Slots pass KY House; Williams making Senate vote dubious

[philcski]

Here's the P.O.S. that killed Kentucky racing.

Originally Posted by philcski

Here's the P.O.S. that killed Kentucky racing.

Caligula?

[GBBob]

Thnx for the play by play Coach and others...sickening

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Coach Pants

Caligula?

Yeah, I think he's a giver.

[Riot]

On the comments section of the Paulick blog, John G. Sikura has an interesting paragraph post-vote.

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/li...slots-hearing/

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Riot

On the comments section of the Paulick blog, John G. Sikura has an interesting paragraph post-vote.

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/li...slots-hearing/

Yep, I agree with him, if these states don't want to listen, close the place down.

Mr. D did that very thing, I forgot why he did it, but racing is more alive then ever around here now....

Can anyone explain to me why Thayer didn't get to vote? I met him and have talked with him on a couple occasions about some other stuff, and he is about as pro horse racing person as I have ever met

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Scav

Can anyone explain to me why Thayer didn't get to vote? I met him and have talked with him on a couple occasions about some other stuff, and he is about as pro horse racing person as I have ever met

Because he wasn't on the Senate Appropriations Committee that was voting to send the bill to the full senate.

He's a fraud. A lackey that thinks he's the annointed successor in the KY G.O.P. Accurately described to me earlier today as a 'pissant' by a leading political figure in Kentucky.

He may not think so or realize it, but his political future in KY, as well as his racing-related public relations business, are through as of tonight.

Hopefully one fine day when the religious zealots in this state get everything their way it will eventually backfire because their sheeple won't have the means to tithe.

F.uck religion.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Typical politicos, unable to see the six inches in front of their face, judgment clouded by their own ambitions and agenda, and in no way representing the folks who put them in office.

This whole situation in Kentucky parallels closely to someone in Massachusetts, former Speaker of the House, Sal DiMasi. For years, the state senate has passed various versions of slot legislation to add slots at Suffolk Downs, Plainville Racecourse and the two dog tracks. Consistently, for years, Mr. DiMasi refused to hold committee hearings on the legislation, never mind send it to the floor for a vote. At the beginning of the year, DiMasi resigned, and he's now under federal indictment on various counts (unrelated to racing or slots). Hopefully the karma train finds Mr. Williams one of these days as well.

These people unfortunately, make decisions like this every single day. It's not exclusive to republicans or democrats. Laws are passed in the interests of the special interests, those with money and influence. Or they are passed to sensationalize, that appease a small vocal crowd, but are later seen to be unnecessary or restrictive. This is in no way how it's supposed to be.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Scav

Yep, I agree with him, if these states don't want to listen, close the place down.

Mr. D did that very thing, I forgot why he did it, but racing is more alive then ever around here now....

Can anyone explain to me why Thayer didn't get to vote? I met him and have talked with him on a couple occasions about some other stuff, and he is about as pro horse racing person as I have ever met

Apparently only when it's politically expedient for him to be so. He's done in my mind. And I will be happy to tell him to his face next time he's glad-handing Georgetown.

Mr. D shut down Arlington until the Legislature gave him tax relief and simulcasting. That was when Elgin got riverboat gambling, I think, and he wanted slots at Arlington.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by philcski

Here's the P.O.S. that killed Kentucky racing.

Killed what Ellis friggin Park or Turfway in Feb? And why are these meets so critical to the fabric of racing? I just don't get. Phil you are going to have all the horses continue to race just at other healthy meets. Keeneland is fine and CD ain't going anywhere. Whats the biggy?

[philcski]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Killed what Ellis friggin Park or Turfway in Feb? And why are these meets so critical to the fabric of racing? I just don't get. Phil you are going to have all the horses continue to race just at other healthy meets. Keeneland is fine and CD ain't going anywhere. Whats the biggy?

