Beshear Should Include Sportsbooks in Kentucky Casino Legislation

As the New York racing franchise creeps closer Defcon 1 -- Kentucky is getting closer to finding out just what Governor Steve Beshear has up his sleeve regarding Casinos.

Beshear met with members of the House task for on casinos for final input on the bill, which he is expected to release to the public on Thursday.

While most states have added slot machine gaming at race tracks, Beshear is expected to propose full-fledge casinos with tables games. However, as I said over at Velocity, I don't think his plan should stop there, and sportsbooks should be included too.

I think that such a move could actually turn Kentucky's casinos into into destination spots for East-coast gamblers looking to bet legal coin during the NCAA Tournament, World Series, or Superbowl. Instead of just drawing from cities like Nashville and Cincinnati, the addition of sportsbooks could draw gambling money from cities as far away as Atlanta, Chicago, Pittsburg, St. Louis, and Cleveland.

While I concede that there will need to be limits -- like not be allowing bets on any team located in Kentucky or that a Kentucky-based team is playing that day -- I don't see many conflicts since there are no professional sports teams in the Commonwealth.

You can read my entire argument here, but I think that if you're in for a penny, you should be in for a pound. You don't just kind of go to hell. If gambling is morally wrong then it's all wrong -- limiting the type of gaming to just slot machines isn't going to change anything.

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2008 Kentucky Derby Future Pool Final Odds (Pool 1)

The first of three future pools for the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks closed yesterday, and Pyro got a big boost to 5-1 after his impressive win in the Risen Star (GIII) on Saturday. The San Vicente (GII)'s post time came well after the close of the future pool, so winner Georgie Boy closed at 69-1, although I would think that he and other West Coast hopefuls need to prep in a field of more than four horses to be competitive in May. These short fields serve as a disservice to west coast horses that want to compete in the classics, and are one of the key reasons why I will continue to subscribe to the angle of betting east coast horses that ship into California.

Speaking of short fields, I'm going to start keeping a list of races that I think deserve to be considered for downgrading by the American Graded Stakes Committee for 2009, and the San Vicente is going to be the first on the list (right column). Does anyone really believe that this race deserves to keep a Grade II, while races like the Arkansas Derby continue to get overlooked for an upgrade to Grade I status?

Regardless, here are the morning odd and final closing odds for the Derby 23 hopefuls and the field.

KY Derby Future Wager Pool 1 Odds # Horse ML Odds Closing Odds 1 Anak Nakal 20-1 33-1 2 Blackberry Road 20-1 47-1 3 Bob Black Jack 50-1 58-1 4 Colonel John 30-1 19-1 5 Court Vision 12-1 15-1 6 Cowboy Cal 20-1 26-1 7 Crown of Thorns 20-1 18-1 8 Denis of Cork 30-1 46-1 9 El Gato Malo 15-1 16-1 10 Etched 15-1 26-1 11 Georgie Boy 20-1 69-1 12 Giant Moon 20-1 51-1 13 Into Mischief 20-1 26-1 14 Majestic Warrior 15-1 18-1 15 Monba 30-1 16-1 16 Pyro 12-1 5-1 17 Signature Move 50-1 155-1 18 Smooth Air 20-1 159-1 19 Tale of Ekati 20-1 33-1 20 War Pass 12-1 6-1 21 Yankee Bravo 20-1 48-1 22 Z Fortune 20-1 37-1 23 Z Humor 15-1 45-1 24 All others 5-2 3-1

Fair Grounds Plays

In addition to my Derby Prep selection for Velocity, here are the plays that my Pick Four Partner and I put together for the all stakes bet at Fair Grounds today.

Race 6 Pick Four: 2,5 w/ 5-8, 10 w/ 1,5,7 w/ 2,8,11

Race 6 (Mineshaft H): Grasshopper, Silver Lord
Race 7 (Fair Grounds H): Better Talk Now, Baby First, Jazz Quest, Daytona, Inca King
Race 8 (Silverbulletday S.): Jolie the Cat, Proud Spell, Indian Blessing
Race 9 (Risen Star S.): Blackberry Road, Pyro, Z Fortune

Legislator Reacts to Churchill missing chance to host 2009 Breeders' Cup

In the wake of yesterday's announcement that Santa Anita will repeat as the Breeders' Cup host track in 2009, Greg Hall has a story in today's Courier-Journal with a reaction from state Senator Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown), who was Breeders' Cup Vice President of Event Management until last year.

Thayer told The C-J, "This is not a good day for racing in Kentucky, frankly, because the Breeders' Cup has numerous economic benefits to the entire commonwealth when it's run at Churchill Downs."

Hall's story notes that the Breeders' Cup one-day events that were held in Louisville in 1998 and 2006 were estimated to bring $21 million and $30 million respectively into the area economy. Even more money could be infused into the region now that the event has expanded to two-days.

However, reading between the lines, Thayer seemed to be critical of the track considering the idea that Churchill failed to put forth a real bid, based on previous statements from officials who have indicated that the company doesn't profit enough from the revenue split for the event.

From The Courier-Journal:

The 2006 event was the first Breeders' Cup at the Central Avenue track since Bob Evans succeeded Tom Meeker as president and chief executive of the racetrack company. It was also the first time that Churchill had played host to the races since 2000. In the interim, the track undertook a massive renovation project.

When asked yesterday afternoon about whether any party was to blame, Thayer initially said he would not cast judgment. He also said at that time that "there's been a change in leadership at Churchill Downs and clearly that leadership doesn't value hosting the Breeders' Cup as much as the former leader of Churchill Downs did."

