P Re S I D E N T 'S
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June, 2004 ✦ Jockey vs. Trainers vs. Owners vs. Breeders P re s i d e n t ’s ✦ Horsemen vs. Racetrack Operators O T B O M e s s a g e...Dennis Heebink ✦ Thoroughbred vs. Standardbred N E W S Wo rt h y ✦ HBPA vs. OTBO We all know too well of the plight of the ✦ All of us vs. Ohio State Racing Commission George Smith and Dr. Wilbur Johnston of horse racing industry in Ohio...shrinking Woodburn Farm have been named TOBA’s State purses, plunging foal crop numbers and It’s everywhere......conflict, distrust and downright hatred. And, these attitudes Owner/Breeder for 2003. They have received devalued horses. Thoroughbred and this award in 1991 and 1994. In 2003 they Standardbred owners, trainers and breeders even exist within our respective groups. I’m not just talking about disagreement. received awards as breeder of Horse of the alike are barely surviving the economic cri- Year/Champion Handicap Horse-Devil Time; sis-and many will not survive for long. Disagreement can be very healthy and ben- eficial. No, I’m talking about non-produc- Breeders of 3-year-old-colt-Cat Singer; The causes are many, the solutions dif- tive, contentious behavior. Broodmare of the Year-Vivid Concert; ficult. Competition for the entertainment Owner/breeders of Accredited Male Champion- dollar, competition for the gambling dollar, Let’s wake up. We need to start building Woodburner; Voted Ohio Champion Owners; inadequate marketing strategies, the prolif- bridges. We need to find common ground Breeders with Bill Ryan of Spoken Fur winner of eration of Account Deposit Wagering, exces- on which we can build coalitions to work the $300,000 Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes & sive racing saturating the market, short towards saving Ohio racing for everyone. Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, etc. fields unattractive to bettors, convoluted We can have our disagreements and we Brad Anderson, Betty Alexander and Tim inequitable racing laws and regulations, can work in civilized ways to resolve them. Hamm were selected as nominees from Ohio to legislative ambivalence, public unaware- But, while we may battle over this issue or be considered as TOBA’s Regional Owner of the ness, etc., etc., etc.. While thoroughbred that one, if we are civilized and work within Year. Previous Regional winners include Judy horsemen rightfully contend that they are the legal and political framework to settle Klosterman and Theresa Obrecht. not getting their fair share of the pie, the our conflicts, we should be able to join fact is the pie keeps getting smaller. together to achieve meaningful results .......John R. Gaines has started Early Season Efforts are underway and progress has been toward improving our economic future. We Income, a new Lexington based company that made on a number of issues. can if we want to, but we won’t as long as will focus on offering early cash flow for stal- lion shareholders and season owners. The pro- ✦ we continue behaving exactly as we have in We are closer than ever to having the peo- the past. gram would allow stallion season holders to ple of Ohio decide the VLT issue that would receive up to 80% of expected season income level the playing field with our border- Different results require upon confirmation of pregnancy without wait- states. Although our legislative efforts fell different behavior. ing the full gestation period to collect on the short by three votes, the Ohio Horse Racing It’s time to build bridges.....bridges season contract. Tom Appleton is co-owner Council is actively planning a campaign to that will reach across the crevices of our and will manager the operation. be on the November 2005 ballot. despair instead of all of us falling into the .......The KTA/KTOB has pledged $100,000 to ✦ The leadership and efforts of the Ohio abyss of total economic failure. become a founding member of the Kentucky HBPA have resulted in positive agreements Equine Education Project (KEEP). This is a for increased purse contribution from Midwest Regional grassroots group formed to educate the state Account Deposit Wagering. legislators and public of Kentucky on the ✦ Further, Ohio HBPA efforts continue to Fall Mix Sale importance of the horse industry. During a bring pressure on our Standardbred town hall meeting of about 600 people in May, brethren to agree to rectify the financial Sponsored by the OTBO KEEP announced its’ membership structure inequities inherent in the existing law. and plans to raise $1.5 million by the end of the Saturday, October 2, 2004 year. ✦ And, pressure is being put on the Ohio State Racing Commission to address many River Downs 1:00 PM .......Ohio Woman Gets Consolation issues that are impacting our industry. Consignor