Franchise Delay Hangs Over Trainers
 

Blood-Horse piece by Karen Johnson on the anxiety involved...

http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=42202

Tough conditions to work under.

They can hedge with me.

There will be no interuption.

I dont know of a single NY trainer that went to the FG last year.

I can fit four or five in my backyard here in Tampa, but then again they're probably not used to running for 23k allowance money :o

I agree. I don't know where the # came from, but I could be convinced that "owners" -- as opposed to "trainers" -- may have chosen the FG over NY. If possible, much more likely and possible this year, but I guess I could see it. Maybe they are talking about someone like a Maggi Moss pulling out of NY or something like that. Maybe someone like an Andy Berg, but I don't know if that would be the case either. This year, isn't Dutrow sending a division to FG?

Eric

On the interuption topic, personally, I don't know what to think. On one hand, I think Bruno et al is again hurting the indutry as a whole. Why is this any diffferent than approving VLT's and after X # of years not having them up and running? Wanting "the others to be involved" is self serving to me. Political football and everyone is fumbling the ball.

If the deadline comes and goes, and Spitzer says let NYRA run the show in the interim, the Republicans, I think, have to approve that as well. More importantly, the Republicans want to right to chose who will be the interim run the show group. If this turns into a bluff/stalemate, then it's nothing but bad, very bad, for the industry as a whole.

My common sense says it's a done deal and NYRA gets the extension, and there is no shut-down, interuption, etc., but who knows.

Eric

I'm sure there are congintent plans...Maggi Moss dispursed her NY breds in the state - mostly to B. Levine, who I'm sure has given thought to it... But I agree Eric, we will overcome as an industry; with or without NY....the Trainers, Owners, and Horsemen will take it in the shorts...I'm betting that they extend NYRA until the next governor can hang it over our heads for the next term...Seems to be the stattus quo

And why should NYRA agree to run things on a possible interim basis because the politicians have screwed this up beyond belief?

They won't......and they shouldn't.

Give them the full extension.....or fight them in court over the land. They're a lot stronger than people seem to realize and they hold the cards.

From a practical standpoint, even if racing is shut down for only a week, will employees be allowed to be there? Who will pick up manure, pay the water bill (make sure the water stays on), work the track daily so it's safe to work out on, etc?

I'm just picturing the no-minds literally "turning off the lights" and locking the gates, to make their political point.

There won't be a shutdown. It won't happen. The politicians cannot let that happen....and they know NYRA isn't flinching.

Why should they?

I agree, they shouldn't. I wasn't sure they wouldn't though. Only reason being, if anyone else came in, that might not be a strategically good step in the right direction. It's moot though as you are right about continuing the litigation/bankruptcy side. As those who know said from day one -- the land was the ace.

Eric

I explained this the other day to someone as a husband that is cheating on his wife, and looking for the best mistress to be with in the long run, while telling his current wife to stick around and wash the dishes and do the laundry while he makes his decision.

NYRA definately shouldn't, although I would love to see the land issue taken to court...

When asked about the franchise situation early in 2006, John Nerud told the At the Races audience that NYRA owned the land/facilities and a court would rule that way should it get to litigation.. He was resolute that there would be no way for the state to simply wrangle away the issue, and if they didn't approach it in good faith there would be a hassle. Nerud has only been right about everything in racing for the last 75 years..

It's the NYRA's land, why shouldn't they get the racing franchise ? And what has taken Bruno 6 years to get the vlt into Aqueduct ? This guy has some explaining to do.

Its the little guys who would get hurt in a shutdown, even if it were for just a few weeks. The big guys can get out of town and take their help with them. Small operations with mosty NYbreds and cheap stock who look forward to AQU so they can make some $$$ and who don't have money to put horses on vans to PHA etc will get hurt. The man with 6 horses, one hotwalker and one groom, with 2 kids in school in NYC can't just up and walk out of town. If there is no racing he gets no money and he still has mouths to feed, human and equine.

Well then it's a good thing there won't be a shutdown.

Wow you all "Know" the land is NYRA's that's so funny considering counsel for both sides "think" they are right

Andrew, I very much hope that you are correct....are you basing your statement on any solid info/news??

I'm glad you are so confident, but some of the trainers I know are less so. I hope you are right.