But last night, Thayer said subsequently he had received a call from Evans that left him satisfied that Churchill had made a strong attempt to bring the 2009 Cup to Kentucky.

"He assured me that Churchill Downs made an innovative, extraordinary proposal to host the Breeders' Cup," Thayer said. "It would be my hope that eventually the Breeders' Cup and Churchill Downs could continue their discussions and return the Breeders' Cup to Churchill Downs in 2010."

No one from Churchill Downs commented for the C-J story, however, it appears like Evans got wind of Thayer's initial reaction to the news and reached out to the State Senator in an effort to smooth things over and express to the legislator that the decision was not made due to a lack of interest or effort on Churchill's part.

It was wise for Evans to reach out, considering that racetrack officials are going to have to make a hard sell to the Republican-led Senate -- which is leaning toward no-Casino expansion -- once an expanded gaming bill is offered. The tracks need to avoid any negative PR for the industry, especially the sort where it could be assumed by the public and legislature that a sense of corporate apathy cost the Commonwealth tens of millions of dollars. Such assumption could be devastating for the pro-racetrack casino case.

Luckily Evans was able to convince Thayer otherwise, and Churchill will make an attempt in 2010. Breeders' Cup President Greg Avioli said that for 2010 and beyond the Lexington-based group will look toward Del Mar, Churchill and NYRA, among others, for host tracks.

2009 Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita

Sherwood Chillingworth, the Director and Executive Vice President of Oak Tree Racing, announced on HRTV today that the 2009 Breeders' Cup will be held at Oak Tree at Santa Anita. This will be the first time the event has been run at the same track in back-to-back years, and the 5th time the race will be run at Santa Anita.

"We're very pleased that they have the confidence in our management and Santa Anita's management to come back here," Chillingworth said on HRTV. He also said that while Monmouth did a wonderful job despite the wet weather, that the Breeders' Cup desired to "dry out a little bit" and at the same time get back to a bigger venue.

Funny considering all the weather-related synthetic track problems Santa Anita has been having, which includes the cancellation of today's card due to the work that is being done on the Cushion Track.

In December, it was reported that the host-track decision was between Churchill Downs and Santa Anita for 2009. This news means that a Kentucky tax break that has benefited the Breeders' Cup organization and that hinged on the event returning to Churchill by 2009 will expire. The Courier-Journal reported that state legislators who were interviewed in October said it was unlikely the tax break would be renewed.

After hosting the event in 2006, Churchill Downs officials had indicated lukewarm interest in bidding for the 2009 event, and were reportedly seeking more compensation from the Breeders' Cup. Officials indicated that the day profited much like a usual Saturday, and Churchill President Steve Sexton told the Courier-Journal in 2006: "It's a tremendous amount of work on the behalf of our staff ... for what we think is a small return."

With the Kentucky legislature currently in session, it will be interesting to see if they respond by extending the tax breaks to lure the now two-day event back to Kentucky.

This decision isn't a shock, with Churchill apparently wanting more money and NYRA's franchise in limbo, I just hope that the Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships don't turn into a non-restricted copy of the Sunshine Millions... part of the appeal was seeing the event run at different tracks year-after-year.

Kentucky Derby Future Pools Open on Thursday

The past performances for the 23 horses in the future pools for the Kentucky Derbyand Kentucky Oaks are both available for free from The Daily Racing Form. Both pools open tomorrow, and the 24th field selection of "all others" is the 5-2 morning line favorite in each pool.
Also two fillies -- Richard Dutrow's By the Light and Todd Pletcher's Sea Chanter -- have been declared out in the Oaks pool, reducing the choices to 21 selections and the field bet.

I don't make future bets, but do like to follow the pool odds of each. The Kentucky Derby pool closes on Sunday at 6 p.m., and is followed 30-minutes later by the Oaks pool.

KY Derby Future Wager Pool 1 Odds # Horse Odds 1 Anak Nakal 20-1 2 Blackberry Road 20-1 3 Bob Black Jack 50-1 4 Colonel John 30-1 5 Court Vision 12-1 6 Cowboy Cal 20-1 7 Crown of Thorns 20-1 8 Denis of Cork 30-1 9 El Gato Malo 15-1 10 Etched 15-1 11 Georgie Boy 20-1 12 Giant Moon 20-1 13 Into Mischief 20-1 14 Majestic Warrior 15-1 15 Monba 30-1 16 Pyro 12-1 17 Signature Move 50-1 18 Smooth Air 20-1 19 Tale of Ekati 20-1 20 War Pass 12-1 21 Yankee Bravo 20-1 22 Z Fortune 20-1 23 Z Humor 15-1 24 All others 5-2

448 Nominated for Triple Crown

The Courier-Journal reports that 448 3-year-olds were early-nominated for the Triple Crown this year, just two shy of the record set in 2007. Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher told the paper that with the different types of winners from recent years such as Funny Cide, Smarty Jones, Giacomo, and Barbaro coming along such different directions, it gives owners hope.

From The Courier-Journal:

"It's like the Derby's 20-horse field. I'll be stunned if we ever have a 12-horse Derby field again. The prestige these races hold and their status as the ultimate goal of thoroughbred racing, those numbers are going to be there every year," Asher said.
The deadline was Jan. 19 to post $600 to make horses eligible early for the Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes. Horses can be made late nominees for $6,000 by March 29. After that, a non-nominated horse requires a $200,000 supplemental fee to compete in the $2 million Derby on May 3, and even then, any supplemental horse will be excluded from the field if more than 20 nominated horses are entered. The supplemental cost is $100,000 for the Preakness and Belmont, with $1 million purses for each.

