Massachusetts accidentally bans horse racing [Archive] - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

AlsoEligible

08-01-2018, 03:03 PM

Whoops.

https://reason.com/blog/2018/08/01/massachusetts-lawmakers-neglect-emergenc

Legislators in Massachusetts forgot to pass a bill to keep horse racing legal, and hundreds of people could be out of work as a result.

Last night was a late one for the state's lawmakers, who worked into the early hours of the morning before the end of this year's formal legislative session. But they did not address the imminent expiration of a law that kept live-and-simulcast horse racing legal through July 31.

Bill H.4809, an "emergency law" that essentially extends the expiring legislation, had already passed both houses of the state legislature. But lawmakers went home without taking up needed procedural votes on the bill, the Associated Press reports.

Suffolk already closed today for simulcasting, and may have to cancel weekend racing (along with Plainridge) if lawmakers can't fix this before then.

https://twitter.com/SuffolkDowns/status/1024659888524468224

Andy Asaro

08-01-2018, 03:09 PM

Pretty good stuff. Especially while the Stronach Group is up there trying to get land to build a track. You can't make it up.

thaskalos

08-01-2018, 03:36 PM

Was there horse-racing in Massachusetts? I hadn't noticed...

Suff

08-01-2018, 03:49 PM

Emergency Preamble
Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to further regulate simulcasting, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.

Tom

08-01-2018, 03:53 PM

Bet they remembered their pay raises! :lol:

lamboguy

08-01-2018, 03:53 PM

Massachusetts is home of the 2% source marketing fee. they can all go to hell along with the race track.

here's the reason why Sufolk never got the license. years back the owner of Sufolk, Fields, worked for Wynn. he swore up and down that Wynn was going to get hold of NYRA. he never produced. Fields, who also promoted things like Ringling Brothers Circus and Disney on Ice, went in and bought Sufolk thinking he was a cinch to get the casino once the laws passed. Wynn decided to come out of the sidelines and get the license himself in the worst possible place you could possibly imagine. but Wynn knows what it takes to get the licenses, Fields doesn't.

now Fields is trying to bailout with source marketing fees. bottom line from my standpoint is he deserves simulcasting and source marketing fees as much as Hillary Clinton deserves to be president.

Suff

08-01-2018, 03:56 PM

Was there horse-racing in Massachusetts? I hadn't noticed...

lil bit.

098poi

08-01-2018, 05:55 PM

lil bit.

Cool!

mabred

08-01-2018, 06:44 PM

just need to call an informal session and it goes

to the governor.they were to busy putting the new tax free days 8/11 and 8/12 into the budget hell they worked till 1am then fell asleep!!!!!!!!

Redboard

08-01-2018, 08:19 PM

I don't think this was a mistake. I believe they were sending a message. MA banned gambling on dog racing not too long ago, and I think they would like to ban horse racing.

Suff

08-01-2018, 08:51 PM

I don't think this was a mistake. I believe they were sending a message. MA banned gambling on dog racing not too long ago, and I think they would like to ban horse racing.

That was my 1st thought as well. But not driven by Animal Rights advocates, but more from BIGGER money. Chip Tuttle is no joke, but Chip Tuttle is no match for wall street financed casino's. If MA killed it like this, it came from Wall Street.

georgetkingiv

08-01-2018, 11:49 PM

I had my trip back down to the old neighborhood to watch some live racing this weekend all planned. This is some bullshit. They better resolve this tomorrow. What a bunch of clowns.

PaceAdvantage

08-02-2018, 02:04 AM

So wait, is racing cancelled this weekend or not? Seems to me, people are acting as if it's still on...

Did they pass some emergency amendment? What was that PDF FUSS posted?

Redboard

08-02-2018, 07:40 AM

So wait, is racing cancelled this weekend or not? Seems to me, people are acting as if it's still on...

Did they pass some emergency amendment? What was that PDF FUSS posted?

No, they are going to still run em , but no one will be able to bet on it.
:D

Tom

08-02-2018, 08:56 AM

No, they are going to still run em , but no one will be able to bet on it.
:D

Doubling down.

jimmyb

08-02-2018, 09:49 AM

Brass Hat

08-02-2018, 10:13 AM

We own a tiny piece of a horse shipping from NY this weekend to Suffolk. The poor horse has run there twice without winning already. We will probably pass her driving back to Boston Sunday night from Saratoga.

Went to Suffok to see her run a couple of weeks ago. Suffolk actually has decent attendance when they race, there are a lot of horse racing fans around Boston. The "legendary" Burton Sipp is running a few horses there, so you can see the quality of the fields.

Years ago when they used to run a twilight card once a week, I used to go over for the late pick-3. He was running horses there at that time, with the oddest running lines. A number of California horses with year or year and a half layoffs, remember one was last trained by Julio Canani. Wonder where he got ahold of these horses.

