Betting big: Thoroughbred racing returns to MI
HURON TOWNSHIP -- Moving to Michigan in troubled economic times is a tough call these days.
But it's not an issue to Teri Elliott, 56, a former jockey turned thoroughbred owner. She sees opportunity.
It comes at Pinnacle Race Course, a $72 million race track on 320 acres near Metro Airport, which is scheduled to open Friday.
"Everybody asks me, 'Why are you moving back here?" said Elliott, who is from Davisburg but has lived in Ocala, Fla., since Ladbroke Detroit Race Course in Livonia closed in 1998.
"I know it's a big gamble, but we want to experience racing in the big city again."
Elliott and her husband, Herman, 64, will be racing their horse True Con. Herman Elliott also is a blacksmith who hopes to get work at the track.
When the first of Friday's nine races goes off at 2:30 p.m., it'll be the first Metro thoroughbred race since 1998.
The state's last thoroughbred track, Great Lakes Downs in Muskegon, closed last year.
Building a racetrack in a state with so much sporting competition from professional and major college teams and plentiful casino gambling options, in an era that's seen steady decline in the horse racing industry, certainly is a risk.
The amount wagered on horse racing in Michigan has declined in each of the last 11 years, and the state's revenue from the sport has decreased in 10 of the last 11 years.
Competition from casinos is largely blamed for the drop-off, but it's notable the high-water mark of 1998 was the last time thoroughbreds raced in the area.
"If you ever tried to pour water into a Coke bottle, you know you can't do it timidly because you won't be able to get it in there, you gotta go for it," said Jerry Campbell, 68, the banker and horse breeder who is bankrolling Pinnacle with his personal fortune.
"I think the risk is to not do this right."
'The best I've ever seen'
Doing things "right" means from the ground up. Contractor John Passero, who also is the director of racing services for Aqueduct, Belmont Park and the Saratoga Race Course in New York, calls Pinnacle's racing surface "the best I've ever seen."
The track, which has been under construction for four months, consists of a 9-inch limestone base with a 4 1/2 -inch dirt "cushion."
Passero said times horses clocked during training earlier this week were so fast he knew the track was special.
"It does anything you want a track to do," Passero said. "You could land a 747 on this sucker or a 147,000-pound truck, and it wouldn't even make a dent.
"This is one of the best cushion mixes I've seen. God made this dirt."
What man is building is pretty special, too. Campbell envisions a world class facility on par with Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby.
When Pinnacle opens Friday, there will be a temporary grandstand for 1,000 and a pavilion. Plans call for a 4,000-seat permanent grandstand and a clubhouse with nine restaurants by 2010.
Ultimately, Campbell hopes to host a future Breeders' Cup.
Taking that leap
But to get there from here will take a leap of faith and degrees of financial risk -- from Campbell, to small owners like Elliott, to jockeys like Alex Estrada, to the public.
Estrada, 33, is from Guanajuato, Mexico, and arrived without guaranteed mounts but hoping to catch on with some horse owners.
"This is something brand new for me," Estrada said.
"It's the perfect sized racetrack for thoroughbreds and will be exciting for the people that come to watch, which is good for us.
"We usually move around to places where there's money."
Ben Naber, 46, of Novi is a frequent patron of harness racing tracks in Northville and Hazel Park and said he most likely will visit Pinnacle.
"Any gambler likes to see live racing," Naber said.
However, Naber calls Campbell's goal of a Breeders' Cup in the next five to 10 years "a pipe dream" and said Pinnacle's location, east of I-275 and south of Metro Airport, could be inconvenient.
Mark Haidar, 52, of Northville believes it will take quite an effort for Pinnacle to attract younger visitors.
"Unfortunately, at the track, I'm one of the younger guys," Haidar said.
"The track is a great way to spend an afternoon. "If everyone knew they could go there, get a cheap beer -- or even a reasonably priced beer -- and get some decent food, (Pinnacle) could take some of the casino business."
National and state racing officials point to increased live and simulcast wagering and the popularity of televised events like the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup as reasons to be optimistic.
And despite job losses and stagnant population growth, Metro Detroit is still considered a major sports market.