For a list of the nominated horses click here:

Todd Pletcher trains a total of 31 nominated horses, the most of any trainer. In addition to 2-year-old champion War Pass, Nick Zito has 19 nominees. With none of the races being contested on a synethetic surface, Ahmed Zayat leads owners with 11-nominated horses and Michael Tabor has 10. Distorted Humor leads stallion with 13 offspring nominated this year and Mineshaft and Tale of the Cat are second with 11 each.

Country Star and Mushka, both daughters of 2003 Belmont winner Empire Maker, are the two fillies that are early nominated his year, although Bill Mott has indicated that Mushaka is injured and will not go in either the Kentucky Derby or Oaks. Country Star won both the Hollywood Starlet (GI) and Alcibiades Stakes (GI) last year.

Four Preps this Weekend

There are four Derby prep races this weekend, and my selections for each are up at the Velocity blog. In particular, I like Darrin Miller's St. Joe (6-1) in the Swale Stakes (GII) at Gulfstream. Miller trained both Dominican and Sedgefield for Silverton Hill last year, and they could have easily kept this colt in Kentucky to follow similar paths toward the Lane's End Stakes (GII) or Rushaway, but they obviously think very highly of this colt and are apparently trying to get him graded stakes earnings early.

Final Racing License in Kentucky

I'll readily admit that I don't usually follow standard bred or quarter horse racing, but reader TripCrown73 asked me what I thought about the $20 million quarter horse track that is being proposed near London, Kentucky by Sprint Racing Partners. This group is applying for the final racing license that can be issued in the Commonwealth, and is being scrutinized very closely because of the racetrack casino debate that is approaching in the legislature.

TripCrown73 specifically referenced the story in The Herald-Leader from Tuesday that reported that three of the Sprint partners have left the group. As I noted in my reply to his comment, my initial reaction to a quarter horse track in that part of the state is generally positive, however I was aware that there were "character" concerns in the local community about at some of the applicants -- specifically Randall "Dee" Hubbard and Dr. Edward Allred, two of the three men who were reported to have pulled out of the partnership.

As was reported in The Courier-Journal in December:

After the hearing, Dave Edmunds, a policy analyst with the Family Foundation of Kentucky, said his group has concerns about the proposal, including Hubbard.
Hubbard surrendered an Indiana gaming license as part of a 2002 settlement with the state's gaming commission stemming from an incident where at least eight prostitutes were flown to a June 2001 golf tournament at Pinnacle Entertainment's Switzerland County casino.

The prostitutes were flown to the Belterra casino on a jet leased by Pinnacle for a weekend of entertaining guests at an invitation-only golf tournament.

To make matters worse, Dr. Allred, who owns Los Alamitos in California, apparently made his fortune through his ownership of abortion clinics -- something that I had heard through rumor, but hadn't seen reported until the Herald-Leader story. And while abortion is certainly legal in this country, it would have been a major issue in the region and when combined with the prostitute issue of the other partner -- stuff like that doesn't fly in south-central Kentucky. As Edmunds told The Courier-Journal, "This is the type of unsavory group that Kentuckians fear most."

The fact that these two are no longer involved in the bid for the license is probably a positive for the remaining partners. But TripCrown73 asked if I thought that the state could support quarter horse racing -- I think it can.

According to statistics from the American Quarter Horse Association, 15,211 quarter horses started in races in the United States in 2006. In that same year there were 37,591 of the breed registered in the Commonwealth and another 51,956 registered in Tennessee. Considering that there are about 20 races that take place in the two-days at the Red Mile in Lexington each summer -- and while still taking into account that quarter horses are also used in rodeos, barrel racing, pleasure settings and as show horses -- I think that the current population can easily support several months of racing. In particular, I think that Laurel County's close proximity to Tennessee makes it an ideal location without, taking into account the possibility of turning the track into a casino.

Additionally, in 2006 the total purse of all quarter horse races nationally was $109 million, with a total handle of almost $350 million bet on these races -- there is no reason why Kentucky couldn't try to get a piece of that pie. I think a purse close to the national average of $12,000 could be supported by the entry fees, wagering and a fund similar to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund -- as well as proceeds from expanded gaming if approved.

A race track -- not to mention casino -- would certainly bring more jobs to the area and would be a boon to the economy, and I reject the idea that such a facility would be a bastion of moral turpitude.

Calder Slots Approved

With 92 percent of the precincts reporting, slots machines were approved Tuesday night with 63 percent of voters choosing "yes" in the Miami-Dade County ballot measure. In addition to Calder, this vote will allow the installation of slot machines at a jai-alai facility and greyhound track in the county.

Nearby Gulfstream Park began operating slots and poker after approved by Broward County voters in 2005, but that casino operation has not been profitable.

Hopefully Churchill Downs will improve Calder, but not at the expense of the racing product, as renovations to Gulfstream and its reduced track-side seating has not not been well received by those who believe racing has taken a back seat to slots.

Fair Grounds began operating slots at a temporary facility in New Orleans last year and this approval in Florida means that two tracks owned by Churchill Downs will have slots. Should expanded gaming be approved in Kentucky later this year, it would mean expanded gaming at three of the four tracks owned by the company.

Kentucky's new governor Steve Beshear is a proponent of expanded casino gambling and is supporting a measure that would allow Kentucky race tracks to operate casino-style gaming facilities if approved by voters. Details on Besehar's plan -- such as if the facilities must be on-or-off track and what kind of gaming will be approved -- have yet to be released, and are expected in the next few weeks. Any measure would have to pass both the state House and Senate by a 3/5 majority to make it onto the November ballot, and while approval is likely in the Democratic-controlled House, it may be an uphill battle in the Republican Senate. (See my previous post on the divide in the legislature here.)

