Rebate defense sounds hollow at its source
Is it now the Racing Form's policy to accept advertising in the form of a letter to the editor, or does blatant self-promotion now fit into a special reader-interest category? If the March 14 letter "Legal rebating is no enemy to the game" was intended to confront alleged misrepresentations of its author, his positions, or his activities, it raised more questions than it answered.
A bill that would allow for the establishment of an account-wagering hub in Kentucky continued to move forward on Thursday in the last days of the state legislative session.
The bill, which passed out of the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee on Tuesday, would allow racetracks or account-wagering companies to create wagering hubs in the state. The bill does not provide for any taxes on betting through the hub.
The California Horse Racing Board discussed topics including a look at account wagering, rebates, a new weight scale for jockeys, and the future of racing in northern California at its monthly meeting Thursday at Golden Gate Fields.
Revenue from account wagering showed a "dramatic increase" in the second year of operation, according to a CHRB staff report, which projected wagers of from $350 to $400 million for 2004.
The Arizona Department of Racing has begun testing for the practice known as "milkshaking," the administration of a sodium bicarbonate mixture to a horse's stomach through a tube. The state's drug-testing program also has increased from 15 to 25 the number of prohibited substances for which it will test, and will test more horses on a daily basis.
Fritz Engel, a prominent Nebraska auctioneer who was involved in Thoroughbred racing for several decades, died Monday at his home in Clarks, Neb., at age 71. He is survived by his wife, Janet, and three sons. . . . The Breeders' Cup will host a charity event on Friday, Oct. 29, at the Fort Worth, Texas, zoo, with proceeds benefiting the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation and a Texas Wildlife conservation fund. George Strait, the country music star, will perform.
The Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission unanimously passed a rule on Tuesday that would disqualify any horse from racing if it tests positive for the illegal blood-enhancing drug erythropoietin, commonly known as EPO.
The rule, which will go into effect beginning May 11, was modeled after rules passed last year in Canada and New York. Under the rule, any horse who tests positive for EPO will be prohibited from racing until its system is clear of the antibodies produced by an EPO injection.
Sharon O'Bryan, a consultant hired in February to be the National Thoroughbred Racing Association's chief security officer, will not be joining the NTRA after all, officials for the association said on Wednesday.
O'Bryan, a former senior vice president with a Dutch banking company, was scheduled to start in the new post on April 1. She backed out of the job earlier this month, however, after her clients made additional offers, NTRA officials said.
MIAMI - Wynn Dot Comma, who upset Eurosilver to win the Grade 3 Swale Stakes on March 13 at Gulfstream Park, was euthanized after breaking down during a routine gallop at Calder on Tuesday morning.
Wynn Dot Comma had nearly completed his regular gallop around 6:30 a.m. when he apparently took a bad step and broke his right front ankle, according to trainer Marty Wolfson.