Pinnacle's opening brings hope to an industry looking for more upscale facilities to attract younger fans, said Eric Wing of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which represents nearly 100 tracks in North America.
"It sends a very positive message because Detroit is such a great sports town," Wing said. "The area is not a market you want to be absent from."
As Liana Bennett, the state racing commission spokeswoman, says: "If you look at the location, you're bordering another country and other states. We definitely think there will be a rise (in interest)."
It's part of county's plan
There's more than horse racing in the equation, too.
The Pinnacle development is seen as a catalyst for Wayne County's goal of an "aerotropolis" business zone around the airport.
The track, which didn't break ground until early April, establishes a viable entertainment complex and some of the infrastructure for the area, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano said.
"We wanted to see if we could get all the government agencies and the private sector to get a project done in a short time," Ficano said. "Pinnacle shows that speed can be utilized and shown off."
The swift planning and construction hasn't gone without glitches, though.
Crews couldn't begin paving Pinnacle's massive parking lot until earlier this week. Electrical power and phone lines weren't all operable until midweek.
One benefit already realized is job creation.
In the short term, Pinnacle will employ 250, mostly seasonal workers, with the potential of as many as 1,200when all phases of the project are complete. More than 3,000 applied for jobs.
Susan Welch, 49, of Westland landed one. She'll care for the horses in the stables and during races, a role she performed for more than a decade at the Detroit Race Course. Now, she'll be working alongside her 18-year-old son, Shawn Cleary.
Tom Schlaff, 43, of Canton Township will be a bartender.
Schlaff, who says he has been a visitor at area tracks for more than 20 years, has faith in the Pinnacle gamble.
"The economy is terrible ... but I think of it this way: All these people building the track and putting up all this money must know something you and I don't," Schlaff said.
(c)2008 The Detroit News
Kentucky horsemen's injunction request denied
A request for an injunction that would require Churchill Downs to consult with Kentucky horsemen before making future significant purse changes -- such as the recent 20 percent reduction at its Louisville track -- was denied yesterday by a federal judge.
The horsemen had initially asked that the judge also block Churchill's 20 percent purse cut, but that issue had already been resolved, according to Doug McSwain, an attorney for the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.
U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II decided this month -- with the agreement of both parties -- that an injunction halting the purse cuts wasn't currently needed because any financial loss to the horsemen could be remedied later, McSwain said.
"If the horsemen can be put back whole, we are satisfied with that," McSwain said.
David Schiffman, an attorney for Churchill Downs, said he does not speak with reporters.
Heyburn denied the other request, that Churchill be ordered to consult and confer with horsemen, saying in part that it is unclear what effect such a consultation would have.
In court yesterday, McSwain told Heyburn that the track has run a "spin campaign," telling the public and media that the Louisville track had to reduce purses solely because the Kentucky HBPA and the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association blocked Churchill Downs' races from national account-wagering sites, like Churchill's TwinSpires.com. McSwain has called the cut retaliatory.
In fact, Churchill Downs entered this year's spring meet with a balance of almost $1.1 million less in the purse account than last year. That helped lead to the purse cut and stemmed largely from Churchill's entry into account wagering.
"That was their own doing," McSwain said in an interview. "They've laid it all at our feet."
McSwain said horsemen were "blindsided" by the cuts as Churchill never approached them to discuss the purse cut or possibly spreading out the cuts over the fall and spring meets.
Churchill Downs President Steve Sexton acknowledged during testimony that the decision to reduce purses was not solely because of the dispute with horsemen, who want a larger share of profits from account wagering -- online and telephone betting.
But Sexton said business during Kentucky Derby week was down, resulting in a small decrease in revenues for purses, when the track had expected an increase. The subsequent purse cut was mainly necessitated by the dispute with the horsemen.
Schiffman noted in the hearing that the horsemen have conceded that some purse cuts were needed. He said the track never put all of the blame for the cuts on the horsemen.
Sexton also denied that the reduction in purses was an attempt to coerce, intimidate or retaliate against the horsemen.