Maryland legislators are also expected to debate expanded gaming this year, and the plan that appears to have the most support would allow slot machines at Laurel Park, a Magna-owned racetrack located between Washington D.C. and Baltimore.

Jackson Teleconference on Barbaro's Remains

Roy and Gretchen Jackson announced today the final plans for Barbaro's ashes, will be interred outside the main entrance at Churchill Downs.

The Jacksons are in the process of finding a sculptor for a bronze statue which will accompany the 2006 Derby winner's ashes, which will be located in the open brick-lined plaza outside of Gate One, providing easy access to both the racetrack and the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Churchill Downs President Steve Sexton indicated on a conference call that the statue may not be up until after the 2009 Kentucky Derby.

Here is an unofficial transcript that I took of the Jackson's statements during the conference call which is followed by some selections from the Q/A period:

Gretchen Jackson: “We’re just so thrilled and exited at the thought of Barbaro resting here and for the opportunity for everyone to visit him here. It just opens up a great arena for people to come and see him, compared to where we live or our other ideas where we could possibly take his remains. We just thank Churchill Downs for their hospitality and their enthusiasm and it’s just awesome for us to have him here.

Roy Jackson: I would just add one of the things in all the correspondence from the public that we’ve gotten is that they’ve thanked us for being so open and including them during this whole journey and thus we really feel that this is the appropriate place where the general public can come and pay their respects to Barbaro, and we can’t think of a better place.

John Asher, Churchill VP of Communications: Before we open up to questions from the phone lines, I’ll just throw out the basic question: You did consider several possibilities before deciding on Churchill Downs. You spent several months been in making this decision, so it was obviously a very important and emotional decision for you. What were the factors that led you to decide that Churchill Downs should be Barbaro’s permanent home?

GJ: He was very, very important to us. He was of great value, and to part with him and no matter how you view the ashes or what -- when you come right down to it, it’s parting with him. And there was, you know, some emotionality about that, and we had to take really what was best for Barbaro, what’s best for racing, what’s best for his fans, as well as his greatest moment. And it all came together at Churchill Downs – and it’s wonderful that you wanted him here too.

Q: Anything you’d like to add to that Mr. Jackson?

RJ: No, no. Gretchen summed it up well.

Q: Can you describe the emotions you feel returning to Churchill Downs?

GJ: For me, being here is exciting; I hold nothing but the fondest memories of that incredible day. To be here it is positive, it is exciting and everything has sort of pointed in this direction all along and I feel very good about it.

RJ: From my standpoint we have only great memories, of course our whole family was here for the whole experience of the Derby. We came back last year, for the Derby, that being our second time, and we thought it might be very difficult, but it really wasn’t. We enjoyed ourselves and we have wonderful memories and we still think about Barbaro running down the stretch here and we’re just glad that he will be here.

Q: Are there factors that kept you from choosing a site at either the New Bolton Center or a site in the Philadelphia area where his fans in Philadelphia would have been able to pay their respects?

GJ: He never ran in Pennsylvania, and I think that played a lot into it… and New Bolton was a time that was not the greatest joy for us. The greatest joy for us was at Churchill Downs and it just made sense to us -- that’s our memory of Barbaro the race horse.

RJ: I think for myself, my memories are of his running, and I can’t think of a better place than where he ran his greatest races.

Q: Are you still thinking about a museum in the Pennsylvania area? Or are you finding the obstacles pretty large on that front?

RJ: Things just haven’t fallen into place with that idea. As you know there are so many of us – Pat Chapman with Smarty Jones, and the Afleet Alex people and the all of the memorabilia with Kelso and so forth that there is a place for something to commemorate all of the horses that we’ve had in the mid-Atlantic area there. I wouldn’t put it out of the thoughts of the future but nothing just seemed to come together. I wouldn’t put it out of the question, but we don’t have anything concrete at all right now.

Q: Any update on Barbaro's full brother Nicanor?

GJ: I’d love to tell you he’s coming along and going to win the Derby, but you know what, he’s just been broken and he’s coming along like any 2-year old at this stage that isn’t being asked to go to fast for his body.

Q: Who has Nicanor?

RJ: He’s following the same route that Barbaro did, he’s with John and Jill Stevens in Ocala, Fl now, and will eventually will later on in this spring or early summer will hopefully go to Michael Matz.

Q: Did you specifically want the remains and statue to be outside of Churchill Downs, as opposed to be inside the gates where the Pat Day statue was placed?

GJ: I guess that wasn’t really part of the initial decision, but the more aware we became of it, the spot the place is just perfect.

RJ: I think it’s wonderful because there is really tremendous access to it, where people can pay their respects and it’s right at the main gate right next the museum and will be easily accessible at all times – so I think it’s a wonderful place.

End of Questions

Details on Today's Announcement

Greg Hall has specific details in today's Courier-Journal about the Barbaro press conference that Roy and Gretchen Jackson will hold later this morning.

From The Courier-Journal:

The ashes will be buried at the center of a brick plaza outside the track's Gate 1, which also is near the entrance to the Kentucky Derby Museum. The Jacksons have commissioned a statue of the horse to mark the gravesite.
The location will mean that Barbaro's fans will be able to visit the grave without having to pay to go inside the museum or the racetrack. (Four other former Derby winners -- Brokers Tip, Carry Back, Sunny's Halo and Swaps -- are buried at the museum.)

Interesting (and probably wise) that they decide to put the monument outside instead of inside the track, as Churchill CEO Bob Evans told the C-J: "I have a sneaking suspicion that over the course of a few years, the number of photographs that get taken with people and … this Barbaro statue are going to be mind-boggling."

