well.. it's the middle of NOvember and as far away from a resolution as we were in april.
The gov recommends NYRA. NO one wants NYRA. There are smear campaigns going on TV and in the news paper and even by the IRS to smear the NYRA, but the gov just will not stop playin that record. the NYRA must have something on him to keep getting his vote of confidence.
capital play is the ovbious choice, but even with that said, when it's as ovbious as day to most people, the gov still wants to split the three tracks to three different groups.
All this, with the backdrop being that if it isn't taken care of by the first, racing can literarly shut down. And sadly enough, they will make more money NOT racing than racing!
so what is one to do? what if you are a trainer in NY right now? what if you have a good 2YO NY bred that, take a horse like Big Truck who is this year's version of Funny Cide.. okay he's not THAT good but he's very talented, and if there are no NY races, you can't run in a nY bred race! that defeats the whole purpose of a state breeding program...it is usually pretty efficent when you actually run races in your state.
What if you are a trainer with a small stable and you have to make the gamble on to stay or what?
this isn't good. at all. it's not like racing is a poster child for business economics 101.
It's crunch time in New York
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bdw0617
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It's crunch time in New York
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Rokeby Forever
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My trainer (and others) are SCARED STIFF about the situation. If a racing franchise owner isn't named by 1/1, the tracks fall into the bankruptcy courts and close down until it's resolved through the "system" - which could take forever.
Many NY horsemen have already jumped ship - going to Philly Park, training facilities in New Jersey, anywhere they can find without taking stock to Florida. The big stables go to Florida and it won't affect them, but the little guys are caught in the middle.
Joe Bruno (the State Senate leader) won't accept anything that Elliot Spitzer approves - Bruno is out to get Spitzer thrown out of office, which might be a possibility - one of Spitzer's top aides was just charged with perjury in the Travelgate scandal and other Spitzer aides are likely to turn on him to save their own skins.
A disaster will ensue...count on it. The politicians are involved, which means NOTHING good will come out of this.
Many NY horsemen have already jumped ship - going to Philly Park, training facilities in New Jersey, anywhere they can find without taking stock to Florida. The big stables go to Florida and it won't affect them, but the little guys are caught in the middle.
Joe Bruno (the State Senate leader) won't accept anything that Elliot Spitzer approves - Bruno is out to get Spitzer thrown out of office, which might be a possibility - one of Spitzer's top aides was just charged with perjury in the Travelgate scandal and other Spitzer aides are likely to turn on him to save their own skins.
A disaster will ensue...count on it. The politicians are involved, which means NOTHING good will come out of this.
What synthetics are to California racing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gb0mxcpPOU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gb0mxcpPOU
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bdw0617
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If a racing franchise owner isn't named by 1/1, the tracks fall into the bankruptcy courts and close down until it's resolved through the "system" - which could take forever.
this I don't really understand. What does who running the tracks have to do with BK? either way they are still in BK.
Joe Bruno (the State Senate leader) won't accept anything that Elliot Spitzer approves
if that is the case, he could very well find himself thrown out of office for not representing the taxpayers dollars. Taxation witout representation is unfawful and is one of the sole reasons america threw a little tea party over 300 years ago. You can't hold a public office and use the public office, with all the millions of dollars being paid in tax payers dollars, alot of which coming from the horse racing industry to not only not act in the best interest of horse racing in new york, but to not act AT ALL just to get a guy out of office
Travelgate scandal
what's this?
A disaster will ensue...count on it. The politicians are involved, which means NOTHING good will come out of this.
so answer me this Roke.. I think you own a horse in training in NY am I correct? As an owner what are YOU going to do?
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Rokeby Forever
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Yes, I race in NY in partnership. The problem is that NY Breds (my interest) have no place to go, except to run in open company somewhere else...which defeats the purpose of owning NY Breds. It's a nightmare!
