects. “Jeff contacted me last year and said he was working on a nence. Certainly with the 3-year-old stakes season likely put project and wanted to run some ideas by me,” said Sorella. “When he through many adjustments in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, told me what it was, I stopped him on his first sentence and said that I breeders may look towards Bettor’s Wish more favorably while was working on the same thing. I own Horsebids.com and we’re build- trying to sort out whether the sophomores racing can prove domi- ing that out.” nance over one another. The two decided to share information and work in partnership on Ryder, like most New Jersey-based horsemen, is anxious to the project. Sorella scrapped horsebids.com for the current url and get back to racing at The Meadowlands and awaits word from Hoofbid.com was created. Governor Phil Murphy that would green-light the proposal. According to Davis, Hoofbid ranked #3 in the United States and #5 in With New York and Delaware tracks given commitments earlier Canada for the “shopping category” in the Apple App Store last week. this week to reopen, it is his hope that the Garden State won’t “We had over 450 users in the app during the auctions,” said Davis. be far behind. The market leader right now in online Standardbred horse sales Once New Jersey begins qualifiers, Ryder is excited to see how is ongait.com, but Sorella said they aren’t necessarily going head-to- a 3-year-old filly that was unraced last year due to a broken bone head with them. “We are not here to steal ongait’s business because will come back. “I really like this filly by Captaintreacherous,” we have a different way of doing things,” said Sorella. “This simply Ryder said. Her name is Party Girl Hill and she’s a homebred of may give people another way of getting rid of a horse very fast if they Tom Hill from a near $200K-winning mare named Look Cheap. want to.” That makes her a half-sister to the Blossom Series final-winning While the app’s design is certainly sleek and easy to navigate, Heavenly Hill. Sorella said they won’t be resting now that Hoofbid is launched. “This “She’ll be ready to qualify as soon as we can,” said Ryder of doesn’t just stop here. There will be a lot of other features coming to Party Girl Hill. “She’s eligible to the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes.” it,” said Sorella.

DRF Harness Weekend | 4 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Cultivating our newest players into repeat customers

is racing’s savior at the moment, one year from now racetracks will likely see a trend that a noticeable amount of their regular at the track on-track patrons never came back to the actual racetrack and are still wagering with their ADW. It is also the only avenue through AtTheTrack7 By Darin Zoccali which new players are wagering. Racetracks should be collaborat- ing with their online partners to help support a system that maxi- mizes incentives to rebate these players, put more money in their In my last column, I wrote about the missed opportunity for pockets and place them on the road to becoming a regular horse Standardbred racetracks in not being permitted to race, while player. several other thoroughbred tracks marched forward through the Each racetrack should be using its online platforms to provide pandemic. Unfortunately, for harness racing, the vast majority of simplified information to new players to help move them forward their racetracks are within a short distance of the “hot-spot” of and become more seasoned horseplayers. This can be done with this pandemic, making it all but impossible to get their noses back online tutorials and handicapping shows through its websites and on the gate. YouTube channels geared toward these new players that really That appears to be changing, as just this past week Governor simplify the process of handicapping races. Andrew Cuomo announced that all New York racetracks may This cannot be treated as business as usual. There is an oppor- commence racing on June 1, under certain restrictions. Given tunity here where gamblers are quite literally falling into the race- the history of synonymous action between New York and New tracks laps without putting a cent into marketing their product. Jersey during this crisis, one would imagine that soon Governor Gamblers are signing up for ADW accounts, looking at the race- Phil Murphy will be making a similar announcement. Perhaps a tracks available and just bouncing from one to the other, looking missed opportunity will turn into a delayed opportunity. for action. Sports are slowly coming back, but I would underline the word Every new horseplayer that is kept as a horseplayer once the slowly. At best, Major League Baseball is six weeks away from the other gambling options return, is a net-win for the industry. This start of a regular season. Talks of the NBA and NHL resuming needs to be treated as the massive opportunity that it is. Imagine play are based around similar timeframes. But none of those are a any business where most of the other competitors are closed and certainty. It seems that racing, albeit without spectators, is the one all of the customers are literally funneled toward your front door. guaranteed option. That is what is happening to right now and what will However, I am fearful. I am fearful because I expect most race- happen to harness racing very soon. It cannot be taken lightly. tracks in harness racing to look at their lost revenue from the past These new players need to feel comfortable in gambling their two months, look at the lost revenue from on-track handle in the money. They need to be educated on how to properly wager on the coming months and make the determination that pricing increases races and they need to be incentivized to continue to do so. are needed. By that I mean takeout and host fees. When in real- Right now racetracks should have their on-air talent producing ity, that is the opposite of what should be done. This will also put videos from their homes that are essentially “Handicapping 101” a shield over their eyes in terms of all the innovative things they episodes. Harness racing should start with the basics. Explain the should be doing to cater to this new audience. difference between a Standardbred and Thoroughbred. Explain Gamblers have limited options right now and because of that, how are typically more consistent in performance, many have turned their attention to horse racing. But, because of more durable, race mostly every week and thus are not the mystery a blended takeout rate of roughly 20 percent, these new horse play- that Thoroughbreds can often be. Explain the difference between a ers are losing money at a faster rate than they do at a blackjack or trotter and a pacer. Explain the driver vs. the jockey. Then, get into poker table, on a slot machine, or placing bets on sports. Some of the betting, explaining the different wagers available. Encourage them will look at a win/loss statement in the near future from their simple bets to start like Win, Daily Double and Exacta. Talk about ADW and discover they are losing 30 percent of the money they are managing bankroll. Talk about how often favorites win. Go into playing and will quickly abandon racing for other opportunities. handicapping and breakdown the racing program, explaining While I don’t have any numbers to concretely solidify this point, what is actually being shown to the bettors so that it doesn’t look logic dictates that at this very moment there are more new gamblers like hieroglyphics to them. betting on horse racing than at any point of the last 10 years, with All of this should be done so these new players feel comfortable in the exception of the Kentucky Derby. This is a time that we should risking their hard-earned money on racing, and the product needs be incentivizing those players to stick with racing. to be priced properly, so these players are incentivized to remain We are at a point where the only way to wager on horse racing horseplayers. Doing anything less than this will be an immense is through an Advance Deposit Wagering platform. While that opportunity that is lost.