I got killed in my comments yesterday, so I'm probably asking for it by saying this, but I'm sure many who make the trip just to see the statue (and I'm sure there will be many) will then journey over to the Derby Museum and will then be angered that it's about all 133 winners (or whatever number we're at that year), and not just Barbaro.

Barbaro Press Conference at Churchill

Roy and Gretchen Jackson will be at Churchill Downs Tuesday to take part in some sort of press conference at 10 a.m where, according to the press release, they will make a "special announcement."

Considering that tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of Barbaro's euthanization (I remember because it is my birthday), I suspect they will announce that the Derby winner's ashes will be interred somewhere on the track's grounds.

Afterwards the Jacksons will be on hand to sign Barbaro-memorabilia in exchange for a donation to the The Fund for Laminitis Research at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center. Someone should alert the FOBs, so they can focus the crazy on something positive for a change.

Make Up at Gulfstream for Jedi Code

Ian Wilkes's Jedi Code makes his 3-year-old debut in the 8th race at Gulfstream on Thursday, a seven furlong allowance on the dirt where he is the 5-2 morning line favorite. This race was scheduled to go last week, but was cancelled after a power failure at Gulfstream.

The well-bred son of Empire Maker out of the Secretariat mare Listen Well broke poorly in his first two starts, but was able to rally to a more than three length maiden victory after blinkers were added in his second race. In his third and last race as a 2-year old in late November at Churchill, the colt closed from last to fifth in a mile allowance and was just two lengths behind Todd Pletcher's Monba (who's next start will be in the Fountain of Youth on Feb. 24).

It's hard enough to pick a Derby horse in late-April, let alone January, and I know it's ridiculous, but if you held me down and forced me to pick three horses I thought would be in the Kentucky Derby, then Jedi Code would be the third one I would include on that list along with the obvious choice of War Pass and Bill Mott's Court Vision.

(Update: A big thanks to my former co-worker Dan F. for the art, where it looks like he has Yoda on the turf somewhere in Europe...).

Curlin Hearing: Motion Denied

The news out of Frankfort is that Judge Roger Crittenden denied the motion to foreclose on the 20 percent of Curlin that is controlled by Midnight Cry Stables. Developing....

Here is an update from The Courier-Journal:

A senior judge denied a motion today that would have forced the sale of the 20 percent interest in 2007 Horse of the Year Curlin that is owned by two jailed attorneys.

Judge Roger Crittenden said it would be premature to order a sale of the minority interest held by the Midnight Cry Stable of attorneys William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham.

Gallion and Cunningham are currently in jail awaiting a May 12th trial on charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after they apparently worked to hide funds from government officials who were attempting to collect a $42 million civil judgment entered against them in Boone County Circuit Court.

I find it fitting that the trial is scheduled to begin the Monday before The Preakness.

Curlin Ownership Hearing Today

While most of the news about Curlin won Horse of the Year honors last night, and the fact that majority owner Jess Jackson said he plans to race the colt in 2008, don't overlook the hearing today that could help resolve the ownership issues around the colt.

At 2 p.m. today in Frankfort, Judge Roger Crittenden, a state appointed receiver, will decide if the 20 percent of the horse that were controlled by jailed attorney's William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham, Jr. should be sold. As soon as there is a decision in Frankfort, I will provide an update.

If a foreclosure is ordered by Crittenden, this would mean that the Boone County sheriff would put the 20 percent ownership up for public sale, with any proceeds from the sale going toward settlement of a multi-million settlement for the fen-phen clients.

Gallion and Cunningham are attorneys who, along with Melborne Mills, Jr., are accused of bilking their more than 400 fen-phen clients out of $64 million owed to them from a $200 million class-action settlement. The two men bought Curlin -- with funds that were apparently fraudulently kept from the fen-phen clients -- as a yearling for $53,000 in 2005 and then sold 80% of the colt for a reported $3.5 million after he broke his maiden at Gulfstream in February last year.

In November a judge turned the 20% ownership over to the fen-phen clients -- this foreclosure could end the outstanding question surrounding the ownership issues.

Eclipse Awards

Using a format similar to the one I used last year, here are my thoughts about the Eclipse Awards for 2007, which looks to be much more straight forward than it has been in years past, I expect a lot of the "chalk" to come in tonight.

If voting for Horse of the Year, I think you go with Curlin on top, with Rags to Riches at a close second, and Street Sense as the third choice. The only real question about Horse of the Year isn't who will win, but who will accept the award?

Will two guys in orange jump suits & chains followed by some state troopers accompany Jess Jackson to the stage? My Pick 4 Partner suggested said the jailbirds would bus tables after the night was over and that the attorney for the fen phen plaintiffs would be there with a saw to cut off 20 percent of the trophy.

Regardless, here are my picks.

Two-Year-Old Male: Kodiak Kowboy, Pyro, War Pass
Should Win: War Pass Will Win: War Pass
It's hard to make a case for anyone but the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Champion after he closed out the year with two Grade I wins.

Two-Year-Old Filly: Country Star, Indian Blessing, Proud Spell
ShouldCould Win: Country Star. Will Win: Indian Blessing.
A nod again goes to the division winner in the Breeders' Cup, although Country Star looked impressive in her two Grade I wins, Indian Blessing was undefeated in her three starts, and gets the edge accordingly.

Three-Year-Old Male: Curlin, Hard Spun, Street Sense
Should Win: Curlin. Will Win: Curlin.
As much as I want to pick the Derby Champ here, Curlin is the top horse of this division, and while there are arguments about who was second-best this year, I don't think there is much debate about who belongs on top.

