Albany ups power play; State, Legislature, NYRA announce mgmt. deal

[Riot]

Can NY racing survive this? All of Albany seems out to get them.

[fpsoxfan]

Cuomo is nothing more than a crook in a suit. As a teacher I continue to laugh at my Union (NYSUT) who supported this jackass. After elected, he stuck it to the teachers union. It's bad enough I pay dues to these idiots, but I laugh when they send out the VOTE COPE campaign contributions form.

The man is no good!

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Quite something..

On May 1, NYRA is instructed -- implored in fact -- to name new executives to replace Hayward and Keogh...

Then 2 weeks later are admonished and threatened when they do so.

Anyone still confused by what's going on here?

I think the only hope is what they are doing is so transparent that it will never hold up.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by Kasept

Quite something..

On May 1, NYRA is instructed -- implored in fact -- to name new executives to replace Hayward and Keogh...

Then 2 weeks later are admonished and threatened when they do so.

Anyone still confused by what's going on here?

They were looking for someone like Hazel Dukes

[hoovesupsideyourhead]

yet another example of shooting racing in the foot..congrats to albany..you have done it again.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

They were looking for someone like Hazel Dukes

Has there ever been anyone with better qualifications for the position?

[pba1817]

Originally Posted by Kasept

State always had their hand in the various Associations pockets even pre-GNYRA (Greater New York Racing Association) when there were 4 separate entities. Albany has milked racing in this state endlessly and then added layers of patronage when afforded the opportunity in 1970 with the creation of the OTB system. At that point, by all rights, Albany began competing with NYRA and therein lies the source of all the problems the past 40 years.

Thank you for the informative post, and thus the true crux of the matter comes, it is always a money grab by one source or the other isn't it? It is too bad that the actually horseman, the fans, the and racing product itself will be the only who suffer in the situation. I remember back to my early days following racing and New York was the place.. now well unfortunately its just kinda like everywhere else.

It sure seems that there is just WAY too much politics withing racing, and that goes for just about every state who allows racing. California is a mess, Kentucky seems to becoming a mess, NY is a mess.. sad.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by pba1817

Thank you for the informative post, and thus the true crux of the matter comes, it is always a money grab by one source or the other isn't it? It is too bad that the actually horseman, the fans, the and racing product itself will be the only who suffer in the situation. I remember back to my early days following racing and New York was the place.. now well unfortunately its just kinda like everywhere else.

It sure seems that there is just WAY too much politics withing racing, and that goes for just about every state who allows racing. California is a mess, Kentucky seems to becoming a mess, NY is a mess.. sad.

I'm holding my breath in wait for you to enlighten the rest of us as to where the racing is better than New York?

[pba1817]

Keep holding you breath, maybe you will drop dead. While you are at it, try to improve your comprehension skills. I never said anything was better(regardless of my personal opinion), I said it has simply become the same as everywhere else.

When I say the same, I mean short fields, tough to fill races, a lot of scratches, and political issues that are hard to overcome.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by pba1817

Keep holding you breath, maybe you will drop dead. While you are at it, try to improve your comprehension skills. I never said anything was better(regardless of my personal opinion), I said it has simply become the same as everywhere else.

When I say the same, I mean short fields, tough to fill races, a lot of scratches, and political issues that are hard to overcome.

Genius! At least you got one of four things right.

[alphanumeric1]