Here's the story:
When Elliot Spitzer (a Dem) was elected Governor, he and Joe Bruno (a Rep and head of the State Senate) went to war over everything in the state. In an attempt to smear Joe Bruno and get him out of the way, Spitzer had state troopers follow Joe Bruno around - they caught Bruno taking a state helicopter and he was immediately accused of using it for personal pleasure...but it turned out that Bruno was using it to go to a state meeting. Spitzer abused his power of office by having Bruno followed around, and the situation is now called "Travelgate." Several Spitzer aides that testified said that they knew nothing about this and neither did Spitzer, but they have all been charged with purjury and are rolling on Spitzer.
Here's Spitzer's current situation in NY - Joe Bruno smells blood and wants him booted from office - to get Joe Bruno off the front pages, Spitzer started the illegal alien driver's license proposal, which has become a total disaster for Spitzer:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142007/po ... 315131.htm
Unless the State Senate approves anyone named by Spitzer to control racing by 12/31, the tracks will fall into bankruptcy court. Bruno will make sure that the NYRA (Spitzer's choice) will never get control, so the tracks going into the courts is inevitable. NYRA is currently suing NY state saying that they own the properties - NYRA agreed to drop the suit and turn the land over to the state if it retained control of racing...since they haven't been awarded control, they're the landowners of the tracks until the suit is settled. But - since they're in bankruptcy, the tracks are seizable assets. The lawsuit over track ownership is bogus and it was created as a delay ploy for NYRA to retain control, but the courts could take forever to decide the suit, in which case, NYRA stays by default.
The NYRA is in bankruptcy court right now, and as landowners of the racetrack properties, unless someone else controls the tracks by 1/1, the bankruptcy courts will seize the racetrack properties. Several things can then happen, but while the courts make a decision as to the properties, they'll sit in limbo - and shut down unless the courts order an injunction for them to stay open. But if that happens, NYRA, as owner, is in bankruptcy - nobody at the track will get paid, so a shutdown would occur, anyway.
This could have been avoided last year when bids were originally accepted for racing and casino control bundled into one. Spitzer, after the bids were made, decided to null them and split the franchise control (racing and casinos would be operated by different owners) and the process was started over and has been a fiasco...one of the casino bidders is financed by real estate developers and the worry is that if they get the award, they'll turn Aqueduct into a housing complex...it's not likely that they'll get the bid, but they're in Spitzer's pocket and Joe Bruno is determined to not have them win the bid.
That's basically the situation - it's worse than a disaster, and NY racing might very well be sailing on The Titanic right now. More to follow.....
Here's the story:
When Elliot Spitzer (a Dem) was elected Governor, he and Joe Bruno (a Rep and head of the State Senate) went to war over everything in the state. In an attempt to smear Joe Bruno and get him out of the way, Spitzer had state troopers follow Joe Bruno around - they caught Bruno taking a state helicopter and he was immediately accused of using it for personal pleasure...but it turned out that Bruno was using it to go to a state meeting. Spitzer abused his power of office by having Bruno followed around, and the situation is now called "Travelgate." Several Spitzer aides that testified said that they knew nothing about this and neither did Spitzer, but they have all been charged with purjury and are rolling on Spitzer.
Here's Spitzer's current situation in NY - Joe Bruno smells blood and wants him booted from office - to get Joe Bruno off the front pages, Spitzer started the illegal alien driver's license proposal, which has become a total disaster for Spitzer:
http://www.nypost.com/seven/11142007/po ... 315131.htm
Unless the State Senate approves anyone named by Spitzer to control racing by 12/31, the tracks will fall into bankruptcy court. Bruno will make sure that the NYRA (Spitzer's choice) will never get control, so the tracks going into the courts is inevitable. NYRA is currently suing NY state saying that they own the properties - NYRA agreed to drop the suit and turn the land over to the state if it retained control of racing...since they haven't been awarded control, they're the landowners of the tracks until the suit is settled. But - since they're in bankruptcy, the tracks are seizable assets. The lawsuit over track ownership is bogus and it was created as a delay ploy for NYRA to retain control, but the courts could take forever to decide the suit, in which case, NYRA stays by default.
The NYRA is in bankruptcy court right now, and as landowners of the racetrack properties, unless someone else controls the tracks by 1/1, the bankruptcy courts will seize the racetrack properties. Several things can then happen, but while the courts make a decision as to the properties, they'll sit in limbo - and shut down unless the courts order an injunction for them to stay open. But if that happens, NYRA, as owner, is in bankruptcy - nobody at the track will get paid, so a shutdown would occur, anyway.