Three-Year-Old Filly: Octave, Panty Raid, Rags to Riches
Should Win: Rags to Riches. Will Win: Rags to Riches
A filly in the Belmont. Case Closed.

Older Male: Corinthian, Invasor (ARG), Lawyer Ron
Should Win: Lawyer Ron. Will Win: Invasor
I don't like it, but I think the voters will look past Lawyer Ron's big wins (and big Beyers) and instead Invasor's Dubai win combined with "what he could have been" will sway them to vote him on top here.

Older Female: Ginger Punch, Hystericalady, Nashoba’s Key
Should Win: Nashoba's Key. Will Win: Ginger Punch.
Nashoba's Key's seven race win streak on polytrack and turf should give her the edge, but I think too many voters will have considered her exclusively for the turf division and will vote Ginger Punch the winner. She wasn't as consistent, but won when it really counted and that will earn her the statue.

Male Sprinter: Fabulous Strike, Idiot Proof, Midnight Lute
ShouldCould Win: Idiot Proof. Will Win: Midnight Lute.
Midnight Lute was another contender that wasn't dominant, but won when it mattered, although I think Idiot Proof's record speed figures merits a consideration. (I'm just trying to mix it up at this point).

Female Sprinter: Dream Rush, Maryfield, River’s Prayer
Should Win: No one. Will Win: Maryfield.
Until the Breeders' Cup works on building more awareness for this division, the Breeders' Cup winner will likely always be the Eclipse winner by default. At least there isn't an award for Juvenile Turf.

Male Turf: After Market, English Channel, Kip Deville
Should Win: English Channel. Will Win: English Channel.
It's easy to look past English Channel's poor effort in Dubai after the way he closed out the year, this is another obvious one where there is a huge gap between the winner and the rest of the pack.

Female Turf: Lahudood (GB), Nashoba’s Key, Precious Kitten
Shoud win: Nashoba's Key. Will win: Lahudood.
This is probably the closest of the divisions, but I think the voters will again nod toward the Lahudood, which should in no way discount the very impressive years that Nashoba's Key and Precious Kitten had in the weeds.

Steeplechase: Good Night Shirt, McDynamo, Planets Aligned
ShouldCould win: McDynamo. Will win: Good Night Shirt.
Good Night Shirt edged McDynamo in two of the three meetings and set a single-season steeplechase earnings record. However, even though turf writers usually vote for wins, this division is at the end of the ballot and, like most early election polling, is about name recognition, so the legend could sneak in.

Owner: Maggi Moss, Shadwell Stable, Stronach Stables
ShouldCould Win: Shadwell. Will Win: Maggi Moss.
Leading owner at Churchill Downs and Prairie Meadows, I think this is another award that is cut and dry -- however Shadwell had a ton of Grade I wins this year.

Breeder: Adena Springs, William Farish, Martin & Pam Wygod
Should Win: Adena Springs. Will Win: Adena Springs.
No matter what I think Frank is doing to the tracks he owns, the horses out of his shed win, end of story. If he wins, this will be his fourth award in a row.

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Kiaran McLaughlin, Todd Pletcher
Should win: Steve Asmussen. Will win: Todd Pletcher.
Asmussen's total wins should edge it, having to deal with Curlin's crazy-ass ownership group and still managing to get the horse to the winner's circle is case alone for trainer of the year honors. That being said, I have a hunch that Todd will end up on top with his money and stakes wins numbers the major part of the case for him, just a hunch.

Jockey: Robby Albarado, Garrett Gomez, John Velazquez
Should win: Garrett Gomez. Will Win: Garret Gomez.
Again, it's hard to look past the wins, again.

Apprentice Jockey: Tyler Pizarro, Alonso Quinonez, Joe Talamo
Should win: Joe Talamo. Will win: Joe Talamo
If you haven't heard of Joe Talamo, you haven't watched TVG recently, because every time they talk about him, it turns into a 30-minute love letter narrated by Todd Schrupp.

Sour Grapes

The connections of Golden LakeGolden Yank, the third place finisher in the Delta Jackpot (GIII), have filed a lawsuit against the Louisiana Racing Commission seeking that the horse be placed either first or second in the race.

From The Daily Racing Form:

The Delta Jackpot was won in a dead-heat by Z Humor and Turf War on Dec. 7, with Golden Yank a neck back between horses in third. Golden Yank’s rider, Gerard Melancon, claimed foul for bumping in the stretch but it was disallowed by the stewards. The horse’s connections appealed the case to the commission but the stewards’ decision was upheld unanimously. The lawsuit seeks a reversal of that decision and asks that Golden Yank be placed either first or second in the Jackpot, alleging he was impeded by both Z Humor and Turf War.
The win was worth $400,000 to both Z Humor and Turf War and $100,000 to Golden Yank. The lawsuit points out that the Jackpot earnings could be important in gaining a spot in the Kentucky Derby field should that race overfill.

It goes without saying, perhaps by the title of the blog post, that I think the lawsuit is ridiculous. Even if the foul claim does have merit, the result of the appeal should stand. It would be a step in the wrong direction if owners and trainers were to have the option to overturn a steward's rulings via a court order.

Consider had the Red Sox sued Major League Baseball over Yankee Chuck Knoblauch's phantom tag of Jose Offerman in Game 4 of the 1999 ALCS, or if the Cardinals had sued over umpire Don Denkinger's "safe" call of Jorge Orta in Game 6 and subsequent home plate calls in Game 7 of the 1985 World Series. The public wouldn't accept a court overturning a ruling on the baseball field (or any other sport), and racing should be no exception.

