It’s January 2 and Suffolk Downs, along with Massachusetts’ three other racetracks, is open today for simulcasting, thanks to a 90-day extension of existing simulcasting law that was passed by the state legislature only two days before the previous law was set to expire. To secure the bill, which had been held up throughout December because of a disagreement over expanding simulcasting, the House agreed to debate and vote on a slots bill that was passed by the Senate last fall in March. House speaker Sal DiMasi is already saying though that the expanded simulcasting dispute must be resolved before the slots issue can be taken up again. Expect more foot dragging on the matter as March draws near.
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In New York, NYRA narrowly averted bankruptcy by accepting a $30 million bailout from the state. Alan at Left at the Gate has been following the story closely and has all the details of the deal.
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Bay Meadows days are numbered:
Opponents of a plan to demolish the historic Bay Meadows racetrack to make way for homes, stores and offices failed to get enough valid signatures to place the issue before voters in the June election, San Mateo city officials said Wednesday.
The signature-gathering effort fell 136 names short of the 4,661 valid signatures needed to get the issue placed on the ballot. More than 1,100 of the 5,700 signatures that had been gathered on the petition were invalidated by the San Mateo County Registrar of Voters, which requires that signers be registered voters in the county.
Owners of the site said they plan to immediately move forward with the redevelopment project, which will convert the 83-acre racetrack into a community with 1,250 homes, 1.25 million square feet of office space, 15 acres of parkland, and 150,000 square feet of stores and restaurants.
Racetrack supporters say they’re not giving up. “We’re not finished yet,” said Linda Schinkel, founder of Friends of Bay Meadows.
Posted by JC in State Issues on 01/02/2006 @ 8:30 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
The final 2005 standings ….
2YO Filly:
Folklore (450)
Wild Fit (320)
Adieu (250)
2YO Colt:
Henny Hughes (370)*
First Samurai (360)
Stevie Wonderboy (295)
3YO Filly:
In the Gold (537.5)
Summerly (365)
Memorette (338.75)*
3YO Colt:
Flower Alley (578.75)
Sun King (417.5)
Silver Train (380)
Older Horse:
Saint Liam (715)
Borrego (490)
Sir Shackleton (375)
Sprint:
Taste of Paradise (425)
Silver Train (380)
Lost in the Fog (377.5)
Turf:
Artie Schiller (480)
Sweet Return (445)
Better Talk Now (375)
Filly & Mare:
Ashado (560)
Island Fashion (497.5)
Society Selection (475)
Filly & Mare Turf:
Intercontinental (480)
Megahertz (420)
Angara (412.5)
Explanation of standings
*No Grade 1 wins
Posted by JC in The Sport on 12/31/2005 @ 12:00 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
– Happy holidays, everyone, and best wishes for the new year. Railbird is on semi-hiatus through January 2.
– Santa Anita opened on Monday with a crowd of nearly 35,000. “It’s wonderful,” said Rick Hammerle, Santa Anita’s racing secretary. “It’s almost like the old days when we didn’t have the Hollywood fall meet, and we went straight [from the Oak Tree meet] to here. People are just glad to be back.” Cal-bred longshot Proud Tower Too won the Malibu over favorite Attila’s Storm. Thor’s Echo was third; Wilko finished a distant eleventh, bringing his losing streak to seven since his upset win in the 2004 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
– Michael Blowen, founder of racehorse retirement haven Old Friends Farm, “is a real, legitimate do-gooder.”
– Trainer Tim Ritchey gears up for winter with 35 horses at Oaklawn and another 15 at Gulfstream, including four promising juveniles.
– “A year ago, Greater Good was billed as one of Oaklawn Park’s ‘Big Three’ Kentucky Derby hopefuls. Today, Greater Good is simply trying to rebuild his once promising career.”
– It’s Eclipse balloting time: Dave Litfin, Ed McNamara, and Paul Daley reveal their votes.
Posted by JC in News on 12/27/2005 @ 6:30 am / Follow @railbird on Twitter
