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While some believed
harness horse racing was on it’s was out, it looks to be making a
comeback according to one local driver. CNO Photo courtesy of Ohio
Harness Horseman’s Association, ohha.com
Harness horse
racing gaining momentum
By George Starks
GREENVILLE- In an exclusive interview with Tim Harless at the 2011
Great Darke County Fair, he stated that the emergence of casinos in
Ohio would help bail out the harness horse racing industry.
Harless also said that it would take close to five years for the
casinos to really make a huge impact on the sport.
In a recent interview with trainer/driver Tom Hope, Hope said the help
is on the way but not from the casinos.
“As a judge at Scioto Downs, I’ve noticed a difference in the number of
people in the stands,” Hope said. “A few years ago, on a Saturday
night, Scioto might have had a thousand people in the stands and the
purses weren’t much at all. Now, Scioto has its casino going and the
slots are a big attraction there where as a few years ago, slots
weren’t allowed. With the slots and the casino, the handle there
(betting) has increased 30 to 40 percent. Saturday night, I’m guessing
Scioto had in excess of 7,000 people there and the betting was in the
area of $120,000 Saturday night. This is what’s its going to take to
see the industry through.”
With sky rocketing costs, Hope put it all into perspective.
“The cost of getting into this business is very high,” Hope said. “If
you spend $5,000 for a horse and a good sulky will cost another $5,000,
you have 10K wrapped up in just the horse and a sulky. Add the cost of
hay, feed, vet bills and other supplies it takes to maintain the horse
and you’re looking at a lot of money invested on just one horse. If you
have three or four horses, it’s crazy the money a person can invest in
the business. When you go out and spend that kind of money, you need to
know how you’re going to re-coop that. Now with the money from the
slots and what’s being wagered at the tracks, you can kind of see your
way through a little bit. The casino’s are already starting to pay off
for us but bear in mind, the casino at Scioto is not a regular casino
it’s called a racesino because it’s right at the track.”
According to Hope, the Horseman’s Association is currently working on a
deal to help raise the monies for the purses.
“What the horseman are trying to do is work out a contract where they
can get about nine percent of the profits to put into the purse money
and that will bump the purses up,” Hope said. “The nine percent will
come from the profits from the casino money.”
That money proved big Saturday night at Scioto Downs.
“In the past, The Open, which is for the best horses, usually went for
about $5,000,” Hope pointed out. “Saturday night, it went for $15,000.
The bottom class went for about $4.000 whereas it used to go for around
$1,800. So the casino betting at the slots is proving to be profitable.”
When the casinos around the state really get going, Hope said it will
help tremendously in the harness racing field.
Hope also talked about Scioto getting the fans more involved.
“They have a program called, ‘You own the horse.” Hope stated. “Scioto
will pick a race and they will put names into a hat to be drawn out for
that particular race. If your name is drawn and you get the three horse
in that race and you win, it’s money in your pocket. It makes it more
fan friendly and it’s a great deal.”
Only time will tell if the casinos will pan out across Ohio in the
future but according to Hope, there is a lot of promising hope for the
future of harness horse racing.
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