Tonight's Debate

During tonight's Democratic Candidates Debate in Las Vegas, NBC's Natalie Morales was asking the candidates questions sent in by email from viewers. While mine didn't make the cut, if it had it would have sounded something like this.

Natalie Morales: "Email question from Michael, editor of http://www.thoroughbredblog.com/: Will any of the three of you pledge to go to a race book after this debate to get the Derby future numbers, and assist him in getting his bets down?"

Governor Ignores Casino Amendment in State of The Commonwealth Address

What a difference a few days can make.

Just four days ago when asked how he will move forward with the plan for expanded casino gambling at racetracks, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear told reporters, "In the end, I'm going to make the decisions and fashion the legislation. It will be my bill."

Tonight he ignored it.

Despite it being a major issue for Kentucky's new governor during the campaign, despite lawmakers considering amending the Kentucky Constitution to allow it, and despite the fact that it could mean $500 million a year, Beshear didn't even mention or allude to the plan in tonight's State of the Commonwealth address.

Education issues? Check.

Need for more jobs? Check.

"Grim" budget shortfall? Check.

Need to compete better with other states? Check.

Casinos Gaming (which could help fix these issues)? Giant Red X.

In a speech that was light on specific promises, Governor Beshear missed a key chance to make a plea to voters and legislators for their support on expansion of gambling at race tracks.

Politicians offering campaign promises that will later be broken is nothing new, however, Beshear is clearly going to be working on this issue during the 60-day legislative session which began last week. This is why his choice to ignore the issue tonight was curious at best.

Does he have something up his sleeve? Perhaps a secret plan to end the war get casinos approved by voters?

Beshear said that to fix the budget shortfall, his government will have two options: to raise taxes or cut spending, even though his campaign offered a third issue: approve casino gaming.

He opened the speech by saying that Kentucky was in "financially demanding times." He called the revenue outlook, "grim," and despite talk about "hope for the future" and his (general) plan to fix the budget shortfall, he ignored gaming, he didn't even mention it in passing.

The overarching theme of his speech was his concern about the budget and economy, so there is no reason why in the body of the speech he couldn't segue into a section on how his plan to expand casino gaming will help turn these shortfalls into surpluses.

Beshear quoted Shakespeare, I'll look to Doyle.

In the Sherlock Holmes short story, Silver Blaze -- a story that fittingly took place at a thoroughbred race track -- the Victorian-era detective solved the case not on evidence that he found, but on a lack of evidence due to a "curious incident" of a dog that did not bark in the night-time.

Here we have the curious incident of the new-Governor who ignored key issues that just a few months ago he said he believed will help solve some of the key problems of the Commonwealth.

Senate President David Williams said on KET that he thinks the lack of a mention of gaming means that the issue is dead -- I disagree, but I guess we'll have to wait to the January 29th budget address to see what he thinks... lets hope he brings it up.

****
Update: My thought on the speech at The Courier-Journal's Velocity Blog.

Prodigal Son Returns

Okay, so prodigal son may be a bit over dramatic, but you may remember my blog post lamenting Julien Leparoux's exodus from Kentucky to California. (I worked both a new and old testament reference into that sentence.)

After a six weeks and two wins on sixteen mounts, he's coming back to be a little closer to home. It looks like we can thank this return to the problems plaguing Santa Anita's cushion track.

From The Blood-Horse:

“They closed the track right after we got here, so we couldn’t work horses to build business,” [his] agent remarked Jan. 12. “They were having a lot of trouble with the track and canceling races, and Julien and I decided that, since it was slow and we weren’t riding as many horses as we’d like, we’d go to Fair Grounds and reconnect with some of our Kentucky people.”

Leparoux will go to Keeneland's Spring Meet in April, where he has been the leading rider for the past two years.

Weekend Picks

My selections are up for the LeComte and San Rafael on the Velocity website, I only hope my selections continue to do as well as they did last week.

Cannibalization or Bigger Purses: what will racetrack casinos mean for Kentucky?

Posting has been light since I've been a bit under the weather, but I'm starting to get back into the grind, just in time for the weekend.

Greg Hall has two excellent stories today in the Courier-Journal about the race track casino expansion debate that is going to be going on through the Kentucky Legislature this session, the 60-day session opened on Tuesday.

The first story is a a front-page piece that covers the pro and con casino expansion arguments, and is summed up by the story lede: "If Kentucky approves casino gambling at its racetracks, will the crowds be at the slot machines or the betting windows?"

Hall really did a great job with this story, extensively covering both sides of the debate in a fair way, and the only real way for me to do this story justice is to copy/paste the entire thing (which I'm not going to do, go read the story), but I'll touch on some of the high points.

In a nutshell the proponent argument is based on the "need" for casino dollars; monies that will boost track purses and keep horsemen from fleeing to other states with higher purses thanks to race track gambling. While the opponents argue that the plan for expanded gaming will "cannibalize" the industry as dollars that would usually be bet on horses will instead go to the slot machines, blackjack and other gaming that may be approved.

From The Courier-Journal

It's only natural that when you're putting a new form of gambling right in amongst existing horse players and gamblers that there's going to be cannibalization, and there has been virtually everywhere that the machines have been put in," said David Willmot, the chairman and CEO of Woodbine Entertainment Group, which operates two Toronto-area tracks with slot machines.

Retired University of Louisville professor Richard Thalheimer, of the Lexington-based Thalheimer Research Associates, said his study of Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort showed the on-track handle has fallen about 39 percent since the Chester, W.Va., track added a casino.

Though he hasn't seen an industrywide study, he said, "in terms of the cannibalization, I think that is pretty common knowledge."