This could have been avoided last year when bids were originally accepted for racing and casino control bundled into one. Spitzer, after the bids were made, decided to null them and split the franchise control (racing and casinos would be operated by different owners) and the process was started over and has been a fiasco...one of the casino bidders is financed by real estate developers and the worry is that if they get the award, they'll turn Aqueduct into a housing complex...it's not likely that they'll get the bid, but they're in Spitzer's pocket and Joe Bruno is determined to not have them win the bid.
That's basically the situation - it's worse than a disaster, and NY racing might very well be sailing on The Titanic right now. More to follow.....
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bdw0617
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1. TVG has to be pooping in their pants... if NYRA goes down, you might as well put a fork in TVG
2. I think short term it could be a nightmare, it will be a nightmare, but longer term, within 4-5 years longer term, closing down one entier circult might be just what the doctor ordered for horse racing in this country as a whole. Talent will be dispursed across the country adding more depth, fuller cards, less race dates, less money being played.. right now 85% of all money comes from ADW's (off track), racing as a whole will not be that much effected, Ijust have one less wagering option on my TVG account, assuming TVG is still in business. I don't like it but it's an alternate theory on things.
3. what would happen to the belmont! can you imagine the black eye if War Pass wins the kentucky derby by 5, the Preakness by 6 lengths, and can't win the triple crown because HORSE RACING IN NEW YORK HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN beause of this crap? talk about backlash. the one time of te year we get the front stage we yank it out from our selves
4. If this happens, I think Presque Isle downs will be hands down the biggtest winner. they will have stout racing next year, it could be the homeflag track of the north east before it's all said and done
5. what will happen to the STALLIONS? what about the stud farms? Where are the Frueds of the world goign to go? they aren't kentucky stallions. I think it would be prudent for a place like presque isle to write a coule of races for NY breds (if you can do that) to attract horses like yours
6. All in all, if this does happen like people fear, suffer though it, move on, move out...AND NEVER LOOK BACK. if this happens, new york doesnt' deserve the privlage of having the best racing in the country bestowed on it. It can be like me here in arkansas, with really only 1 month of live racing a year.. shoot give them finger lakes and call it a day if that. But in all seriousness, if they loose it, once the owners moved on, one the trainers and jockies moved on, don't look back. Go to florida. Go to southern Cal. Go to kentucky. These people and goverments apprciate horse racing (at least to some extent). horse racing is not struggling to the point where they need to beg anyone to have racing. there are too many other options for this shit to happen. you can show tem better than you can tell them. Tell them by leaving
2. I think short term it could be a nightmare, it will be a nightmare, but longer term, within 4-5 years longer term, closing down one entier circult might be just what the doctor ordered for horse racing in this country as a whole. Talent will be dispursed across the country adding more depth, fuller cards, less race dates, less money being played.. right now 85% of all money comes from ADW's (off track), racing as a whole will not be that much effected, Ijust have one less wagering option on my TVG account, assuming TVG is still in business. I don't like it but it's an alternate theory on things.
