2/12/2004

Same ol', same ol'

Frank Stronach believes in what he calls ' Fair Enterprise '. And, back in the good old days, before his attempt to take over thoroughbred horse racing in North America, he ran for public office, as a federal Liberal candidate, believing that he was 'the answer' for Canadians. During this self-enlightened period he also suggested that slot machines and lotteries were an unfair tax upon the weak and vulnerable.

Today Frank's daughter, Belinda, has been promoted by her father to attempt another takeover of Canada: but this time in the guise of conservatism, which is much closer to his political views. Yet the bold Magna Fuhrer still believes that the rules don't apply to him. And of course nobody is going to notice that the whole ill-fated charade is entirely of his own making. Hardly Fair Enterprise!

Talking about consistency: the same Stronach, via his Magna Entertainment Corporation, apparently recently 'stole' the Magna 5 idea from an employee at Prairie Meadows, which is exactly what the company tried to do to this very site, when the name 'Real Racing' was first registered in 2000. And inconsistency: Herr Stronach now claims that, in order to survive, racetracks need slot machines!

N.B. MEC's HRTV advertisements open with 'Real Racing on the horse racing TV network.' Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Plus ca change, Ya?

Back in 1999 David Willmot of the Woodbine Entertainment Corporation boasted that Woodbine would one day have higher purses than Keeneland, and that Ontario was the place to breed and race.

At the time slot machines were about to be introduced and WEG thought that all their problems were over.

Today handle and attendance at Woodbine are down; Mr. Willmot is disolving his successful farm, Kinghaven, from whence many champions have eminated over the years, and amazngly the new, plush WEG-owned Turf Club, on downtown Bay Street (a most comfortable place to watch racing) is now closed on Sundays!!!

Another interesting but ominous and sad fact is that, since the affluence, brought by revenue from slot machines, arrived, the foal crop in Canada has dipped below a thousand and no new owners have rushed to feed at the trough. Indeed today most horses at Woodbine are either owned outright or in partnerships by their trainers! No fools, these guys, which is more than you can say for management!

Meanwhile elsewhere, talking about consistency....Richard Mandella is showing customary restraint in the handling of his two sopohomore stars, Action All Day and Halfbridled, by not cranking them up too soon. Whereas D. Wayne Lukas who is 0 for 41 at Santa Anita, dismisses his current malaise as 'nothing to worry about, because we take our time'. Now, coming from the man who once said that gearing up for the Breeders' Cup and Triple Crown was all that mattered, this reflects either a complete 180 degree reversal in tactics or is just the latest bit of nonsense to spill from the shaded-one's lips. Take your pick.

Lastly....a thought for the day. Who in their right mind would give up the top position, running racing in Dubai, for a job in charge of the Meadowlands and Monmouth?

Well, the answer is apparently Australian, Les Benton, who claimed he wanted to spend more time with his family. But we didn't know that they were related to Tony Soprano!