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McKee Has Shot to Break Cauthen's River Record

A new kid on the block is threatening Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen's 26-year-old record of 109 victories as an apprentice at River Downs.

Ohio Tracks Revive 'Seven and Seven' Race Card

Racetrack executives at Thistledown and Beulah Park agreed Friday afternoon to revive the "seven and seven" shared race card in the fall.

Report: Benefits of Ohio Racetrack Slots Exaggerated

The costs of problem gambling could outweigh the economic benefits if Ohio's seven racetracks were permitted to install slot machines, according to a draft report by a committee studying the impact of gambling in the state.

Here and there ...

Racing and breeding news from the Thoroughbred industry

Ohio Racetrack Gaming: Only a Matter of Time?

The Ohio Senate May 30 concurred with House changes and approved a $1.17-billion budget bill that has no provisions for video lottery terminals at the state's seven racetracks. However, supporters of legislation to legalize VLTs are still confident the proposal will pass in the future.

Racetrack VLT Proposal on Back Burner in Ohio

A proposal to allow video lottery terminals at seven Ohio racetracks is still alive in the statehouse--but just barely.

River Downs: Purse Pool Has Cost Track $9M

As the Ohio Thoroughbred racing season gets in full swing for 2002, a racetrack operator has renewed his call for changes in the law that governs full-card simulcasting in the state.

Harlan's Holiday Bags Two Awards in Ohio

Harlan's Holiday, the Florida Derby winner who is headed to the April 13 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes on the road to the May 4 Kentucky Derby, was named Ohio Horse of the Year and top 2-year-old colt for 2001.

MTR Gaming Eyeing Ohio Track, Confident About New Erie Track

MTR Gaming is as interested in acquiring an Ohio racetrack as it is in building a new track in Erie, Pa., according to the company's president.

Ohio Tracks Agree on Plan to Share Market

Two Ohio racetracks that have gone head-to-head in the full-card simulcasting arena have agreed on a way to split the Columbus market in 2002.

AmericaTab Adds Harness Track to Stable

AmericaTab, an online wagering company owned by two Ohio racetracks -- Beulah Park and River Downs -- has added Northfield Park to its stable. The northern Ohio harness track has been approved as an equity partner in AmericaTab by the Oregon Racing Commission.

Ohio Blood Samples to be Tested for West Nile

The Ohio Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have collected 143 blood samples from horses in Lake County, Ohio, to determine if the horses have been exposed to West Nile virus. The first confirmed incidence of the virus in a bird was found in that area.

Constituents Urged to Support Ohio VLT Vote

The Ohio Thoroughbred industry is in the midst of a grass-roots campaign to solicit support for a measure that would allow voters to decide whether video lottery terminals should be allowed at the state's racetracks.

Vote on Racetrack VLTs in Ohio Seems Unlikely

Ohio legislators have indicated a statewide referendum on video lottery terminals at racetracks seems unlikely this year given the fact a resolution must pass the legislature by Aug. 8.

Ohio Needs Samples; Cost for Testing Reduced

Veterinarians in Ohio are continuing to try to make sense of why an increased number of abortions, stillbirths, and red bag deliveries are occurring in the Ohio River Valley.

Ohio Diagnostic Lab Requests Owners Submit Aborted Fetuses, Deceased Foals

As Ohio veterinarians try to understand and determine what might be affecting foals in the Ohio River Valley, the number of foals and fetuses available for testing by the diagnostic lab is no greater than normal. Sheila Grimes, DVM, PhD, Pathology Section Head for the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, recommends that horse owners submit aborted fetuses and deceased foals with the placenta for testing.

Syndrome Problems Continue in Ohio; Spread to West Virginia

It might not be possible to gauge the extent of the fetal loss syndrome problem in Ohio since pleasure horse owners might not pay for the cost of testing on dead fetuses and foals presented to the diagnostic lab. However, anecdotal reports support evidence that veterinarians and breeders in Ohio are seeing an abnormal number of problems.

Two Ohio Counties Experiencing Similar Syndromes

Now two counties in Ohio are seeing syndromes similar to those being presented in Kentucky, according to an update Thursday by Dr. Grant Frazer, associate professor at Ohio State University. Frazer said there is no way to make a confirmation that this is the same problem that Kentucky veterinarians and researchers are dealing with, since no definitive description of the problem has been narrowed down.

