Leaders of racing organizations in Virginia are asking their members to submit comments to the Virginia Racing Commission taking issue with a proposed cap on the number of slot-machine-like devices that will be allowed in the state in advance of a July 31 meeting to discuss draft regulations governing the machines.
The Stronach Group intends to file plans for a proposed racetrack in central Massachusetts in advance of a Monday meeting with local government officials in Lancaster, officials for the town said on Tuesday.
The plans are expected by the close of business on Wednesday, according to Lancaster’s town administrator, Orlando Pacheco. A number of the town’s planning agencies will participate in the Monday meeting, according to Pacheco, who said that the town does not have many details yet about the proposal.
Lone Star Park near Dallas has canceled the remainder of its meet that was to close on Sunday. The final three dates of the season were called off due to severe heat, said track spokeswoman Diantha Brazzell.
There has been record heat in the region and it was 105 degrees at 7:15 p.m. in Grand Prairie, according to The Weather Channel. Brazzell said the decision was made around 6:45 p.m. Central on Friday.
Lone Star had a first post of 6:35 p.m. Central, but none of the races were run Friday. The track had afternoon posts scheduled both Saturday and Sunday.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - All-sources handle on Friday’s opening-day card at Saratoga was $20,247,319, less than 1 percent lower than the $20,332,053 wagered on opening day 2017.
Ontrack handle was $5,403,833, up 7.7 percent from the 2017 opening-day figure of $5,016,519. There were 10 races and 92 betting interests on both opening-day cards.
Paid attendance on Friday was 33,714, a 3 percent increase over the 32,730 paid attendance figure from 2017.
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Lone Star Park is on pace to close out its meet Sunday with an increase compared to last year in average daily handle on its races, according to figures provided by the track.
Lone Star had handled an average $1,074,805 a day on its live races from all sources through last Sunday, July 15. Of that amount, $832,297 came from bets made offtrack – up 19 percent from the corresponding period in 2017 – and $242,508 from bets made ontrack – up 6 percent.
Ron Paolucci, whose Loooch Racing Stables has become a leading owner in North America, said Thursday without equivocation that he is getting out of horse ownership.
“I’ve thought about it long and hard,” said Paolucci, 48. “Life is too short. I want to enjoy my life, and I’m not getting enough enjoyment out of life as a horse owner. I’m definitely getting out. I’ve had enough.”
A fire that occurred in a trailer transporting horses from Kentucky to New York on Tuesday killed three mares and their foals, according to the farm where the horses were to be boarded.
Sequel New York, the upstate New York farm, said the fire claimed the lives of La Java and her Constitution colt, owned by Red Diamond Stables; Starship Voodoo and her Macho Uno colt, owned by Starship Stables; and Southern Sunshine and her Orb filly, owned by Sequel. All three mares were also confirmed in foal.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday approved a pending deal that will allow the group that owns a minority stake in Ellis Park to buy the majority stake held by Ron Geary, the public face of Ellis’s ownership since he bought the track outright in 2006.
Eric Halstrom has been named vice president of operations for Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., according to a press release issued by the track Tuesday.
Halstrom was the vice president of racing at Canterbury Park from 1997-2008 and from there served as vice president and general manager of racing operations for Fair Grounds in New Orleans for five years. He joins Louisiana Downs from Prairie Meadows, where he has been working as assistant director of racing.
ELMONT, N.Y. – Due in large part to Justify, the Belmont Park spring-summer meet showed significant gains in handle at the 2018 meet compared to last year.
All-sources handle for the 53-day meet was $634,276,776, a 9.1 percent increase from the 2017 figure of $581,496,467 when 54 cards were run. There were 54 cards scheduled this year, but the July 1 program was canceled due to extreme heat.
Ontrack handle was $79,507,416, a 2 percent increase over last year’s figure of $77,960,658.