DRF Harness Weekend | 5 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Always B Miki wins Catch Driver “Battle of the Decade” INDUSTRY NEWS By Derick Giwner North America Cup scheduled for August 29 They competed in 4,280 races combined, and in the end, the Battle of the Decade to decide the best male pacer from 2010-to-2019 came down Woodbine Entertainment has announced that the C$1 million to single-digit wins. With a commanding margin of 282-to-231 wins, Pepsi North America Cup for 3-year-old pacers is scheduled for Always B Miki surged past Foiled Again in the leg to Saturday, August 29 at Woodbine Mohawk Park in Milton, Ontario. earn his place as the best of the best. The eliminations will be held the week prior on Saturday, August 22. Originally scheduled for June 20, the 37th Pepsi North Amer- ica Cup was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Woodbine Mohawk Park season was suspended on March 19 and is now set to resume without spectators on Friday, June 5. “Mohawk Park in the fall is always packed full of action and now we are adding our signature event, the Pepsi North America Cup, to the end of the summer schedule which will only add even more excitement heading into the fall stakes season,” said Jim Lawson, CEO, Woodbine Entertainment. Woodbine Entertainment will continue to follow the most updated direction from Government and public health officials as it relates to spectators attending events. For the latest regard- ing fan participation with the 37th Pepsi North America Cup, stay tuned to Woodbine.com/mohawk for updates. -release (Woodbine)