Proponents, including Gov. Steve Beshear, argue casinos can provide revenue to the state for a variety of budget needs like education and health care, while helping the state's signature industry compete against tracks in other states that have used gambling revenue to supplement purses.

Hall's story details more of the cannibalization vs. horsemen exodus to states with bigger purses as well as addresses the "problems" with the racino business models (which tend to ignore racing and do little to integrate the two).

More From The Courier-Journal

"I think it's fair to argue that a lot of those places (tracks with casino-style gambling) didn't expend a great deal of effort to try to promote the on-track business, because I don't know that any of them really believed that they could do so successfully," said Tim Capps, the executive in residence at the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program.

Hall's other story reports on the racetrack presidents of Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Turfway and Ellis Park who all testified before a House task force considering how Casinos will effect racing and breeding in the Commonwealth. This story is interesting because it reveals that the presidents of Ellis, Churchill and Keeneland, would at least consider a gambling facility that would be located off track.

From the second Courier-Journal story:

Issues of location dominated much of the hearing.

"I'm not going to vote for anything unless I know where they're going to be," said Rep. Harry Moberly, the Richmond Democrat who heads the House budget committee and is a task force member. "I don't want somebody else like some commission deciding where they're going to be."

Moberly said decisions need to be made soon, as the legislature moves through its 60-day session that began Tuesday.

Keeneland Association President Nick Nicholson said the Lexington track, known for its pastoral setting, is open to sharing a license with the nearby Red Mile harness and quarter-horse track at a site to be determined.

"Whatever we do, the specialness of Keeneland will be the first concern," he said.
Nicholson and Churchill's Sexton said their companies are willing to accept locations where state officials believe revenues could be maximized.
Ellis Park owner Ron Geary said he is open to having a casino at his Henderson track or operated at another site.

Turfway's Elliston said he believes the Florence track -- visible from Interstate 71 -- is ideally located for a casino.

Elliston is right that Turfway's setting is an ideal one, and the idea of an off-track casino locations in downtown Lexington and Louisville, operated by the race tracks, could make this issue more palatable for racing traditionalists (like me) who don't want to have to fight their way through crowds of blue-haired slot players on the way to the windows.

In the end, I'm not sure if it is going to matter much. While I think this will pass the House, the real struggle will be in the Senate where I suspect the debate will begin to fall apart as the Senators who don't have have a racetrack in their constituency, ask for various pet projects and favors in return for their support. I think this will die in the Senate without ever even coming to a vote.

The Annual "Most Important Game In The World Commonwealth"

As a public service reminder, I'll note that Saturday is the U of L - UK game (4 p.m. CBS). This game and the Kentucky Derby are the two events that give a home-sick feeling in my stomach as they approach each year.

As a Louisville alum who is married to a UK grad, this has the potential to be a much more contentious time in my home, but my wife chooses to instead identify with her undergraduate school, Murray State, and is a "Racer" fan through and through. So after the game, I'm left to either taunt or be taunted long-distance by my sister, brothers-in-law, and Pick 4 Partner (all rabid UK fans).

This year the Cardinals are 9-4, a pretty lukewarm start, but luckily they do appear to be a bit better than Kentucky who are 6-6. If the situation doens't improve soon, new coach Billy Gillispie is probably going to start feeling the heat get turned up real fast by the Wildcat faithful. I'd guess that with Florida at 13-2, Billy Donovan is probably real glad he didn't take the UK (or Orlando) job... and speaking of Orlando, I'll also note with much glee that ex-UK coach Orlando "Tubby" Smith's (photo) Minnesota team is 10-2. And all is right in the world.

Weekend Derby Prep Picks

Frank Mirahmadi said last night that Aquedect will return to the TVG airwaves, just in time for The Count Fleet Stakes. Mirahmadi says that absense of coverage this week was due to "paperwork" that needed to be finalized between NYRA and TVG.

Sigh.

Over at the Velocity Blog, I made my selections for the Count Fleet Stakes and Hutcheson Stakes (GII). It looks like I'm going to continue to make selections for all of the Derby prep races this year, and will keep a tally of my results. Yeesh.

My thoughts on the best and worst owner stories of 2007 will have to wait until next week, but if you want to catch up on what I've already said, here is what I consider the best and worst trainer and jockey stories for last year.

Eclipse Award Finalists

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, National Turf Writers Association and Daily Racing Form today released the finalists for the 2007 Eclipse Awards. Finalists for Horse of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony on January 21, 2008.

The finalists in the other categories are (in alphabetical order):

• Two-Year-Old Male: Kodiak Kowboy, Pyro, War Pass
• Two-Year-Old Filly: Country Star, Indian Blessing, Proud Spell
• Three-Year-Old Male: Curlin, Hard Spun, Street Sense
• Three-Year-Old Filly: Octave, Panty Raid, Rags to Riches
• Older Male: Corinthian, Invasor (ARG), Lawyer Ron
• Older Female: Ginger Punch, Hystericalady, Nashoba’s Key
• Male Sprinter: Fabulous Strike, Idiot Proof, Midnight Lute
• Female Sprinter: Dream Rush, Maryfield, River’s Prayer
• Male Turf: After Market, English Channel, Kip Deville
• Female Turf: Lahudood (GB), Nashoba’s Key, Precious Kitten
• Steeplechase: Good Night Shirt, McDynamo, Planets Aligned
• Owner: Maggi Moss, Shadwell Stable, Stronach Stables
• Breeder: Adena Springs, William Farish, Martin & Pam Wygod
• Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Kiaran McLaughlin, Todd Pletcher
• Jockey: Robby Albarado, Garrett Gomez, John Velazquez
• Apprentice Jockey: Tyler Pizarro, Alonso Quinonez, Joe Talamo