3. what would happen to the belmont! can you imagine the black eye if War Pass wins the kentucky derby by 5, the Preakness by 6 lengths, and can't win the triple crown because HORSE RACING IN NEW YORK HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN beause of this crap? talk about backlash. the one time of te year we get the front stage we yank it out from our selves
4. If this happens, I think Presque Isle downs will be hands down the biggtest winner. they will have stout racing next year, it could be the homeflag track of the north east before it's all said and done
5. what will happen to the STALLIONS? what about the stud farms? Where are the Frueds of the world goign to go? they aren't kentucky stallions. I think it would be prudent for a place like presque isle to write a coule of races for NY breds (if you can do that) to attract horses like yours
6. All in all, if this does happen like people fear, suffer though it, move on, move out...AND NEVER LOOK BACK. if this happens, new york doesnt' deserve the privlage of having the best racing in the country bestowed on it. It can be like me here in arkansas, with really only 1 month of live racing a year.. shoot give them finger lakes and call it a day if that. But in all seriousness, if they loose it, once the owners moved on, one the trainers and jockies moved on, don't look back. Go to florida. Go to southern Cal. Go to kentucky. These people and goverments apprciate horse racing (at least to some extent). horse racing is not struggling to the point where they need to beg anyone to have racing. there are too many other options for this shit to happen. you can show tem better than you can tell them. Tell them by leaving
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yukidragon
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Rokeby Forever
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bdw0617 wrote:5. what will happen to the STALLIONS? what about the stud farms? Where are the Frueds of the world goign to go? they aren't kentucky stallions. I think it would be prudent for a place like presque isle to write a coule of races for NY breds (if you can do that) to attract horses like yours
I can tell you that the NYRA situation has DEFINITELY hurt the bookings to NY stallions this fall - until this mess is resolved, nobody is crazy about breeding in NY because the entire NY Bred program is in jeopardy. Nobody knows what kinds of purses will be sustained with this mess.
Wanna know what kind of dire straits NY racing is currently in? Last week, Aqueduct ran the Red Smith Handicap, the last Graded stake race in NY for the year. It's a Grade II with a crappy $150,000 purse. It drew 25 horses - that's 25 horses! Being a stake, did NY split the race? NO! The NYRA couldn't afford to run another division of it and if you didn't draw into the first 12, you didn't run. How does that grab ya?
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bdw0617
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What will benefit from a shut down the most slots etc..?
What will benefit is horse racing. by force, you are forced to put a better product out for the public to wager on. The field sizes across the country will go up as 2k or so horses will have to find a new home year round. You get less race dates, and you put one HUGE pecie of the pie back. This could single handily keep magna in business, because the influx of new cash coming in.
One way or another, it's been said that tracks would have to shut down somewhere. No one just expected it to be New York or the NYRA.
Think about the piss poor economnics here for a second. you have new tracks coming in divding a pie that is not expanding. The newer tracks could even care less about horse racing, they are nothing more than casino fronts.
the breeding industry will squeeze out some of the lower tier stallions because no one will want to take on the lower end ones from NY. the better ones will be fine, however the ones at the bottom of the food chain are sweating bullets.
All in all, I would say the imdinate benefactor is Magna and CDI. their income streams will go up 10-15% wihtout doing anything whatsoever differently or spending anymore money than they are now.
Who,which State will benefit the most from the shut down?
Humm.... that's a good one. I think you will have two benefictories (is that a word?), PA, who already has the money, tey just need the horses to compete. That will be for the smaller/mid major horses
the BIG time horses, the plecher and Frankel barn horses, I think in the winter you own't see a hell of alot of difference as they aren't in NY anyway, they are in florida and CA. but I think the long term wise, CA has to be as giddy as can be... thoose pletcher horses, the rags to riches, te green monkies, the ginger punches, the leopards, and the like, will more than likely STAY in CA. There is no more EAST COAST. maybe monmouth, but the purse structure is better in socal, with poly. The only thing I can see messing this up is Cali's supid and irrtional decision to go to Poly coming back to bite them in the ass, and pletcher/frankel/durtrow/etc sending their new socal horses to Churcill because they want dirt. talk about irony
As somine who will be living in SoCal next year, I can't say I dont' like that theory. I mean it just isnt' right not to have NY racing, it isn't and it shouldn't have come to this. But.... they would be "taking one for the team" so to speak.
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bdw0617
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Rokeby Forever wrote:bdw0617 wrote:5. what will happen to the STALLIONS? what about the stud farms? Where are the Frueds of the world goign to go? they aren't kentucky stallions. I think it would be prudent for a place like presque isle to write a coule of races for NY breds (if you can do that) to attract horses like yours
I can tell you that the NYRA situation has DEFINITELY hurt the bookings to NY stallions this fall - until this mess is resolved, nobody is crazy about breeding in NY because the entire NY Bred program is in jeopardy. Nobody knows what kinds of purses will be sustained with this mess.
