The Massachusetts slots bill isn’t fading away. Never mind that House speaker Sal DiMasi said earlier this week, fairly unequivocally, that lawmakers wouldn’t be dealing with the measure passed by the Senate in October during this legislative session, which ends on November 18. House dean David Flynn is pushing for debate and a vote anyway. “This isn’t like I’m going behind the back of the speaker,” said Flynn. “Let’s take our chances and have an open debate and let it fall where it may, win or lose … If the speaker’s against this, that’s his business, let him vote no.” Slots supporters estimate 92 to 96 House members would vote yes on the bill if given a chance.
Posted by JC in State Issues on 11/09/2005 @ 6:30 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
Fresh off her third place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, Ashado sold for a record-setting $9 million at Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale this afternoon. The bidding came down to the two usual suspects, Coolmore and Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum of Dubai (through his agent John Ferguson), with the sheikh winning out. “It’s very unusual to come across a mare with such an outstanding race record with such quality. She’s an absolute queen,” said Ferguson afterwards. “Sheikh Mohammed is especially keen to assemble an outstanding broodmare band in the United States. And, she’d fit into the paddock with the best of them.”
Posted by JC in Breeders/Breeding on 11/07/2005 @ 8:30 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
A deadly tornado swept through parts of Indiana and Kentucky early Sunday, hitting Ellis Park, where it killed three horses, injured a couple of backstretch workers, and damaged the track’s stable area and grandstand. The track was closed, but nearly 160 horses were still on the grounds. Trainer Larry Jones, who arrived on the scene shortly after the storm, told the Courier-Journal that, “It’s wiped out a lot of people’s lives as they know it.” He might have been thinking of trainer Fred Nelson, seen standing outside his flattened barn in this photo.
Posted by JC in News on 11/07/2005 @ 8:25 pm / Follow @railbird on Twitter
