Category Archives: Current Affairs

Cuts in Indiana

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Indiana lawmakers have passed a two-year budget that will reduce the amount of casino subsidies going to the Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing industries by approximately $3 million, or 5 percent lower than the amount distributed in 2010.

The cuts were a victory, of sorts, for the racing industries, which were facing much larger cuts in earlier versions of the budget. Lawmakers had initially proposed a more than 50 percent reduction in the subsidies from casino revenue for both the Thoroughbred and Standardbred industries.

In 2010, the two industries received approximately $60 million in subsidies that were directed from casino revenues to both purses and breeder awards. The Thoroughbred industry’s share of that amount was approximately $28 million, a total that will be reduced by approximately $1.4 million in the new budget.

Riverboat casinos in Indiana began operating in the late 1990s, and casinos were legalized at the state’s two racetracks, Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs, in 2007. The parent companies of both tracks have filed for bankruptcy, citing difficulties in paying off debts accumulated to pay an initial $250 million casino licensing fee and to fund the construction of their casinos.

Since the racetrack casinos began operating, the number of mares bred in the state has jumped from 583 in 2007 to 1,137 in 2010, according to Jockey Club statistics, while the number of stallions in the state increased from 80 in 2007 to 114 in 2010.

 

Earning Update

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The stable has been making a big shuffle with the closing of Oaklawn Park and the opening of Keeneland and Indiana Downs. Our goal at Hot Springs was to win more than 5 races (which is what we won in 2010) and over $100,000 in earnings. We won the same number of races, but didn’t quite make the $100,000 in earnings ($66,550).

We have run two horses at Keeneland finishing second and fourth. Our goal for April is to win over $100,000 in purses. With the opening of Indiana Downs on Monday the 18th, numerous races we entered with horses ready to run overfilled and our entries were excluded. Disappointing, but that will work its way out with the races being brought back. Last year at Indiana Downs we won 11 races, so the goal is to exceed that. We should also exceed purse earnings as purses are up from the meet in 2010.

Over the winter, the governor of Indiana has been trying to grab 57% of the horseman’s money (from the slot revenue) to help cover the state’s budget shortfalls. Right now it looks like we might come through the latest session with less than 10 to zero percent loss. As they say, it will all hit the fan this week as the session must come to a close April 29th. We will keep you posted.

In two weeks the Churchill Downs spring meet opens. If you are looking to buy or claim something the purses will be good.

I saw the 2011 Kentucky Derby winner today at Churchill. Get excited!

 

Eclipse Awards & Common-man vote

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2010 Eclipse Award Finalists

HORSE OF THE YEAR Blame and Zenyatta were tied in our vote
TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE Uncle Mo  unanimous
TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY Awesome Feather unanimous
THREE-YEAR OLD MALE Lookin At Lucky
THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY Blind Luck
OLDER MALE Blame unanimous
OLDER FEMALE Zenyatta  unanimous
MALE SPRINTER Big Drama
FEMALE SPRINTER Dubai Majesty
MALE TURF HORSE Gio Ponti
FEMALE TURF HORSE Goldikova  unanimous
STEEPLECHASE HORSE Slip Away
OWNER Mr. & Mrs. Jerome S. Moss
BREEDER Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider
TRAINER John Shirreffs
JOCKEY Ramon Dominguez
APPRENTICE JOCKEY Angel Serpa

2010 Common Man/Woman Award Finalists

YOUR RACE OF THE YEAR
1)Breeders Cup Classic
2)Rockin Rockstar winning/going from last to first /$100, 000 stake to win by a nose
3)Indiana Downs 7th race 5/22 Shinola
4)Breeders Cup Juvenile
5)Dakota Phone, Breeders Cup Mile
6)October 2 Whistlin’ Jean Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Stakes
NATIONAL RACE OF THE YEAR
1) Breeders Cup Classic
2) Golikova Breeders Cup Filly Turf
3) Breeders Cup Mile Turf
PERSON AND/OR GROUP THAT DID THE MOST FOR RACING
1)Moss/Shirriffs and team Zenyatta
2) Mike and Penny Lauer
PERSON AND/OR GROUP THAT DID THE LEAST (OR MOST DAMAGE) TO RACING
1) Frank Stronach
2) David Williams
3) KY Legislature
4) KHRC
5) NTRA
6) Life at Ten Fiasco at the Breeders Cup
7) To many to list!
I do think having the Eclipse Awards dinner tonight is a rather poor choice. It is a National Holiday as well as a huge day for the NBA. Every team plays today beginning at 1pm. It is their big day in mid season. There are also many big college basketball games scheduled today. If they had just pushed it until Tuesday, they would get more coverage and would have been more prominent in the sports world.