Wanna know what kind of dire straits NY racing is currently in? Last week, Aqueduct ran the Red Smith Handicap, the last Graded stake race in NY for the year. It's a Grade II with a crappy $150,000 purse. It drew 25 horses - that's 25 horses! Being a stake, did NY split the race? NO! The NYRA couldn't afford to run another division of it and if you didn't draw into the first 12, you didn't run. How does that grab ya?
I thought the cigar mile was the last one of the year?
150k for a grade 2and people really wonder why the stallion farms are so popular with owners.
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The Cigar Mile is on the dirt. The Red Smith was the last Graded turf stake. If I neglected to say that, I apologize.
The Red Smith isn't the only crappy stake - the Matron Stakes is now Grade II with a crappy purse (same with the Futurity), and other stakes have been cut or cancelled. Why do you think Rags ran in the Belmont? The Acorn is $200K, the Mother Goose is $200K, and the CCAO is $250,000. Rags ran for more money in the Belmont than those three races combined.
The VLT Slot law was passed in NY SIX years ago! Why doesn't NY still have slots? They were installed three years ago and they all malfunctioned - and they were never replaced. Great job, NYRA!
The situation will definitely be resolved by Saratoga, but nobody might be happy with the outcome or what the horsemen might/might not get out of the slot revenue. The slot bidders are offering different percentages to the horsemen, but who's gonna get the slots is anyone's guess.
Who would stand to gain from NY's mess? Pennsylvania! Philly Park now has slots and is offering better purses, and have you seen the purses at Presque Isle? A maiden special weight is $70,000 - how the heck can you beat that? The problem with Presque isle is the Tapeta surface, but if you have a horse that likes it, CHA CHING! Pennsylvania, especially with Maryland's racing collapse, is going to be a major force in racing in years to come - count on it!
The Red Smith isn't the only crappy stake - the Matron Stakes is now Grade II with a crappy purse (same with the Futurity), and other stakes have been cut or cancelled. Why do you think Rags ran in the Belmont? The Acorn is $200K, the Mother Goose is $200K, and the CCAO is $250,000. Rags ran for more money in the Belmont than those three races combined.
The VLT Slot law was passed in NY SIX years ago! Why doesn't NY still have slots? They were installed three years ago and they all malfunctioned - and they were never replaced. Great job, NYRA!
The situation will definitely be resolved by Saratoga, but nobody might be happy with the outcome or what the horsemen might/might not get out of the slot revenue. The slot bidders are offering different percentages to the horsemen, but who's gonna get the slots is anyone's guess.
Who would stand to gain from NY's mess? Pennsylvania! Philly Park now has slots and is offering better purses, and have you seen the purses at Presque Isle? A maiden special weight is $70,000 - how the heck can you beat that? The problem with Presque isle is the Tapeta surface, but if you have a horse that likes it, CHA CHING! Pennsylvania, especially with Maryland's racing collapse, is going to be a major force in racing in years to come - count on it!
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bdw0617
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PA already IS a major force if you ask me.
hard Spun is a PA bred. alot of good horses are PA breds. they have Japanese like purses. and I dont' think Tapeta is THAT bad a surface. I kinda actually like it.
this is what I'm saying about the whole situtation. the whole onus on everyone to get everything fixed is to not have racing STOP. But trainers, jockeies and even the horses are like a traveling circus anyway. Getting to my point, once it has STOPPED, and trainers have been in cali, pa, fl, ky for half a year now, what is the incentive to want to come BACK?!
right now NY has the upper hand because people are racing at their tracks. once racing has stopped and the reality of them having to move on has passed and everyone has gotten settled, stallions have found new farms, which they will have to do because they can't wait around and H OPE that this gets worked out... see where I'm going?
hard Spun is a PA bred. alot of good horses are PA breds. they have Japanese like purses. and I dont' think Tapeta is THAT bad a surface. I kinda actually like it.
this is what I'm saying about the whole situtation. the whole onus on everyone to get everything fixed is to not have racing STOP. But trainers, jockeies and even the horses are like a traveling circus anyway. Getting to my point, once it has STOPPED, and trainers have been in cali, pa, fl, ky for half a year now, what is the incentive to want to come BACK?!
right now NY has the upper hand because people are racing at their tracks. once racing has stopped and the reality of them having to move on has passed and everyone has gotten settled, stallions have found new farms, which they will have to do because they can't wait around and H OPE that this gets worked out... see where I'm going?