Derick Giwner New dates set for Ohio Sire Stakes Always B Miki is the co-fastest horse in Standardbred history. The Ohio Standardbred Development Fund Commission (OSDFC) has approved revisions to the 3-year-old divisions of the 2020 Ohio Contested over the Catch Driver platform, which is available for down- Sires Stakes schedule. The first legs of the OSS series for 3-year- load in the Google Play and IPhone App Store, 19 of the best male pacers olds - originally scheduled to take place on May 1 and 3 at Miami from the decade were chosen to compete in a series of five races to earn Valley Raceway - were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. entry into the Breeders Crown final leg. Foiled Again entered the Crown The revised schedule is as follows: with a solid advantage for overall honors but ultimately finished with 742 June 12 3-Year-Old Pacing & Trotting Fillies Leg 1 Scioto Downs total wins, seven behind Always B Miki in the top spot. June 13 3-Year-Old Pacing & Trotting Colts Leg 1 Northfield Park Showing how close-knit the competition was, there was a tie for June 26 3-Year-Old Pacing & Trotting Colts Leg 2 Scioto Downs third, with all-time greats Wiggle It Jiggleit and Sweet Lou earning June 27 3-Year-Old Pacing & Trotting Fillies Leg 2 Northfield Park 551 wins each in the series. Rounding out the top nine were: McWicked July 11 3-Year-Old Trotting Colts Leg 3 Scioto Downs (484); Lather Up (431); Captaintreacherous (319); Won The West (262) and Bit OF A Legend N (191). The reminder of the original schedule for sophomores The Breeders Crown accounted for 1,212 total races over two days remained unchanged: and Catch Driver regular Fabio Martinez checked in first with 62 July 4 3-Year-Old Pacing Fillies Leg 3 Scioto Downs wins. The leg-best time was 1:48 4/5, recorded nine times, four each July 10 3-Year-Old Trotting Fillies Leg 3 Northfield Park by Foiled Again and Always B Miki, and once by Sweet Lou. July 18 3-year-Old Pacing Colts Leg 3 Scioto Downs Here are the final stats for the Breeders Crown: For more information on the Ohio Sires Stakes or to download Horse Wins Win % Avg. Post a copy of the revised schedule, please visit http://www.racingo- Always B Miki 282 23.27% 4.8795 hio.net/OSDF.html. -edited release (Kimberly Rinker for OSDF) Foiled Again 231 19.06% 5.0545 McWicked 160 13.20% 4.9876 Undefeated Elver Hanover gets qualifying win Sweet Lou 155 12.79% 5.0322 It was far from an eye-popping victory over a fast-yet-wet surface at Scioto Downs on May 20, but Elver Hanover got the job Wiggle It Jiggleit 136 11.22% 5.0437 done to win his first charted start of the year in a qualifier. The now 3-year-old, who was a perfect 9-for-9 in 2019 while ather p L U 109 8.99% 4.9167 posting a world record 1:48 3/5 win at the Red Mile, came away Captaintreacherous 59 4.87% 5.0050 sixth from post 8. The Ron Burke trainee gained well on the back- stretch, swung wide on the final turn and got up by a head in 1:59 Won The West 43 3.55% 5.0281 for driver Chris Page. Bit Of A Legend N 37 3.05% 5.0528 With live racing finally returning across North America following a two-month hiatus due to COVID-19, the virtual showdown of real- Follow life Standardbreds will take a backseat for many racing enthusiasts, but that doesn’t mean they are gone for good. “I’m excited for the return of live racing, but the players really enjoyed these stakes and I hope we can continue to explore them in the future,” said Farm Ventures founder Ryan Clements.

DRF Harness Weekend | 6 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Friday, May 22, 2020 DRF HARNESS EYE Page 3

