New York OTB to offer more

New York City Off-Track Betting Corp. will now take bets on Thoroughbred simulcasts after 7:30 p.m. Eastern as a result of legislation passed on Thursday, New York City OTB's vice president, John Van Lindt, said Friday.

The legislation, part of a larger state budget bill that overrode a veto by Gov. George Pataki, lifted a 7:30 p.m. restriction on Thoroughbred simulcasts that was designed to protect the state's harness industry. Van Lindt said that beginning on Friday, New York City OTB would continue to broadcast the Thoroughbred signal from Southern California tracks after 7:30 p.m., although the company would not necessarily purchase more nighttime signals.