Someone should write a book about this guy, his strange life. His wife was killed in a house fire, he also had a zoo at his house in NJ which was damaged by a fire. He has trained all over the country.

mabred

08-02-2018, 10:31 AM

If you really want to know the scoop the ma gaming commission

has a hearing today at 12:30 in springfield ma.The first item on the agenda is

the horse racing simulcast bill. google magaming and listen to what

they have to say for yourself.Don't forget if they pass this bill it will be for

one year and if suffolk doesn't run any races in 2019 [ at least one race]

they will lose the right fo simulcast again on 7/31 next year.Frankly that is all

they want.

mabred

upthecreek

08-02-2018, 12:16 PM

https://twitter.com/DRFHegarty/status/1025051592754692096

Suff

08-02-2018, 12:29 PM

Someone should write a book about this guy, his strange life. His wife was killed in a house fire, he also had a zoo at his house in NJ which was damaged by a fire. He has trained all over the country.

Met him, know him. He had a string of 30 horses at Suffolk off and on last 15 years. I've been to his Zoo many times, knew his wife. She was a foot taller than him and 20 years younger. Odd couple.
They both loved animals. Burton had a more of an odd relationship with Animals. If an animal died at the Zoo, he'd dissect it and examine its innards just because he found it interesting.

08-02-2018, 12:29 PM

mabred

08-02-2018, 01:05 PM

1pm

just passed the house and senate now on it's way

to be signed by the governor.ALL is well in the betting

game in MA.plainridge moved racing from thurs to friday so

not one race will be missed.

mabred

Zman179

08-02-2018, 01:09 PM

New England as a whole has abandoned horse racing... Green Mountain in Vermont, Lincoln and Narragansett in Rhode Island. Foxboro, Suffolk and the Fairs in Mass. And are they still running Harness in Scarborough, Maine? Rockingham in New Hampshire is gone as well.

Scarborough is, but barely. The place was recently sold to a developer who is interested in keeping racing there. Don’t know how that place still hangs on when the average win pool there is about $300.

You also have Bangor Raceway and the Maine Fair circuit, nothing in NH, RI, CT or VT and Plainridge in Mass (possibly Great Barrington). If GB fails then NE thoroughbred racing is officially dead.

castaway01

08-02-2018, 01:52 PM

Met him, know him. He had a string of 30 horses at Suffolk off and on last 15 years. I've been to his Zoo many times, knew his wife. She was a foot taller than him and 20 years younger. Odd couple.
They both loved animals. Burton had a more of an odd relationship with Animals. If an animal died at the Zoo, he'd dissect it and examine its innards just because he found it interesting.

He didn't love the horses he killed for the insurance money so much I guess...

Suff

08-02-2018, 01:54 PM

He didn't love the horses he killed for the insurance money so much I guess...

Thanks for mentioning that. I did not intend to be a booster. He's a complex person with a dark side.

Hambletonian

08-02-2018, 02:00 PM

Thanks for mentioning that. I did not intend to be a booster. He's a complex person with a dark side.

nope, he is a POS plain and simple.

The fact that anyone would license Burton Sipp is a terrible indictment on the integrity of thoroughbred racing.

Anyone who would murder horses in an insurance scam should never be allowed to step foot on a race track, let alone participate.

Suff

08-02-2018, 02:21 PM

nope, he is a POS plain and simple.

The fact that anyone would license Burton Sipp is a terrible indictment on the integrity of thoroughbred racing.

Anyone who would murder horses in an insurance scam should never be allowed to step foot on a race track, let alone participate.

Agreed.

Suff

08-02-2018, 02:25 PM

What's happened at Suffolk, this slow death over 20 years hurts me.

It was 1970 when owner Bill Veeck got the law changed to allow children at the racetrack. I was 10. I went every weekend with my Dad. *sometimes during the week *don't tell mom. So many wonderful memories of Suffolk Downs and the people I met there.

Andy Asaro

08-02-2018, 02:37 PM

https://twitter.com/racetrackandy/status/1025085963003781120

Suff

08-04-2018, 06:21 PM

6700 reported attendance today. Dylan Davis can't get mounts at Saratoga? He had had 6 at Suffolk today and won 3.

Zaf

08-04-2018, 11:19 PM

6700 reported attendance today. Dylan Davis can't get mounts at Saratoga? He had had 6 at Suffolk today and won 3.

:headbanger:

Z

Suff

08-05-2018, 09:14 AM

I suspect this had something to do with Wall Street, and explains how Suffolk's purses, which considering , were pretty F'n nice yesterday.

