JC / Railbird

NY Racing Issues Archive

That’s Not Pigeon Shit

You’ll see in this mendacious ad produced for Capital Play, one of the New York racing franchise bidders and the group that pushed the story of the $1.6 billion IRS claims against NYRA. It’s Capital Play’s lobbying strategy:

I’m not such a naïf to be shocked that an organization bidding for a franchise worth billions would wallow in muck, but I am appalled that one would be so desperate it would throw away all credibility by resorting to such brazen untruths and hoary clichés its advertising is almost a parody of a smear campaign.
[Hat tip to Bennett Liebman’s Racing and Gaming Today.]
More: The Thoroughbred Times reports on the 30-second spot and where it’s airing around the state, mentions that a franchise announcement could come before Thanksgiving.

Posted in NY Racing Issues on November 14, 2007

Dire Predictions

Should IRS claims that NYRA owes $1.6 billion in back taxes prevail, Paul Moran sees a grim future for racing:

The IRS asserts that NYRA owes taxes on gross handle, not takeout, a claim that could have (seriously) devastating consequences not only for NYRA, but racetracks across the country. More over on Left at the Gate.

Posted in NY Racing Issues on November 2, 2007

NYRA Gate Crew Changes

NYRA named a new starter and announced semi-retired starter Bob Duncan is coming back in an expanded consultant role in a press release issued today:

The New York Racing Association today announced the promotion of Roy Williamson to the position of starter, replacing Richard Brosseau, who will begin retirement after 31 years with the NYRA starting gate crew. Brosseau was NYRA’s starter for the last four years. Williamson joined NYRA in 1985 as an assistant starter.

In addition, Bob Duncan, NYRA’s starter from 1970 to 2004, has agreed to expand his consultant role for NYRA. Duncan, a consultant in starting gate operations to tracks around the world, conducts gate schooling at Saratoga’s Oklahoma Training Track from April through October. Starting immediately and extending through the Belmont Fall Championship meet (September 7 – October 31), Duncan will be responsible for a comprehensive review of all starting gate protocols and procedures.

The shakeup is surely a reaction to the recent spate of gate incidents that have resulted in more than $1.6 million of handle lost to refunded wagers and vociferous complaints from horseplayers, jockeys, and owners.

More from DRF: “We’ve had several meetings with the jockeys, trainers, and racing officials regarding the gate situation over the last couple of weeks,” NYRA president Charlie Hayward said. “We have gotten away from some of the procedures and protocols that had worked successfully in the past and we feel with the promotion of Roy and the availability of Bobby that we will be able to put most of these problems behind us.”

Posted in NY Racing Issues on August 20, 2007

Enough!

Yesterday’s gate mishap/bad break that resulted in the stewards declaring Phantom Income a non-starter in the Adirondack Stakes rankled deeply, especially since it was yet another in a string of gate incident near-disasters that have marred Spa racing this summer, and reactions have been strong in its wake. On Left at the Gate, one reader asks of the gate crew:

Are they bonded? Do they undergo background checks? Are they prohibited from wagering? Do they carry cell phones when on the job? Are they drug and alchohol tested? Are records kept of which starter is in the gate with which horse? Are they disciplined when they screw up?

Lowell Sun turf writer Paul Daley vents on the Derby List:

Though the money bet on her was refunded, it begs the question of what NYRA is doing about this egregious problem. From a money standpoint, NYRA has refunded substantial sums during the first half of the meet on declared non-starters. It could and should have been much more, as a few other races were allowed to stand as is, involving longshots rather than favorites. Is there a double standard here? Also, in at least two of the affected races, loose horses impeded several others in the field, which should have led the stewards to declare the races “no contest” … I have been an advocate of NYRA retaining the franchise to run New York racing. But, if heads don’t roll on these gate incidents, then I say sayonara to NYRA.

Commenting on the Crist Blog, Phantom Income co-owner William Lawrence is no less frustrated:

With such good fortune I hesitate to complain but NYRA has to get this right! Has any one apologized? No. Just another bad deal for the owners and the bettors as well as costing NYRA more money from more refunds … I drove home yesterday feeling like Tim Donaghy reffed the Adirondack.

No statement from NYRA regarding the Adirondack. But after Phone Home was declared a non-starter on August 6, NYRA’s manager of racing operations, Bruce Johnstone, told the Daily Racing Form that the crew lacked experience:

“We had a lot of people retire,” Johnstone said. “We have a handful of older guys and a lot of younger men. Any gate crew is slow to mature. The learning curve could be five to seven years when they’re doing it repeatedly and you don’t have to think about it.”

I doubt players or owners are interested in waiting five years for the gate crew to get its act together. NYRA must address the problems now, and do so in a way that inspires trust and assures integrity, not allusions to an unfolding sports betting scandal.

Posted in NY Racing Issues on August 16, 2007