A non-binding deal between the state and Genting, letter says Posted on January 6, 2012 at 12:46 pm by James M. Odato, Albany Times Union
Cuomo administration officials say they are privately negotiating details under a non-binding agreement that would allow Genting Group to build a extremely large convention center at New York’s Aqueduct Race Track. The state has not indicated any plans to allow other companies to bid for the rights to develop the Queens track site, despite racing law that requires an open process.
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From the PETA blog: Horses and people who care about them can rest a little easier tonight. HBO has announced that it is canceling Luck and ceasing all production on the series! March 14, 2012
http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/a...uck-horse.aspx
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Breakdown Death And Disarray At America's Racetracks, Mangled Horses, Maimed Jockeys
By WALT BOGDANICH, JOE DRAPE, DARA L. MILES and GRIFFIN PALMER
Published: March 24, 2012, New York Times
The new economics of horse racing are making an always-dangerous game even more so, as lax oversight puts animal and rider at risk.
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Officials are pessimistic about the future of racing Posted on April 17, 2012 at 7:15 pm by James M. Odato, Albany Times Union
New York State Franchise Oversight Board member John Crotty said he doesn’t think enough people are interested in horse racing to sustain the sport and other members said NYRA isn’t taking enough bold moves to rev up its operation.
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Report says NYRA president misled the public on overcharges Posted on April 30, 2012 at 9:48 am by James M. Odato, Albany Times Union
The Racing and Wagering Board investigators lay out a timeline that suggests Hayward and his former associate, Steve Crist, were in correspondence about the problem and in agreement in keeping it quiet.
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Big Purses, Sore Horses, and Death By JOE DRAPE, WALT BOGDANICH, REBECCA R. RUIZ and GRIFFIN PALMER Published: April 30, 2012, New York Times
Large payouts to owners make it profitable for owners to field thoroughbreds that are past their prime, sometimes with fatal results.
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PETA files new complaints against HBO’s ‘Luck’
By JERRY BOSSERT, NY Daily News Thursday, May 03, 2012
LOUISVILLE - The animal rights group PETA has filed new complaints with the Los Angeles district attorney's office and with the California Veterinary Medical Board alleging severe mistreatment of horses on the set of HBO's race track series Luck, which was canceled in March following the death of a third horse.
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NYRA scolded for filling executive slots Posted on May 15, 2012 at 5:07 pm by James M. Odato, Albany Times Union
State watchdogs blasted the New York Racing Association on Tuesday…As punishment, the Division of Lottery is instructing Genting, the operators of the racino at Aqueduct, to withhold NYRA’s share of video lottery terminal betting and instead send those payments to a dedicated Lottery account.

[Kasept]

Bossert, Drape, Odato.. No biased reportage out of that trifecta.

[joeydb]

Originally Posted by pba1817

Thank you for the informative post, and thus the true crux of the matter comes, it is always a money grab by one source or the other isn't it? It is too bad that the actually horseman, the fans, the and racing product itself will be the only who suffer in the situation.

Sure, it will always be that way as long as takeout is collected first, at an arbitrary percentage. The respective states get paid first, at a constant percentage, and need not have any concern about the day to day operations. The state governments are not forward thinking enough to grow the business or help it to thrive. They don't care - and they never will. The only performance oriented people are the others you allude to - the horsemen, the jockeys, the track operations people.

It's another classic leech situation, just like high taxes. When the government gets paid first - like the witholding in your weekly paycheck - they are insulated from the other worries that other earners - like you who earned the check - may have.

Originally Posted by Kasept

Bossert, Drape, Odato.. No biased reportage out of that trifecta.

Steve, I gave a statement over the phone to Odato regarding a story he wrote related to the NYRA mess, the one about there being no state examiners at the tracks any more. Thought it was a well done, accurate story.

Does he have a track record of bias, in your opinion? Seemed pretty professional to me, but maybe I shouldn't give him any more statements.

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

Steve, I gave a statement over the phone to Odato regarding a story he wrote related to the NYRA mess, the one about there being no state examiners at the tracks any more. Thought it was a well done, accurate story.

Does he have a track record of bias, in your opinion? Seemed pretty professional to me, but maybe I shouldn't give him any more statements.

Odato has been a NYRA-bashing, blunt instrument puppet of politicos on an unending basis.

The tax-examining issue that you've been stumping is a great question and note how little attention it's received.

Steve, I have been in contact with the NY State Inspector General's Office regarding the Tax Dept.'s role in this. Don't know if anything will come of it.

Also, the monthly union publication for PEF members, The Communicator, will have a story in it next month for which I was interviewed and gave input.

[dino]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

Steve, I have been in contact with the NY State Inspector General's Office regarding the Tax Dept.'s role in this. Don't know if anything will come of it.

Also, the monthly union publication for PEF members, The Communicator, will have a story in it next month for which I was interviewed and gave input.

Wow I'm impressed. I work at a NY state agency right next to the Tax building 8 and am surrounded by PEF union workers. Well maybe I shouldn't use the word workers because probably 80% of them do maybe 3 hours of real work that us taxpayers pay the 37.5 hours of pay for. Maybe that's why they have to hire us contractors for.
So you think having another do nothing PEF worker overseeing this for 3 hours a week would be a good solution. No wonder why this state is a joke. Go back to sleep.

[Cannon Shell]

http://tenoonan.com/2012/05/18/somet...a-controversy/

[pointman]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

http://tenoonan.com/2012/05/18/somet...a-controversy/

Well said. I hope that since this action by NY State is so transparent it will come back to bite the Governor, his jackass budget director, the Racing and Wagering Board and the Franchise Oversight board in thne a$$.

NY Government, where incompetence is at its pinnacle.

[pmacdaddy]

True words about Cuomo Administration.. “We operate at two speeds here: Get along and kill.”.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012...-eliot-spitzer

Little question which approach they have taken with NYRA.