SCIOTO SELECTIONS & ANALYSIS By Derick Giwner

FRIDAY MAY 22 - POST TIME 6:30 PM E.D.T. MARY ROSE sat off a good clip and was a sharp-driving-winner on Saturday. She’s BEST BET: LIBBY’S IDEA (Race 7) the class of the field on paper. (1) GYPSY MERLOT got away with a soft half and SPOT PLAY: WITTYVILLE (Race 2) sprinted home nicely in her comeback qualifier. Four-year-old will have to prove herself against more seasoned foes. Race 5: $10,000 Guaranteed Pick 5 (14% Takeout) .50 Pick 5 Ticket: 5,6,7,8 / 3,6 / 8 / 1,4,6 / 2,5,9 = $36 Race 7: NW8000 in last 4 / 20000Clm (Pick 6) Race 1: NW6500 in last 4 / 150000Clm (Pick 4) (8) LIBBY’S IDEA went to the top and never looked back while pretty much unasked in her qualifier. Ron Burke trainee should prove tough in this spot. (4) PRINCESS (4) KISSMYDANCESHOES paced home steadily in her qualifier after chasing slow ROUGAROU made two moves and came up just short versus Rosemary Rose, a top fractions. Looking deeper into her PP lines, she was racing against decent company contender in the Open tonight; upset chance. (3) SATISFASHION qualified reason- from some bad posts at Miami Valley after changing barns and now Kauffman has ably well but might be in too tough versus the top pair. had some time to learn more about her. (3) FOOLISH HEART is up in class but seems sharp enough off her qualifier and hails from the leading barn at the track Race 8: Open Trot last year. I’m not in love with likely favorite (7) DUCK DUCK DRAGON off her driving qualifying win. She could win, but there seems to be better value in the field and (4) WORKINITONBROADWAY worked his way up to the Open level by the end of his certainly other early speed players to her inside. 3-year-old season and visited the winner’s circle. Now 4, he’s returned with a sharp qualifier in fast time and could be ready to pick up his game further. (1) PEGGY SUE Race 2: NW6700 in last 4 / 15000Clm has been a steady performer in these Open races and she did finish up willingly in her qualifier. I’m not sure I love her on the win end, but she has a chance and should at the (1) WITTYVILLE did nothing of note in his return race, but the key is that he showed no very least make the board. (6) WILDFIRE SEELSTER was super-sharp when last seen at signs of a break and finished with trot while in some traffic. Two-year-old Ohio cham- Miami Valley in March and she qualified back nicely. With any decent trip, she’s a player. pion also took a shot on the Grand Circuit scene in 2019 and appears well-spotted to come out swinging for the best barn in the country. (8) OTSEGO is coming off a three- Race 9: NW11000 in last 4 / 30000Clm (Pick 4) week break since his lone qualifier, but I’m sure this top barn will have him ready and there is talent here; post the main issue. (4) ENTRANCED was a solid second behind a (5) SIGNAL HILL never quite lived up to his expectations as a $250,000 yearling monster in the qualifier on Saturday and this veteran has some class. purchase at Lexington, but he had a solid 2019 campaign and was racing reasonably well earlier this year. Muscle Hill-sired gelding qualified back sharply for this race. (9) Race 3: NW3500 in last 4 / 7500Clm (Pick 3) JUST A PASSENGER aired it out and got nailed at the wire in his Saturday qualifier. It’s highly likely he’ll be heading towards the front again and should be respected. (2) BLACK (4) MJ’S REFLECTION finished up her qualifying mile under a hold while never MAMBA AS was just even in her warm-up effort for this race, but don’t discount her too clear in the stretch and might offer some value off that deceptive line. Top driver quickly as she’s more than capable of biding her time and swooping past this field. (6) Brett Miller in the bike is a plus. (1) PARKLANE GLAMOROUS was solid in her VOYAGE TO PARIS had a big year as a sophomore and raced well in his qualifier. warm-up for this race and she looks like the one to beat if you can stomach her poor win rate (9-for-116 career and 2-for-42 since 2019). (2) VIRGINNAIRE was Race 10: NW6700 in last 4 / 15000Clm (Pick 3) used hard in preparation for this and is clearly capable of winning if she behaves. (5) NEVER SAY UNCLE showed plenty of promise in limited starts as a 3-year-old. Race 4: NW6500 in last 4 / 15000Clm I don’t love the three-week break since his last qualifier, but there is talent here and I trust this barn with trotters. (1) TRUMPETS was keeping better company than most (4) WESTERN SECRET A rallied nicely from last with good energy in her qualifier, her of these when last seen in March and her qualifier was good. She’s a viable value first start for this barn. Down Under import could be worth a stab here if the price is play. (4) MANNY L set a lifetime mark with Lasix added in his Saturday qualifier anywhere near double-digits. (2) UP FRONT FLOR IDA has good class that should going out for a new barn. He clearly has a shot to put up a big mile but seems likely play very well in this spot. (7) CRUZIN COCO finished up with some sneaky pace in to be overbet. (8) TUGBOAT TUFFY raced OK from a tough post in the qualifier and her qualifier and there might just be enough early speed in this field to set her up. was racing in the Opens last year as a 3-year-old. Race 5: NW11000 in last 4 / 30000Clm ($10K GTD Pick 5) Race 11: NW3500 in last 4 / 7500Clm This is a good competitive race to start the Pick 5. (6) TIFFANY ROCKS AS met a Here’s a soft group and the opportunity for (1) TELL ME LIKEITIS to take charge few of these back in March and rolled down the road. She comes off a non-descript from pylon position off a decent qualifying line. She was facing better earlier this line but was trapped at the back and not that bad. Don’t be shocked if she if gunning year. (2) SHES GORGEOUS LADY came up flat in the qualifier but should be tighter from the start. (5) LETME FLY LOW displayed her patented big late rally in the quali- off that mile; Miller joins the team. (8) ROCK THE BABY has the early speed to make fier and looks ready for action; big shot. (7) SUGAR DANCE was impeded in her the top and she did dig in to win her qualifier. qualifier so that line doesn’t mean much. She seems like a fit with these on her best. (8) ARRIVAL swung wide off cover and was a sharp winner in the qualifier. She’s in Race 12: NW5000 in last 4 / 10000Clm tough but has a shot. (2) WESTSLUCKYCAM lured Miller off #7. (8) POPPY DRAYTON N is a fresh face to Ohio by way of Yonkers and seems worth a Race 6: Open Handicap F&M Pace stab in a blank field. Down Under mare had no shot in her qualifier but paced home in 27 2/5. (4) UNDER THE HOOD didn’t do much in her first taste against older mares (6) GOLDEN PARADISE was a very impressive two-move winner in her qualifier. but perhaps the extra time on the shelf helped her cause. (1) T C SCANDAL hails from If Tetrick stays aggressive and heads to the front, I like her chances. (3) ROSE- a good barn that should have this gal ready in what looks like a soft spot for the class. Want more full-card analysis? Visit DRF.com/harness