(c) Courier-Journal
Big Brown owner says stable will be drug free
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Big Brown's owner doesn't want to wait for the federal government to come in and clean up horse racing.
Michael Iavarone, the co-owner IEAH Stables said Monday the 50-plus horses owned by the syndicate will be drug free by the end of the year. That includes steroids and all other legal racing medications except for Lasix.
Iavarone said last week's Congressional hearing in which owners, veterinarians and industry officials expressed a strong desire to rid the sport of steroids led to the decision.
"You see that people that are influential in the game all want it," Iavarone said. "Hopefully we're the first of many (owners) to take the step, but you've got to show you really want it."
U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield - the ranking Republican on the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection - called move a good sign, but doesn't expect to see other owners lining up behind IEAH.
"I'm confident there's not going to be a mass stampede by owners," Whitfield told the Associated Press. "There are owners in some states who fear (by not taking the drugs) they would be less competitive."
Maybe, but the move by IEAH could take some of the sting out of a rough two weeks for the syndicate and their superstar horse following Big Brown's lethargic last-place finish in the Belmont Stakes.
Trainer Rick Dutrow created a stir before the Belmont when he told reporters he decided against giving the horse his monthly dose of stanozolol, a legal steroid sometimes sold under the brand name Winstrol. Some critics speculated Big Brown was suffering from steroid withdrawal during the race, a notion Iavarone dismisses.
What happened during the Belmont remains a mystery to Iavarone, though a picture he received from a freelance photographer taken during the race shows Big Brown running with a seemingly dislodged shoe on his right hind foot. There was no evidence of injury to the hoof after the race, but Iavarone doesn't think it could have been comfortable for the horse, who was wearing an acrylic patch on his left front hoof to compensate for a painful quarter crack.
"It has to be considered a very strong possibility," Iavarone said. "If the shoe was off, it's like running on a wobbly cleat."
Hoof issues aside, taking such an aggressive stance against drugs sends the right message said National Thoroughbred Racing Association CEO Alex Waldrop.
"I think they were affected by all of the criticism suggesting that Big Brown was some kind of pumped up, steroid-laced phenomenon and it wasn't legitimate," he said. "They rightly concluded the only way to remove the cloud of suspicion is to remove steroids from horses, otherwise they're going to be constantly under suspicion."
Instead, Iavarone would like to put the onus on owners who don't come forward to adopt his position. He is asking all chart makers to put annotations in daily race programs that highlight all drug-free horses.
"It credits people that come aboard and do it with us," he said. "Every horse that runs on Lasix only should be known as such, and it spotlights the people that aren't interested in doing it."
Whether other owners come forward and take a similar stance might not matter. The NTRA and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium are pushing the 38 racing states to adopt a model rule that would ban all but four steroids considered therapeutic in nature.
Under the model rule, which could be in place in each of the states by the end of the year, horses that are administered one of the four approved steroids - including stanozolol - would be prohibited from racing for 30 days. Once they return to the track, they must test under the allowable threshold for the drug or the trainer and owner would be subject to penalties and fines.
"If they're not going to do it properly, it's going to be imposed upon them," said California Horse Racing Board chairman Robert Shapiro. "I applaud anybody who can see the writing on the wall."
The writing may not be enough. Winfield isn't convinced the model rule is strong enough, citing the complicated rule-making process in each of the states and the inability to adopt uniform penalties.
"It sounds good to say X state has adopted a uniform rule, but when you look closer you see that they're not really consistent in any way," said Whitfield, who said the government is considering several options, including creating a national body to oversee the sport.
IEAH's position goes far beyond the model rule. When Big Brown heads to the starting gate for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic in Santa Anita in October, he'll be clean, or else.
"We're willing to forgo everything," Iavarone said. "If we win the Breeders' Cup and test for anything positive, even if it's legal, we're going to give up the purse."
A loss on the track would pale in comparison to the loss in breeding shed.
IEAH sold Big Brown's breeding rights to Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky., for a reported $50 million. If he struggles in the summer and fall - his next race is the Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park in August - his stud fee will plummet and the stable's reputation could tumble.
It's a risk the man who grew up hopping the fence at Roosevelt Park in New York to watch the races is willing to take.