FY17 was the second year in which significant tax revenues were collected on profits generated by slot machines at
the Plainridge slots parlor, which opened on June 24, 2015. FY17 budgeted fund tax revenues remitted to the
Commonwealth, which are equal to 40% of gross profits (or “gross gaming revenues”) from the slot machines, totaled
approximately $63 million, a decrease of $1 million from FY16, which was earmarked for local aid; an additional $14 million in non-budgeted fund revenue, equal to 9% of gross gaming revenue from the slot machines, was earmarked Commonwealth of Massachusetts 10 Statutory Basis Financial Report for advancement of horse racing. The FY18 budget relies on $64.3 million in budgeted fund revenue from taxes on
slots parlor profits.

soupman2

08-05-2018, 10:39 AM

6700 reported attendance today. Dylan Davis can't get mounts at Saratoga? He had had 6 at Suffolk today and won 3.

Would have been many more I think but they held back due to the downpours. I was going but decieded today would be better. Finishing my coffee and on my way.

Also, drove by the old Rockingham location yesterday. Still makes me sad. Nothing but piles of dirt and sand, condo's and of course, just what Salem needed, another car dealership.

Bob

Suff

08-05-2018, 10:48 AM

Would have been many more I think but they held back due to the downpours. I was going but decieded today would be better. Finishing my coffee and on my way.

Also, drove by the old Rockingham location yesterday. Still makes me sad. Nothing but piles of dirt and sand, condo's and of course, just what Salem needed, another car dealership.

Bob

NY Trainer Richie Violette was on @AndySerling Saratoga @atthepost podcast from @thepartingglasspub and when he talked about getting his start at THE ROCK. It pulled on my heart.

Arapola

08-05-2018, 05:44 PM

I once had a flat tire in the parking lot of "The Rock" and one of the attendant's was kind enough to offer help. What a picturesque little Track.

Redboard

08-05-2018, 07:17 PM

6700 reported attendance today. Dylan Davis can't get mounts at Saratoga? He had had 6 at Suffolk today and won 3.

I believe he won four yesterday, but who's counting? :)

Good to see the track still in business with decent purses, albeit for only a handful of dates this year. Hopefully it's just a matter of time before they put a full blown casino there and maybe have a boutique meet that brings in buzz and fans.

mabred

08-05-2018, 08:22 PM

never going to be a casino there it's sold 155 million!!!!

this is the last year for racing it's either going to be the amazon hq or mix use development.Sterling suffolk is trying to put racing back at the great barrington fairgrounds.I went by the other day now that's a real longshot

imho.

mabred

soupman2

08-05-2018, 08:53 PM

I had a great day today. Thought the card was pretty good for this type of meet. Speed carried pretty much all day. Good crowd. Heard rumors they are trying to get teo more dates in September, Hope they do for one more final weekend of racing.

Bob

mabred

08-06-2018, 01:34 PM

they are looking to get these dates.The Ma gaming commission

will surely vote for these as they have a mission statement

to do all they can to promote racing in ma.This will be a unanimous

vote for sure

mabred

Suff

08-06-2018, 04:47 PM

soupman2

08-06-2018, 05:41 PM

Thanks for update. Where do you play? Upstairs or downstairs? I appreciate Suffolk updates.

I'm all around. The tables beyond the walking ring if I'm going to have a cigar; the grandstand or owners boxes and sometimes right outside at the finish line. This weekend I spent a lot of time standing by the food trucks because my 17 year old and his buddy came with me. ;)

Bob

Suff

08-06-2018, 05:58 PM

I'm all around. The tables beyond the walking ring if I'm going to have a cigar; the grandstand or owners boxes and sometimes right outside at the finish line. This weekend I spent a lot of time standing by the food trucks because my 17 year old and his buddy came with me. ;)

Bob

Thanks. I'm living Palm Beach County Fl now, but I've been to suffolk 3-4 times since May. I always go when I get home. Til death do us part kinda thing. That track's in my heart.

Suff

08-11-2018, 12:22 PM

A nice article about Suffolk from BUR. I sort of assume this guy is with the Polar Bears , despite that, it's decently warm and positive

The entire day was stimulating to the senses. Walking back across the apron to the grandstand, I got a slight whiff of cigar smoke, something I used to smell all the time while working in the State House back in the early '80s. Like horse racing, cigar smoking is a relic of a bygone day, as the dangers of smoking have been known for years. Still, that brief olfactory stimulation took me back in time — one of my objectives for going to the track in the first place

http://www.wbur.org/news/2018/08/09/suffolk-downs-horse-racing-essay

soupman2

08-12-2018, 02:07 PM

Interesting article. Kind of biased. He had to virtue signal to the "animal rights" people that he really, kinda felt bad being there. After all horses "often" die right there on the track. And of course, cigar smoking is bad for ya unless you are an idiot (not one of my Dr's has told this cancer surviving, pacemaker wearing soon to be 70 year old to give up my occasional cigar. I tell them all.) And of course his wife TOLD him what to do with his $2 bet but being an idiot man and all he didn't listen. Good god, this is what you can expect from a public radio "broadcaster". Our tax dollars at work.

Bob