Announcer leaves post over idea

Ken Miller, the track announcer at Prairie Meadows for all but two seasons since the track opened in 1989, has been released.

Miller has been in a dispute with track officials over the past month regarding a pick five parlay concept. Miller has said he came up with the idea of the wager - in which players choose any five races on the card to play a pick five - on his own time and had sought advice on patenting the wager.

The track claims Miller used company time as well as its computers working on the wager and that it therefore should have the rights to the bet. Last week the track filed suit against Miller.

Track officials confirmed Miller is no longer employed at Prairie Meadows but would not comment further.

An e-mail sent Wednesday to Prairie Meadows employees said, "Ken has left our employ to pursue other interests."

An article in the Des Moines Register on Thursday quoted Miller as saying, "I did not resign my position, and on the advice of counsel I'm not at liberty to discuss it further."

Miller was not available for comment on Friday.