Related Stories From the Late Term Abortion/Fetal Loss Meeting

Related stories from Thursday's Late Term Abortions and Early Fetal Loss Information Session at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion:

Foal Losses 'Devastating' to Family-Run Jonabell Farm

Preliminary Test Results Suggest Possible Causes, Preventative Measures

Latest Numbers Presented on Extent of Syndromes

Breeding Sheds Set to Rally

Keeneland Info Session Goes to Video

Ohio Vet: Problems Not Just in Kentucky

Florida Still Only State Requiring Permits for Kentucky Horses

Add Bassinet to List of Stakes With New Sponsors

The flurry of recent stakes sponsorships continued Thursday with the announcement that the $100,000 Bassinet Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at River Downs will be supported by Pepsi-Cola for at least three years. Last year's Bassinet was won by Caressing, who eventually was named champion 2-year-old filly of 2000.

Unrest in Cincinnati Could Impact Track's Night Trade

A citywide curfew will force bettors who live in the city to leave River Downs early. Cincinnati is dealing with violence and looting brought on by an April 7 shooting that has triggered racial conflict.

River GM: Purse Loss at $7 Million ... and Counting

The general manager at River Downs in Ohio said more than $7 million in purse revenue generated at the racetrack has gone to other tracks in the state the past 4 1/2 years through a formula that disperses dark-day simulcasting funds.

At Thistledown, More Horses Mean Bump in Handle

Thistledown's plan to revamp its racing program to compete for horses with nearby Mountaineer Park in West Virginia has paid off, at least very early in its 2001 meet. Track general manager Bill Murphy said the increase in field size had much to do with the spike in handle.

Senate Researches Racetrack VLTs in Ohio

The Ohio Senate has begun research to see whether the question of racetrack video lottery terminals can be put on the ballot in the seven counties that have tracks. The state needs money to fund its education program and, as the newspaper reported Thursday, also needs revenue to offset a decline in tax receipts. Income from taxes is expected to be $850 million short of projections through early 2003.

Racetrack VLT Proposal in Ohio Appears Dead

A proposal to use racetrack video lottery terminals to fund Ohio's educational system is dead, newspapers throughout the state reported Tuesday. A top legislator in the state had suggested that up to 1,500 machines be place in each of Ohio's seven racetracks to raise $900 million over the next two years.

Ohio Lawmakers Look to Put VLTs at Tracks to Help Schools

Facing a state Supreme Court deadline of June 15 to deal with public school funding problems, Republican members of the Ohio House of Representatives apparently are behind a plan to install video lottery machines at racetracks to raise between $230 million to $930 million in revenue over the next two years.

Alternative Gaming Becomes Issue in Ohio

The Ohio Lottery Commission's need for revenue to fund education has generated serious talk about video lottery terminals at the state's seven commercial racetracks. Legislators have floated the idea, and racing industry officials are attempting to find common ground.

Winticket.com Wins License Approval in Oregon

The Ohio-based online wagering service has been approved to operate in Oregon, where other entities such as NTRA Services and US Off-Track have set up betting hubs that return a portion of revenue to the horse and Greyhound industries.

Judge Protects Beulah Park's Online Wagering

Beulah Park's online wagering service called Winticket.com got full approval by the Ohio State Racing Commission before the service was developed, said an Ohio judge. Therefore, the judge said, state officials cannot arbitrarily decide they want the service stopped until online wagering is further evaluated.

Ohio Tracks Will Go Head-to-Head With Simulcasts

Beulah Park and Scioto Downs, both located in the Columbus market, will be open year-round for simulcasting, though Ohio law will limit the schedule on certain days.

'Great American Harness Race' in Simulcasting Flap

Though dubbed as “the great American harness race,” the Little Brown Jug may be a tad short on respect in its home state of Ohio, at least in terms of the simulcast of the Sept. 21 event.

Two Ohio Tracks Poised for Simulcasting War

Having failed to renew an agreement that has kept them from competing against each other for simulcasting dollars, two Ohio racetracks located only five miles apart seem poised to go head-to-head in 2001 in a battle that could prove bloody.