DRF Harness Weekend | 7 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness Did you ever want to know more about the people involved in the harness industry? Editor Derick Giwner combs the harness landscape each week to profile a new personality from the sport.

USTA EXECutive VP MIKE TANNER What kind of car do you drive? I have a black, 2017 Volvo S90 sedan. I’ve enjoyed every one of the nearly 80,000 miles that I’ve put on it. Favorite dinner meal? Snack? I grew up in New Jersey, so anything Italian does the trick for

me. The Veal Parmigiana at Il Villaggio near The Meadowlands USTA Photo is about as good as it gets. As far as snacks go, I try to stay away Mike Tanner joined the USTA as Executive Vice President in from them, often unsuccessfully, but I’ll admit to sharing Gabe October 2008. Prewitt’s and Dave Brower’s addiction to Swedish Fish. What is your favorite track to visit in the U.S.? How often is racing on your mind? Internationally? Constantly. It’s hard to find the “off” switch. I’ll give the nod to the Red Mile during the Grand Circuit. Such What is your favorite thing to do outside of racing? an old-school feel and the sightlines from the grandstand are outstanding. Internationally, it’s hard to beat Solvalla (Sweden). I love just hanging out with my wife, Gail, any and all sports, independent film, live music, and playing season-long fantasy What is your favorite event in racing? baseball. I’m also an inveterate reader, mostly non-fiction and historical biographies or memoirs. People fascinate me. The Little Brown Jug. The history, access, and electricity of the crowds on the fairgrounds make it a unique event that can’t What is your favorite sport to watch? Team? be replicated. And I don’t have to hop on a plane to get there. Bonus points for that! For me, I love watching hockey. As for a team, I’ll stick with my alma mater, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, in any You travel a lot in your position as Executive Vice sport, but especially basketball. President for the United States Trotting Association. How What is the one thing about you most fans/bettors don’t many tracks do you estimate you’ve visited in your life? know? The count is somewhere north of 100, I think. I almost became a clinical psychologist. I had completed two Does the travel wear on you as the year moves along? years of graduate school at Bowling Green, written my master’s thesis, and was seeing clients under supervision at the school’s Not this year, for sure, but if I have two or three business trips student health center when the old Detroit Race Course asked in a row, with only a day or so at home between each leg, that me to be their Publicity Director. I said yes and never looked gets me. The flip side is that I’ve gotten to see so much of the back, although I did later obtain an MBA from Ohio State. United States and parts of the world while enjoying harness rac- ing, and I’ve met an array of wonderful people along the way. It’s What is the one word that describes harness racing for not lost on me that my job has some amazing perks. you? If so, has the time during the COVID-19 shutdown given Tradition. you time to refresh? How did you get started in the sport? No doubt. I’m sleeping and eating better, and exercising on a regular basis. I also binge-watched three seasons of Ozark in My dad was a two-dollar bettor, and when I was a kid in the late less than two weeks. That was a first for me. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

