| Saratoga Harness Horseperson's Association, Inc. |
| Information and calendar for Saratoga Harness Racing |
The SHHA’s annual picnic will be held August 1, 2010. Tickets will be available to purchase in the SHHA office on
Saturday July 17th at 10:00am-noon and from 6:30pm-10:00pm.
July 22-24, Thurs. -Sat night 6:30pm-10:00pm and Saturday July 24 10:00am -noon.
The U.S. Trotting Association has unveiled the logo for its “Back to the Track” event, which will take place at two dozen harness racetracks during the weekend of Aug. 14-15 . Those who go to the harness races then will find a variety of special promotions and events to make their visit fun. Promote our industry bring your friends to Saratoga Gaming and Raceway on Saturday August 14th.
Thank you to Paul and Laurie Dudka for volunteering their time and horse, Tree Doctor,
to participate in the Saratoga Springs Fourth of July parade. Tree Doctor wore red,
white and blue and walked proudly down Broadway representing
the Harness Racing industry in Saratoga.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 1:57 PM by Jimmy Vielkind in Sheldon Silver, State Assembly
Silver all but shot down any chance of action on the beginnings of a constitutional amendment to allow table games — like black jack and roulette — at racinos.
“I don’t think — although I haven’t conferenced it — I don’t think there’s a great deal of sentiment in my conference to have New York be the gambling capital of the world. It would provide for a great number of…I don’t think the people want it in this state and I don’t think that the members who represent them really want it.”
For all the very decent trainers committed to the harness racing industry, this statement made by the current Chair of the NYS R&W Board is disgraceful and unworthy of a regulator due respect from the many hard working people who train horses in the harness and the T-bred sport. The statement was made before the assembly committee on racing this past February. Sabini stated that AB 9954, the equine drug testing bill, would allow the Board to ensure that horse racing in New York is on the up and up. He noted that all trainers cheat and you have to look for the ones that you can actually catch. It was sent to us by our t-bred counterparts that discovered it. Not everyone in our sport should be painted with the same brush of those bad apples every endeavor has. There are cheating, lawyers, accountants, doctors, you name it but this attitude doesn’t bode well for a decent trainer who is being regulated by this Board. We are now paying $10 a start for steroid testing in NYS that we are not getting and are now being asked to lay down for a National Compact that will add costs inspired by this attitude that will be assessed based on purses paid in a particular place. Are our purses to be drained by such schemes based upon an underlying attitude expressed in the remarks made by the Chairman of our NYSR&WB?
Congratulations to the Hall of Fame Inductees 2010
Earl Bean
Algiers Hall- horse
Goldberg- historic horse
110% Hermann Hobbs
Our horsemen’s association would like to take an active role in promoting the sport of harness racing here in the Saratoga region. The SHHA publicity committee held Family Fun nights last summer and will continue with the program again this summer. The committee will appreciate volunteers to help with the activities. If you’re interested in volunteering please contact Mickey McGivern at 518-583-0980. Mickey McGivern looks forward to hearing from you.
The following SHHA directors’ terms expire December 31, 20010:
Jeff Cantine
Adrian Butch DeVaux
John Stark Jr
If you’re a current member interested in becoming a candidate, please contact the office and request a nomination form (shha61205@aol.com or 775-0975). To be eligible, you must be a SHHA member of good standing and licensed as a trainer, owner or driver. You must be available to attend monthly meetings and special meetings. You’re required to obtain 25 signatures from SHHA members to qualify as a candidate in the election. In your best interest, obtain more than 25 signatures so your chance of returning a completed form with an actual count of 25 SHHA members’ signatures is received. All nomination forms must be postmarked no later than September 1, 2010
The SHHA Great Escape Family Picnic is Sunday, August 1, 2010. Tickets for the event will be sold in the SHHA office on
Saturday July 17th 10:00 AM –Noon and 6:30-10.00PM
Thursday -Saturday night July 22-24 6:30-10:00 PM
Saturday July 24th 10:00 AM-Noon.
Ticket/wristband combinations are $10 each. If you already have a seasons pass, you will need to purchase a wristband for $5. You must have a wristband to enter the North Woods Picnic area. The picnic begins at 1:30pm; however you may enter the park when it opens. Please remember that the water parks open at 11:00AM.
THE DAY AT THE RACES: PASS BILL A9847
By Jerry Bossert
Daily News Sports Writer
Thursday, June 17, 2010
As dysfunctional as it is, even Albany can’t screw this one up – pass bill #A9847.
The state assembly introduced the bill, which would allow racetracks in New York State to video stream their races live over the Internet.
Currently, New York tracks are prohibited from showing their own product because the state’s six Off Track Betting Corporations won’t allow it, which is nonsense.
Go to www.monmouthpark.com and you can see all the races live from the New Jersey oval, like they should be here in New York.
The racetracks in New York should be in control of their own product, and New York racing fans should be allowed to see the races live, rather than on delay.
The failure to allow live video streaming has significantly hindered the development of new audiences and new handle for both thoroughbred and harness racing.
Imagine being able to watch the races live on your Blackberry or iPhone or laptop.
A change to allow New York tracks to show their races live on the Internet would definitely increase interest in the sport and surely would help handle, and would give tracks control of their product again.
This is so easy that even Albany can’t screw this up. Or can it?
The Saratoga Harness Hall of Fame will hold their annual Induction Ceremony/Open House, Tuesday evening June 8, 2010. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the ceremony will begin at 6:30pm. Refreshment will be served. Please see attachments for more information. Please call Director Dave Oxford at 518-526-3138 with any questions