"We're trying to take a forward step to regain the public's confidence," he said. "It comes down to the public in this game. If the public doesn't show up, if the public doesn't bet on horse racing, they're going to stop betting. Is it the end-all, cure-all? I think it's a step in the right direction. I think if owners just agree to play the game the right way, this can only help."
(c) 2008 The Associated Press
Online Horse Betting - Color Her Brilliant
Horse betting faithful have to resist the temptation to get oversold on runners but once in awhile a few runners that break through rate scrutiny their entire careers.
Enter Ocean Colors. She burst onto the scene recently at Churchill Downs taking her debut by over 5 lengths going wire to wire and posting a 92 Beyer figure. The horse that ran second was almost 5 clear of the show horse and this gal's future is so bright, that her owners at Gainesway Farm have to wear shades.
Astute horse bettors should put her on a watch and just be aware where she will show up in her next out. The miss is bred to be any kind as her dam Winning Colors took the 1988 Kentucky Derby and she's in the right hands as her trainer Steve Asmussen has a nice little horse named Curlin too.
This is the trainer's reaction in the Courier-Journal, Asmussen: "She sure has a lot of class. I didn't know she'd be that fast from the gate. Who knows how good she might be?"
Nice words from a guy who has been around some nice horses.
Horse bettors can get a glimpse of how good she can be by examining the other runners that Winning Colors has dropped. She has 6 other foals to race and only 3 won but top kin Danzig Colors was a runner.
That mare could win short and long, was raced basically in Japan and she earned over $250,000.
The best news for horse bettors is that Danzig Colors' form suggests that Ocean Colors will have options as all of the Japanese runner's wins came on grass.
Clever horse bettor should be aware of Ocean Colors' next start and they should double down if the runner shows up on turf in a race with zero speed in the line up.
Another runner that coast-to-coast horse bettors should follow is Right Place. Owned by Darley Stable, she was mired on the inside of the track in her first start and was tons best of the rest in her second on a wet/fast strip on the stretch out.
Caught wide in her third career effort, the miss dueled every step of the way and at the end was over 3 lengths clear of the show horse. She seems to be sitting on a maiden diploma.
Horse bettors that go the extra yard know that there are several winners in her family including near $300K earner and stakes winner Mambo Train.
Right Place's top sibling is Runway Model, who took a couple of Grade 2 races, had tactical speed when she was on her game, could win short or long, earned over $725,000 and just might have been best in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile when blocked the length of the stretch.
If this filly shows up in a mile race in New York with limited speed, active horse bettors should make a little trip to the ATM with her saddlecloth in mind.
Just like ball clubs have their farm systems, horse players that want to stay ahead of the game always have a few up and coming stars that they have their collective eyes on.
(c) 1994-2008 BetUS
Belmont Stakes Betting - Tomcito Might Fire Best Shot After Myectomy
There isn't a more disappointing horse in horse race betting, based on past performances, in the 2008 Belmont Stakes then the South American import, Tomcito. In his last three races, Tomcito has been beaten by a combined 38 plus lengths.
It feels like he's been drilled by every three-year old in the country. He lost by 12 1/2 lengths to Big Brown in the Florida Derby, 3 3/4 lengths to Behindatthebar in the Lexington Stakes and 22 1/4 lengths to Casino Drive in the Peter Pan Stakes.
There's absolutely no reason to even consider a off track betting wager on Tomcito in the 2008 Belmont Stakes, right?
Wrong. Tomcito is actually one of the few horses in the Belmont who might have a shot at taking down Big Brown. Yes, it has taken some imagination for me to come up with the reasons, but the reasons do exist.
First, Tomcito was absolutely brilliant in his native Peru. Out of 5 lifetime starts, Tomcito was 4-1-1. He sort of had the appearance of another brilliant South American import - - the great Candy Ride who squashed Medalgia D'Oro in the Pacific Classic in 2002. Yes, Tomcito was running in Peru but if you take a look at his breeding, it makes sense that he would have been that good.