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Hi Guys,
NYRA has been using scare tactics since they took over the franchise, when dinasours still roamed the earth. Now they are getting back the same tactics in their face.
I have never seen NYRA get beat at their own game, but I guess there is always a first time. Ricky Violette, head of the HPBA seems to think it will workout prior to the deadline. Hayward, head of NYRA says he is too optimistic and that the shutdown will take place. Once again NYRA scare tactics in full force. The proviso for racing to continue under such circumstances is for the state to take over racing while this is settled. NYRA once again goes back to their ace in the hole. They say the state can't take over because the property belongs to NYRA. This is the same ace in the hole they played against Spitzer so he would give them the franchise for the next 30 years. So the bottom line is NYRA has the upper hand as long as the ownership isn't settled. The State can't let racing disappear in NY, how else will they be able to get that much revenue coming in? It should be interesting to watch this play out. TJ
NYRA has been using scare tactics since they took over the franchise, when dinasours still roamed the earth. Now they are getting back the same tactics in their face.
I have never seen NYRA get beat at their own game, but I guess there is always a first time. Ricky Violette, head of the HPBA seems to think it will workout prior to the deadline. Hayward, head of NYRA says he is too optimistic and that the shutdown will take place. Once again NYRA scare tactics in full force. The proviso for racing to continue under such circumstances is for the state to take over racing while this is settled. NYRA once again goes back to their ace in the hole. They say the state can't take over because the property belongs to NYRA. This is the same ace in the hole they played against Spitzer so he would give them the franchise for the next 30 years. So the bottom line is NYRA has the upper hand as long as the ownership isn't settled. The State can't let racing disappear in NY, how else will they be able to get that much revenue coming in? It should be interesting to watch this play out. TJ
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Rokeby Forever
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Hey TJ!
Haven't written ya in a while - sorry about that!
The BIGGEST stumbling block is the Spitzer/Bruno situation. That's not going to go away overnight, and until Bruno gets the State Senate to accept any Spitzer recommendation (whomever he chooses), nothing concerning franchise control will get resolved. The courts can appoint someone to oversee the tracks after January 1, but who's going to run them? Who's going to pay the people working there? It's a mess!
This disaster is all Spitzer's fault. Remember when he was NY Attorney General and he went after the NYRA on the money laundering and corruption charges? He should know enough to realize that the NYRA land claim is bogus - fight it out! And, it's important enough to the State that any court will push the case to the front of the calendar. Why was an agreement made to split the franchise and let NYRA keep control of racing if the NYRA dropped the suit? If the lawsuit is hot air, screw them - fight it out and that's that! The tracks would still operate while the lawsuit is going on. But because Spitzer agreed to let NYRA hold on to the land, the tracks are now headed bankruptcy court as assets of the NYRA. Spitzer deserves a long, slow, painful death for what he has done to make this situation a total nightmare.
By the way: Aqueduct cancelled after the first race today. Rain made the track sloppy, and racing wasn't called because of the weather - the riders said the track fell apart. Great job with maintenance, bankrupt NYRA...they haven't put a dime into the surface in years and now it's on the verge of collapse.
Haven't written ya in a while - sorry about that!
The BIGGEST stumbling block is the Spitzer/Bruno situation. That's not going to go away overnight, and until Bruno gets the State Senate to accept any Spitzer recommendation (whomever he chooses), nothing concerning franchise control will get resolved. The courts can appoint someone to oversee the tracks after January 1, but who's going to run them? Who's going to pay the people working there? It's a mess!
This disaster is all Spitzer's fault. Remember when he was NY Attorney General and he went after the NYRA on the money laundering and corruption charges? He should know enough to realize that the NYRA land claim is bogus - fight it out! And, it's important enough to the State that any court will push the case to the front of the calendar. Why was an agreement made to split the franchise and let NYRA keep control of racing if the NYRA dropped the suit? If the lawsuit is hot air, screw them - fight it out and that's that! The tracks would still operate while the lawsuit is going on. But because Spitzer agreed to let NYRA hold on to the land, the tracks are now headed bankruptcy court as assets of the NYRA. Spitzer deserves a long, slow, painful death for what he has done to make this situation a total nightmare.
