By Bill Finley
The Woodbine Entertainment Group announced yesterday
that standardbred purses would be cut by 10 percent, effective
January 10. With the end of the Slots at Racetracks
Program set for March 31, it was a pre-emptive strike to
conserve purse money. What will happen when March 31
arrives has yet to be decided, but it appears another major
purse cut is imminent.
"It is crucial during this ongoing period of uncertainty that
purse money be conserved, so we view this as an absolute
necessity," said Bruce Murray, WEG's Vice-President of
Standardbred Racing. "When answers concerning future
funding for purses emerge, this measure will be further
reviewed."
Additionally, no stakes
series have been scheduled
at Woodbine in January or
February.
The Central Ontario Standardbred
Association signed off on the cuts.
"Despite wanting to keep purses as high as possible at
WEG, the COSA Directors are accepting this purse reduction
knowing the industry will be facing changes as of April
1, 2013," said Bill O'Donnell, President of COSA.
O'Donnell pointed out that about 50 percent of the purse
money comes from slots and added that "I believe we are
going to see a much larger purse cut down the road."
"Come March 31, I guess we'll all know what's going to
happen," he added. "There are a lot of things that still have
to be worked out. The government is in such turmoil here.
The only difference between us and Greece is that we're not
burning down buildings. It is a mess. We have meeting after
meeting and it's always the same old stuff. Believe me, it's
no fun."
Like many, O'Donnell longs for simpler days when
pari-mutuel handle was the only thing that drove betting
handle.
"If they took away the slots money from Pennsylvania and
New York, what would be left there?" he said. "The younger
guys here have no concept of purses driven by handle.
They don't get it. They have been racing in slots world for
so long. I told these guys they better get their BlackBerrys
out and start betting."
"Woodbine will still be around and pretty much be OK
and I think Western Fair is another track that will make it.
The non-profits are the ones that seem to have the best
future. But there are going to be an awful lot of horses,
particularly cheaper ones, that aren't going to have any
place to race after March 31 and I don't know what's going
to happen to them."
Late last month, Western Fair announced a 12 percent
purse cut.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is on his way out. An
upcoming story in Ottawa Life Magazine contains quotes
from five of seven candidates looking to replace McGuinty
and was picked up by racingfuture.com. To read the story
click here
Several of the candidates expressed views expressing
their concern for the future of Ontario racing.