Tomcito is out of last year's Kentucky Derby winning sire, Street Cry. Although he was bought at auction for a mere $8,000, just the fact that Street Cry is his daddy means that he should have the fighting spirit needed to contend against the likes of Big Brown and Casino Drive.
His first race in the states, the 12 length loss to Big Brown in the Florida Derby, wasn't nearly as bad as it looks on paper. Sure, he was dominated by Richard Dutrow's horse, but it was Tomcito's first start of the year after having run last in November of 2007. It was also his first start after traveling from Peru.
Maybe, the horse just needed to acclimate himself. Aha, you say, then why did he get worse in his subsequent two starts?
That, my friends, is the million dollar question that I can answer with one word - - myectomy.
A myectomy is a procedure performed on a horse when he slips his palate. Flipping your palate, for a horse, can cause extreme breathing problems. It's also a sign that maybe the horse has had trouble breathing in his last few races. That would explain why Tomcito has appeared so dull here in the United States after running so great in Peru. Will the myectomy have an affect on how Tomcito performs?
I think so. I believe it will affect Tomcito in a positive way. He could end up running better in the Belmont Stakes then he has in any of his three previous races stateside.
(c) 1994-2008 BetUS
Kentucky Derby Betting Online - 2 Races on Undercard Offer Nice Overlays
If we concentrate too much on the Kentucky Derby, as online sportsbook enthusiasts, our heads will start spinning. The truth about the Kentucky Derby is that although everybody wants to pick the winner, it doesn't always end up that way. In fact because the Kentucky Derby is so different then any other race in the United States, there are 20 horses in the freaking field, it makes more sense to concentrate on some of the smaller races that are run during the day.
That's what I'm going to do here. BetUS online racebook fans must understand that the Derby is a single race on an eleven race card. Inside of that card are numerous races where a BetUS sportsbook wagering king can make a lot of dough.
I've highlighted two of those races below. I'll have sizable online bets on horses in both of these races.
Race 7 - Churchill Downs
Grade III Churchill Distaff Turf Mile
1 mile on turf
Dreaming of Ana, the chalk in this race, is 9 out of 13 lifetime and has won almost 2 million dollars. So, am I going to pick her? Of course not! There's nothing wrong with Dreaming of Ana other then the fact that she will have to fight hard to wrestle the lead away from Bayou's Lassie and New Edition. Neither one of those mares is going to let Ana just stroll to the lead. That means that my play of the day, Lady Carlock, has a legitimate shot to pull a major upset in this race. The morning line odds on Lady Carlock are 15 to 1. She's trained by Carl Nafzger who about this time in 2007 was getting ready to pose for pictures with Street Sense. She will need a very hot pace in order to get up at this mile distance, but she might get it as both New Edition and Dreaming of Ana have little choice but to run each other into the ground. For second, I can't dismiss the chalk. Dreaming of Ana is as quality as a mare can get. She's ultra-fast and I do believe she is the most likely winner of this race. It's the odds that I can't stand. For third, I'm going with Ventura. She, like Dreaming of Ana, is a quality mare. I think she can do some damage in this race.
1. Lady Carlock
2. Dreaming of Ana
3. Ventura
Race 9 - Churchill Downs
Grade I Woodford Reserve Turf Classic
1 1/8th miles on turf
This is only an eight horse field which makes me wonder if I'm going to get anything close to 5 to 1 on Artiste Royale. I hope I do. He's a very good horse who has trouble finding the winner's circle, but trainer Neil Drysdale didn't send him all the way to Kentucky to just hang-out. Royale is well meant. I expect him to show it in the Woodford Reserve. I've got to go with another California shipper, Golden Balls, for second. Golden Balls is coming out of a nice mile prep race on the turf where he lost by 1 3/4 lengths to Daytona. Daytona would be a big favorite in this race. So, Golden Balls deserves some respect. For third, Einstein is the play. The morning line chalk at 3 to1, Einstein isn't nearly as dominant as some make him out to be. But he is consistent and that might just be enough to put him into the winner's circle.