It's pretty simple. Ellis gets killed off, the horsemen move their lower-level stock to Indiana for the midsummer, Turfway gets killed off, the horsemen move to Tampa or whatever for the winter, next thing you know they don't return for the Churchill or Keeneland meet because they're happy where they are. Churchill and Keeneland cannot exist as boutique meets. If you don't notice the decimation of Churchill this season I can't help you see what I mean.

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by philcski

It's pretty simple. Ellis gets killed off, the horsemen move their lower-level stock to Indiana for the midsummer, Turfway gets killed off, the horsemen move to Tampa or whatever for the winter, next thing you know they don't return for the Churchill or Keeneland meet because they're happy where they are. Churchill and Keeneland cannot exist as boutique meets. If you don't notice the decimation of Churchill this season I can't help you see what I mean.

At least for us, Turfway served a real purpose last Jan-March...The purses obviously aren't great, but if you are based in the midwest and part of your stable are Poly/Grass horses that aren't good enough to run on what FG calls grass and you don't want to ship to Tampa, Turfway was a nice bridge to AP.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by GBBob

At least for us, Turfway served a real purpose last Jan-March...The purses obviously aren't great, but if you are based in the midwest and part of your stable are Poly/Grass horses that aren't good enough to run on what FG calls grass and you don't want to ship to Tampa, Turfway was a nice bridge to AP.

Exactly my point...
And to our Tampa contingent, I think we all can agree it's a great place to winter but a lot of people don't want to ship back and forth with cheaper horses because shipping is EXPENSIVE.

P.S. I may be invading on Jul 11th!

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by GBBob

At least for us, Turfway served a real purpose last Jan-March...The purses obviously aren't great, but if you are based in the midwest and part of your stable are Poly/Grass horses that aren't good enough to run on what FG calls grass and you don't want to ship to Tampa, Turfway was a nice bridge to AP.

Come on Bob, ship to Tampa. It'll give you an excuse to escape Chicago in the winter to watch your horses run.

I'll take over for Scav's drooling in the winner's circle, you'll just need to send me one of those sporty BG tees.

Your horses will also be fit as a fiddle for their return at AP in the spring. Tampa shippers =

Geary will shut Ellis down. He is set in his ways and made his fortune with the help of government through ResCare. He's never really had to take a risk without the certainty of a lucrative reward and that will not change.

He bought Ellis Park in hopes of getting slots. And every time he whines to the media he gives fuel to his opponents who have no sympathy for a multi-millionaire who doesn't get his way.

I hope that there will be someone out there with patience and deep pockets who actually cares about the employees of Ellis Park and the tri-state area who will buy Ellis and ride this out until slots are introduced.

Quite frankly if he can't afford to wait two years (which is complete BS) then he should move on and let a savvier businessman take over.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by philcski

It's pretty simple. Ellis gets killed off, the horsemen move their lower-level stock to Indiana for the midsummer, Turfway gets killed off, the horsemen move to Tampa or whatever for the winter, next thing you know they don't return for the Churchill or Keeneland meet because they're happy where they are. Churchill and Keeneland cannot exist as boutique meets. If you don't notice the decimation of Churchill this season I can't help you see what I mean.

Keeneland can exist, everyone wants to win there, everyone

[citycat]

The point is that not everyone can win at Keeneland. Lower level claiming horses make up the backbone of the sport. For those who cannot see that this is a tragic event for horse racing in Kentucky they really do not understand the depth of the industry.

[Scav]

Originally Posted by citycat

The point is that not everyone can win at Keeneland. Lower level claiming horses make up the backbone of the sport. For those who cannot see that this is a tragic event for horse racing in Kentucky they really do not understand the depth of the industry.

I understand fully, I was just commenting on Phil saying they couldn't exist, they would be the only track to be competitive

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Scav

Keeneland can exist, everyone wants to win there, everyone

keep in mind their purses are supplemented by the sales revenue, which will decline if kentucky is no longer the center of the racing world as breeders move out of state. they also have a very healthy simulcast operation as you know with no competition in lexington, which probably isnt going anywhere, but can kentucky racing thrive with a 6 week churchill meet and two 3 week keeneland meets? most definitely not.