Churchill Downs simulcast dispute leaves horse players in dark
You hear a lot about the need for more transparency in horse racing, but let me provide an example of how the sport’s long track record of secrecy and disdain for horse players continues to rear its ugly head.
Complaints often revolve around secrecy surrounding stewards’ deliberations or the quiet dismissal of positive drug tests by racing regulators.
But an ongoing contract dispute between Churchill Downs and Nevada casinos over simulcasting offers another example of how the industry’s default secrecy setting is detrimental.
On Oct. 27, bettors who visited Nevada racebooks on opening day of the Churchill Downs’ fall meet learned that a contract dispute between Churchill Downs Inc. and the Nevada Parimutuel Association meant that the track was “blacked out” across the Silver State.
If the deadlock is not broken, that presumably also will apply to the openings of the spring meets at Churchill Downs on April 28 and Arlington Park on May 1 — not to mention the Kentucky Derby card May 2.
In the intervening months I have repeatedly called and emailed Churchill Downs, the Parimutuel Association, the Kentucky HBPA, Nevada gaming regulators and anyone else I could think of who might know what the dispute is about.
The Nevada Parimutuel Association, which represents the state’s casinos in negotiations for simulcast signals, did not return calls. Likewise the Kentucky HBPA.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board declined comment.
I repeatedly called and emailed Churchill Downs Inc. before I received this email on Wednesday from spokeswoman Tonya Abeln, which simply said, “We do not have a comment on the dispute, but hope that it can be resolved so horse racing fans of Nevada may once again wager on races taking place at the home of the Kentucky Derby.”
How nice. I understand that there are reasons why you wouldn’t want to air your business disputes in public. But is it too much to ask that interested parties at least treat horse players as if they had a stake in the game and provide the most basic details about the nature of the dispute?
#RJhorseracing handicapping contest
A new 12-week contest offering handicappers the opportunity to compete against fellow readers begins this week with an interesting 1-mile turf allowance race for older males at Tampa Bay Downs and the $200,000 La Canada Stakes at Santa Anita, a Grade 3 for fillies and mares run at 1 1/16th miles on the main track.
There’s also a fabulous prize on the line for this contest: a copy of the Hor$ense Expert 2019 handicapping software, donated by Joe Mainardi, an #RJhorseracinghandicapper, will go to the winner.
Joe, an #RJhorseracinghandicapper since this column’s debut in June 2017, began developing Hor$ense way back in 1987 as a DOS program and released the Expert version in 2015. It was enhanced again last year, and just received the highest rating of any program in the January issue of Phillips Newsletter.
In the former, the handicapping crew is behind Hope Again, 6-1 on the morning line. They have King Cause (3-1) to place and Mountain Holiday (8-1) third.
I’ll go with That Quality (7-2) who returns from a layoff for trainer Jonathan Thomas, who excels with such runners. I’ve got J Beresford Tipton (5-2) to place and U S Navy Cross, the 2-1 morning line favorite if he draws in off the also-eligible list, to show.
In the La Canada, the crowd ’cappers are strongly backing 5-2 morning line favorite Spiced Perfection. They see Queen Bee to You (3-1) and Horologist (4-1) completing the trifecta.
Spiced Perfection, a two-time Grade 1 winner, does have a class edge, and should be able to work out a good trip from the outside under Joel Rosario, but I think fresh face Horologist might be able to spring the upset. I’ll use Spiced Perfection in second and Zusha (15-1) to inject some value.
A previous version of this column incorrectly reported that betting on the Fair Grounds and Turfway Park also was interrupted by the dispute.
Mike Brunker’s horse racing column appears Fridays. He can be reached at mbrunker@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4656. Follow @mike_brunker on Twitter.