1. Artiste Royale
2. Golden Balls
3. Einstein
(C) 1994-2008 BetUS
Cal Expo betting on a big Derby crowd
By Debbie Arrington and Melanie B. Glover - darrington@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Saturday, May 3, 2008
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1
Cal Expo officials encourage people to arrive early today at the state fairgrounds' simulcast facility, where an overflow crowd is expected for the 134th Kentucky Derby.
But you won't catch Nelson Smigel among the masses with cash in one hand and a Daily Racing Form in the other.
He'll be watching the race at home in Elk Grove, having already placed his bets Friday on Derby entries Court Vision and Visionaire.
"Today, a lot of people come in and get their Forms," said Smigel, 48, who was one of an estimated 350 people at Cal Expo on Friday. "But tomorrow it's a zoo."
It's the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, one of the most celebrated sporting events in America.
And because online wagering on today's Churchill Downs program is limited to two Web sites, Cal Expo and other simulcast centers are expected to do big business.
"We're lucky," said Cal Expo racing director David Elliott. "We'll have the grandstand open for overflow seating so everyone can get a seat."
General admission is $4. The facility also offers a $30 Derby Day special including breakfast and lunch buffets, admission, clubhouse seat and program.
Cal Expo, which draws an estimated 400 people on an average day, expects today's crowd to exceed the turnout of 2,430 people on Derby day last year. The simulcast doors open at 7:30 a.m. The first race from Churchill Downs is at 8 a.m., with the Kentucky Derby to be run at 3:04 p.m.
A near-record $118.3 million was wagered on the 2007 Kentucky Derby, won by favorite Street Sense. Churchill Downs' stakes-filled program drew $175.1 million nationwide.
While fans were free to place bets on the 2007 race from home via online wagering, also known as advance deposit wagering, that is not the case this year.
TVG (Television Games Network), Youbet and other online services are locked out of races from Churchill Downs because of a dispute between horsemen and Churchill Downs management. The horsemen want a larger share of the quickly growing online pool.
No solution appears likely before today's race.
Online wagering accounts for about 10 percent of betting in the United States.
Through a prior contract, Churchill Downs' twinspires.com and partner Magna Entertainment's xpressbet.com are allowed to accept online wagering on today's Derby and Turf Classic, but no other races from Churchill Downs.
With a large turnout expected today, Elliott says Cal Expo will see more betting because of the limits on online wagering.
"(Online wagering) has really impacted us substantially," Elliott said. "Sacramento County always ranks among the top three or five counties in the state for ADW (advance deposit wagering). Those are dollars that went right out our door."
Cal Expo and other simulcast facilities such as the ones at Golden Gate Fields, Bay Meadows and fairgrounds facilities in Vallejo, Stockton and Pleasanton have been hurt by online wagering, with attendance and on-track betting down.
"This place is a ghost town compared to what it used to be because of online betting," said Smigel, who has been betting the ponies for more than 25 years.
Besides a big day at Cal Expo, Derby parties will be held around the region.
Among the largest will be the gathering at Lucchetti Ranch in Wilton, where more than 700 people are expected for a Derby-themed fundraiser.
Started in 2002, the biannual event is expected to raise more than $600,000 for local charities, said organizer Megan Vincent, who lives on the ranch with her husband, Don, and parents, Dave and Chris Lucchetti. Among the highlights will be a dachshund race, hat contest and mint juleps.
"The first year we started, I wasn't sure if people would even watch the race," Vincent said. "But they really got into it. Now, they can't wait."
Regardless of the online dispute, a significant chunk of change will flow through Sacramento on the Derby, thanks to Scientific Games' state-of-the-art data center in Natomas.
Centralizing bets taken from throughout the country, the facility opened in early 2007. It processed more than $19 million on Derby day last year, including about $9 million on Churchill Downs.
"We've grown so much. We do four times the business we did last year," said Ted Shaine, general manager of the Western quantum data center. "We'll do at least $19 million on Derby day."
The data center processes wagers from all California tracks and simulcast facilities plus Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Arizona, as well as TVG online wagering.
Shaine expected the lack of online availability for the Derby to force fans back to the track.
"People used to sitting around and betting from home better find a place to go," he said. "Head on over to Cal Expo."
Copyright (c) The Sacramento Bee
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