It's crunch time in New York

[TJ]

This is true Spitzer genius. It's the same genius that made General Custer say, "Over that hill, men - I think they're friendly Indians!"

http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/nation ... board.aspx

What does this appointee (Steve Newman) know about racing or running a racetrack? He was an assistant in NYC's Comptroller's office under the Alan Hevesi regime. Here's an old article concerning him:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A962958260



What happened to Alan Hevesi while Steve Newman worked for him? Hevesi plead guilty to fraud and resigned to avoid going to the can!

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/22/nyreg ... yt&emc=rss

Great, huh?

Hey Roke,
Just more political power plays, it's Bruno and Spitzer going at it. Stone was Bruno's cohort, so Spitzer put his man in her place because the position she held was voted the power to deal with NYRA solely. It has nothing to do with racing knowledge, none of the people on the oversight committee have a racing clue. She also wasn't prepared to put anyone else in power if NYRA turns down the deal for the short extension (which they must--unless they get a handshake deal in the interim). This move, by Spitzer, may just prevent a prolonged shut down of racing and limit it to a few days until they can iron this out. A firm deal needs to be in place before the 27th. Spitzer does not want the bankruptcy court to let NYRA out of bankruptcy via NYRA's other plan. That is borrowing the money they need to get out of the bankruptcy court using the land as collateral. They all ready have an agreement with a lender willing to lend NYRA the money. The lender is sure NYRA owns the land or they wouldn't be lending NYRA the money. TJ

[Rokeby Forever]

Hey TJ,

You might be right, but who knows? In the meanwhile, look at the bozo that Elliot Spitzer selected to run the NY Oversight Committee. It's a joke!

"Newman, 65, has never attended a horse race, though he recalled riding his bike through Belmont as a child. “I was told in some ways that wasn’t so bad…I have no biases to this and lot of contract, fiscal, and negotiating experience,’’ he said of his lack of experience in the horse industry.

Newman has been an adjunct professor at New York University teaching a course in government contracting and privatization. He is the chief fiscal officer of Medical and Health Research Association, a public health organization with a $210 million budget."

From: http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42856

This guy has NEVER been to a racetrack, for Pete's sake!

[TJ]

Hey TJ,

You might be right, but who knows? In the meanwhile, look at the bozo that Elliot Spitzer selected to run the NY Oversight Committee. It's a joke!

"Newman, 65, has never attended a horse race, though he recalled riding his bike through Belmont as a child. “I was told in some ways that wasn’t so bad…I have no biases to this and lot of contract, fiscal, and negotiating experience,’’ he said of his lack of experience in the horse industry.

Newman has been an adjunct professor at New York University teaching a course in government contracting and privatization. He is the chief fiscal officer of Medical and Health Research Association, a public health organization with a $210 million budget."

From: http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42856

This guy has NEVER been to a racetrack, for Pete's sake!

Roke, he's getting old he was riding his bike through Belmont Lake State Park, he just thought it was Belmont Race Track :>)

[Rokeby Forever]

Roke, he's getting old he was riding his bike through Belmont Lake State Park, he just thought it was Belmont Race Track :>)

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! That cracked me up, TJ!

[Rokeby Forever]

The bankruptcy hearing has been postponed 2 weeks while a last minute franchise deal meeting is scheduled for today. Don't expect good news to come from the meeting today.

Cut and paste this entire 3 line link - it's huge (I cut it up for space here).

http://www.saratogian.com/WebApp/appman ... BigDaily?_
nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FTST%2FHome
&r21.content=%2FTST%2FHome%2FFeaturedArticle_Story_1327258

[Rokeby Forever]

As expected, the State legislature got nothing done, but NYRA bought itself three weeks, so at least a shutdown won't happen on January 1st

http://thoroughbredtimes.com/national-n ... ry-23.aspx

[Rokeby Forever]

STOP THE PRESSES!!!!!

We might be seeing a shutdown after all: Will the State allow NYRA to continue control with supervision?

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42917

[bdw0617]

can someone break that article down to me in laymens terms?

[Rokeby Forever]

can someone break that article down to me in laymens terms?

An oversight committee was created to supervise the NYRA, at least through this interim period until something is finally concluded. Since the oversight committee has been appointed by the state, it doesn't need licensing...and since it's ultimately in charge, the NYRA license was denied.

I think it's a matter of what the NYRA does now, before the January 1 deadline. I'm sure that the NYRA's reply will be coming on Monday. TJ has his ear pressed to the wall, and I wish he'd chime in with his thoughts, but to me, it's a hard read. Elliot Spitzer appointed some bozo from the corrupt Hevesi administration (Hevesi pled guilty to fraud charges) to run the oversight, but maybe it's a guy that the NYRA doesn't mind working with. One thing can be said about this mess, though - the best interests of the horsemen and racing are FAR on the back burner. There's not a single word about surface maintenance, backstretch repairs, track renovations...nothing. The only concern is who operates racing - and the NYRA has been an abysmal, corrupt, bankrupt failure.

[bdw0617]

I would think the care of backstretch people should always be important, they are the backbone of racing.

also doing someting about thoose tracks, at least at aqueduct should be done.

so basically the NYRA wanted to get a temp license but it isn't necessary because the oversight committe is going to do with the NYRA was going to be doing anyway?

[Rokeby Forever]

The NYRA wanted to continue to have full control without oversight, but since nothing was resolved at the last Senate hearing, a committee was created to oversee racing operations with the NYRA still in control until the January 9th Senate hearing (the next one scheduled). From what I understood, that was agreed to by all parties. But now that the NYRA has been denied a temporary license, it's forced into oversight as long as a committee exists - the NYRA still has the property, but no license to operate anything. I don't know what that means. Any thoughts, TJ?

[Rokeby Forever]

Yet another day of political bickering and nothing getting done. Do you see the argument, "What's best for the horsemen," being made by anyone?

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42971

[Rokeby Forever]

Just look at this - in Spitzer's State of the State address yesterday, he didn't mention a single word about racing - not ONE! A billion Dollar industry to NY that employs thousands of people and is stuck in bankruptcy court with tons of issues not resolved isn't worth mentioning?

http://thoroughbredtimes.com/national-n ... chise.aspx

Elliot Spitzer should be shot on sight. I wouldn't take any chances....if I saw a guy that even looks like Spitzer, I'd shoot him just to make sure Spitzer doesn't get away!

[Toccet02]

careful RF--
those words amount to terrorism these days, and folks are watching/reading/listening/

[Rokeby Forever]

Toccet - if I shot Spitzer, I'd be a hero. He's the WORST Governor that NY ever had.

And now this little tidbit - NY is still blacked out on HRTV. What the (expletive) is going on in NY???
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=43069