DRF Harness Weekend | 8 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 One of the hot topics is always the issue of free past performances. Is there a feasible solution? 1970s/early 1980s, there were nine tracks within a 90-minute radius of where we lived in South Jersey. I would tag along with him whenever I don’t know, although several tracks – I’m thinking of The Meadow- I was allowed and fell in love with racing. My mother thought it was a lands in particular – already has negotiated agreements with Track- phase. She’s right about most things, but not about that. Master to provide free data and see that as a competitive advantage. Most ADW players already are getting free past performances, and What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten about harness I expect that that trend will grow as more and more handle shifts to racing? those platforms. Tomorrow’s another day. Another talked about topic is a commissioner for the sport. Do you think that having one would help? Is it possible? What was your favorite moment in harness racing? In a perfect world, a top-down structure in which all industry partici- Seeing the first-race-field at Harrah’s Chester (now Harrah’s Phila- pants would cede certain rights for the greater good of the sport would delphia) on Sunday, September 10, 2006 get underway. It was the be a very beneficial thing. That’s a pipe dream, though. Hall of Fame first race in track history and I had been hired a year earlier as the horseman and breeder Alan Leavitt wrote a great piece a few weeks venue’s Director of Racing Operations when there wasn’t even an ago in Harness Racing Update that explained why it will never happen. oval, a grandstand, or a staff. I was part of a great team that worked We’re a federalist nation and the states have powers, and one of those very hard to bring harness racing back to the Delaware Valley, and powers is to oversee and regulate racing. They’re not giving that up. that moment will be etched in my mind forever. The USTA often gets criticized on social media. How Have you owned any horses? Do you own any now? personally do you take those attacks? My wife owned parts of two pacers, Emanence Front and Shooter Not as much as I used to. It comes with the job. McGavin, a few years ago. I was involved in naming them both, so that has to count for something, right? ‘Em’ won 10 races and now If you could have a mulligan from your time in the sport, is retired; Gail keeps him at a farm a few miles from our house and works with him every day. ‘Shooter’ was faster and has raced for what would it be? new connections the past few years in New York and Massachusetts. That’s a great question. I’ll go back to my Harrah’s Chester takeout Neither Gail nor I own any racehorses right now. rates, which were, on average, set way too high. I should have known Do you enjoy handicapping? If so, do you get the chance better. to take a day at times just to be that “Average Joe” in the How has COVID-19 affected you personally? grandstand? It’s hit me psychologically. I’ve known five people that have passed away I love handicapping the races, and used to do it frequently in my from coronavirus complications and at least a dozen others that have younger, unmarried days. I thought I was pretty good, but over time, been afflicted but survived. It’s made me think a lot more about death and my ROI (return on investment) and my bank account proved me my own mortality than ever before. I’m 53, with far fewer years ahead of wrong. Live and learn. I don’t get to do it much, but dressing down me than behind. We have a great team here at the USTA – while I’m still and hanging out with friends in the grandstand while playing the in this chair, I’m asking, what are those things that I can do to help build races is one of life’s great pleasures. That’s how I took in last year’s them up and take the Association in a positive direction? Hambletonian at The Meadowlands. If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what How badly has COVID-19 affected the USTA from a business would it be? standpoint? Tracks and horsemen, and not third parties, would jointly own and Revenue could be down almost a million dollars this year, and we operate a single-entity, breed-specific ADW while collectively hold- furloughed about 20% of our workforce in March. Those of us that ing and managing the rights to the secondary distribution, their remained took pay cuts. The whole industry is hurting and the USTA own video signals. A vertically-integrated structure like that would is no exception, but we’ll be okay. be a game changer. You’ve been at the USTA for quite some time. What projects How do you view the future of harness racing? are you most proud of completing? For decades now, I’ve been reading about the imminent demise of harness racing. I don’t believe that, but I do think that we need to At the top of the list has to be Online Entry and initiating and intro- be cognizant of threats from outside interests and I also believe that ducing what developed into the Standardbred Transition Alliance. there will be consolidation of some sort as dictated by market forces. We also worked hard over the past two years to make the entire USTA Being vigilant and able to adapt is of paramount importance. operation capable of functioning remotely in the case of a disaster or physical emergency. We never imagined that it would be an interna- tional pandemic that would bring about that challenge, but we were If you had one wish in life, what would you wish for? ready for it. Service delivery has continued without interruption. That I could bring everyone along on this ride. Is there anything new on the forefront in the near future? Time for the stretch drive: The development of investigative services to be funded by money Best Horse Ever: Niatross raised by Hanover Shoe Farms’ integrity challenge grant has to be a priority for us right now. It’s a great opportunity for the Best Driver Ever: John Campbell sport and I want to see the USTA help facilitate its growth. I would like to see us expand our online entry platform to include more Lasix – Yes or No? Yes! services, including the creation of a horsemen’s bookkeeping Best race you ever saw: Wiggle It Jiggleit over Lost For Words in function that our members could utilize, and perhaps an inter- the 2015 Little Brown Jug final. face that can process and organize staking payments. There are hurdles to both, both logistical and political, but we’re exploring Trotters of Pacers? I’m a heretic. Pacers. those options. Favorite TV Show?: This Is Us

DRF Harness Weekend | 9 | May 21, 2020 Visit us online at drf.com/harness