By the way: Aqueduct cancelled after the first race today. Rain made the track sloppy, and racing wasn't called because of the weather - the riders said the track fell apart. Great job with maintenance, bankrupt NYRA...they haven't put a dime into the surface in years and now it's on the verge of collapse.
Rokeby Forever wrote:Hey TJ!
Haven't written ya in a while - sorry about that!
The BIGGEST stumbling block is the Spitzer/Bruno situation. That's not going to go away overnight, and until Bruno gets the State Senate to accept any Spitzer recommendation (whomever he chooses), nothing concerning franchise control will get resolved. The courts can appoint someone to oversee the tracks after January 1, but who's going to run them? Who's going to pay the people working there? It's a mess!
This disaster is all Spitzer's fault. Remember when he was NY Attorney General and he went after the NYRA on the money laundering and corruption charges? He should know enough to realize that the NYRA land claim is bogus - fight it out! And, it's important enough to the State that any court will push the case to the front of the calendar. Why was an agreement made to split the franchise and let NYRA keep control of racing if the NYRA dropped the suit? If the lawsuit is hot air, screw them - fight it out and that's that! The tracks would still operate while the lawsuit is going on. But because Spitzer agreed to let NYRA hold on to the land, the tracks are now headed bankruptcy court as assets of the NYRA. Spitzer deserves a long, slow, painful death for what he has done to make this situation a total nightmare.
By the way: Aqueduct cancelled after the first race today. Rain made the track sloppy, and racing wasn't called because of the weather - the riders said the track fell apart. Great job with maintenance, bankrupt NYRA...they haven't put a dime into the surface in years and now it's on the verge of collapse.
Hey Roke,
Bruno and Spitzer are making this a political arena. Bruno is suppose to be the horseman's friend, but looks like he's a politician first. Many breeders and racing people have put their faith in him so I am hoping he will back down for the good of racing.
The courts can't appoint anyone to oversee racing until the land ownership question is answered. Whether NYRA's claim is bogus or not, it still has to be settled in court and that will take a long time. If it goes to that then racing will be suspended. The reason Spitzer gave the racing franchise to NYRA was because NYRA was giving up the rights to the land and turning it over to the State. That's when Bruno decided to get into the act. If he doesn't back down he will loose his voters come next election--but maybe he doesn't care. Could be a hidden agenda here, lets hope not. TJ
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TJ wrote:The reason Spitzer gave the racing franchise to NYRA was because NYRA was giving up the rights to the land and turning it over to the State. That's when Bruno decided to get into the act. If he doesn't back down he will loose his voters come next election--but maybe he doesn't care. Could be a hidden agenda here, lets hope not. TJ
Hiya TJ,
C'mon, TJ - Spitzer forgave the $75 Million that The NYRA owes the state...that wasn't enough?
Spitzer is absolutely on the wrong end of this. He bought into the NYRA's land suit and decided to give them a 30 year franchise extension to drop the suit. But NYRA has no claim to the land! It's baloney!
Consider this: Elliot Spitzer's father and his real estate buddies want Aqueduct to turn it into a housing project. That's no secret. Now, if the State is given title to the Aqueduct property, what do you think Elliot Spitzer is going to do with it?
That's why this should go through the courts with a State appointee to oversee racing until this mess is settled. But not go to bankruptcy court - that forces a closedown. Take the tracks from NYRA...take the tracks from Spitzer...take the tracks away from the courts...put the tracks into the hands of an independent State office until the entire mess is settled. Then take bids and get the thing rolling in the right direction. That's how this should be resolved - just as Joe Bruno proposed.
NY racing might be doomed, anyway. Bloomberg wants to shut down NYC OTB - how is that revenue going to get replaced? That "swirl" sound you hear is NY racing in the bowl.
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/nation ... C-OTB.aspx