forms to be Payday.....Nan Sako of Parma, Ohio won the But, forces working against us out- $25,000 consolation prize by picking the first weigh the positive impact of our progress. mailed end of June five finishers in the "Kentucky Derby $5 million The forces I speak of are those brought upon Pay Day". None of the 250,000 players picked us by ourselves. ENTRY DEADLINE the exact order of finish for the 18 Derby July 26, 2004 starters in the gate. Sako selected her horses by There is an old adage that the definition watching NBC’s racing coverage and reading of stupid is to keep doing the same things the Cleveland Plain Dealer and advice from the same way and expect different results. Did You Know.....States with the family members. She will use the money to For as long as I have been involved in the largest percentage increases in purse help pay for her son’s wedding and maybe a Ohio horse racing business, I’ve witnessed a money in 2003 were those with tracks vacation. The number of contestant’s good example of this definition in the way featuring expanded gaming options, increased 45% from last year’s 172,000 entries. the various groups within the industry 21 players selected the first four finishers, and behave towards each other. namely New Mexico (+29.3%) and Louisiana (+18.4%). 486 picked the first three in order correctly. VLT Update tion, the fund will not contribute any The Ohio House of Representatives, money for equine research at The Ohio State Ohio Bre d o u t defeated a proposal to allow video lottery University this year. After approving the terminals at the state's seven racetracks spending reductions, Chairman Scott of State Wi n n e r s with the State’s portion going to education. Borgemenke said they were necessary but I t was defeated in the House in the early regrettable, and that an examination of the (as of 6/12/2004-$6,000 & over) morning of May 27. The measure, in the Ohio Standardbred Development Fund bud- Anna Em (f, 3yo), Our Emblem - Aunt form of a constitutional amendment, need- get, revenue and expenditures may appear Ginger by Fred Astaire. B - Rocking H Farm, ed a three-fifths majority in both chambers on the agenda of the next racing commis- Inc. Mountaineer Park, 4/20/2004, alwc, to be placed on the November 2004 ballot. sion meeting. $14,500, 6 f, 1:10.86. The House, with a vote of 57-40, fell three votes shy. Here’s how your representatives Advanced Wagering Anna Em (f, 3yo), Our Emblem - Aunt voted. Ginger by Fred Astaire. B -Rocking H Farm, Platform Committee Inc.Churchill Downs, 5/15/2004, stks, FOR: 57 Representatives: (R) Aslanides, Chairman Scott Borgemenke moved to $69,626, (Open Mind Stakes) 5 f, 0:57.22. Blasdel, Brinkman, Callender, Carmichael, form an Advanced Wagering Platform Cates, Clancy, Collier, Combs, Daniels, D. Committee to be chaired by Commissioner Heavenly Powder (f, 3yo), Halo's Image - Evans, Faber, Flowers, Gibbs, Hollister, Tom Zaino. Other members to be appointed Gabe's Kaboom by Time To Explode. B - Hoops, Husted, Kearns, Kilbane, Martin, will be Commissioner Norm Barron, Dr. John George Smith & Dr. Wil Johnston. Niehaus, Olman, T. Patton, Peterson, Raga, Mossbarger (OHHA), Ed Ryan (Scioto Gulfstream, 4/23/2004, clmg, $11,400, 6 f, Raussen, Reinhard, Schmidt, Schneider, Downs), Bob Reeves (HBPA), Greg Davis 1:05.12. Seitz, G. Smith, J. Stewart, Trakas, Walcher, (TDN) and Bill Crawford, to serve as an Chuckie's In Love (c, 4yo), El Prado (IRE) - Webster, Widener, Willamowski, Wolpert & Advisor. Crusie by Country Light. B - Langsem Farm. Householder. (D) Allan, Barrett, Book, Chairman Borgemenke stated a Rules Lone Star, 4/24/2004, alwc, $18,000, 8 f, Carano, Chandler, Distel, Driehaus, Hartnett, 1:40.62. ($1,000, yrlg, 2001, keesep) Harwood, Miller, Otterman, Redfern, Seaver, Committee will also be formed to look at the Sferra, D. Stewart, Wilson & Yates. Administrative rules for thoroughbred and She Canget (f, 4yo), Covered Wagon -Lexy's standardbred. Lady by Northern Dancer. B-Double D Farm AGAINST: 40 Representatives: (R) Mountaineer, 4/24/04, clmg, $6,090 6 f, Buehrer, Calvert, Core, DeWine, C. Evans, HBPA News............. 1:14.27. ($6,000, 2yo, 2002, obsjun) Fessler, Gilb, Grendell, Hagan, Latta, ADW New Format McGregor, Oelslager, Reidelbach, Schaffer, Bernard's Candy (c, 5yo), Candy Stripes - Schlichter, Slaby, Taylor, Wagner, White, Bob Reeves, chairman of the HBPA’s Richen by Well Decorated. B-Bruce Widowfield & Young.(D) Beatty, Boccieri, Purses & Wagering Committee reported that Tallisman. Calder Race Course, 5/2/2004, Brown, DeBose, DeGeeter, Domerick, Jerse, the Ohio HBPA and the state’s three thor- alwc, $16,200, 6 f, 1:10.34. Key, Koziura, Mason, S. Patton, Perry, Price, oughbred tracks have reached agreement Printer's Princess (f, 5yo), Pembroke - Skindell, S.