The joy expressed in the last issue of The Horsemen’s Journal regarding the West Virginia Thoroughbred Purse Enhancement Fund (10-10-10) has been dampened. Bureaucratic red tape has struck, and we are still waiting for the first red cent. Frustration has become the order of the day as various new documentation has been added to the list of requirements. The final deadline for submission has come and gone, and still we wait. The only good news is that the $3.8 million is in the bank awaiting dispersal.

Estimated time of arrival of the first batch of claims to be paid is now September 1, 2010. Senator Snyder, who authored the legislation, is stymied by the delay and monitoring it closely.

June 19 was our last major stakes day, with $915,000 dispersed on the 11-race card, which included six stakes. The featured $400,000 Red Legend Stakes for three-year-olds at seven furlongs brought an incredible performance by Comedero, fresh from a win in the Chick Lang Stakes (Gr. II) at Pimlico on Preakness Day. The most exciting finish was the Wild and Wonderful Stakes, which saw a three-horse photo finish. It took two longshots to put local favorite Russell Road into third place. Second was another local star, Nay’s Tap.

We are happy to report that Chaplain Doug Campbell has survived his “baptism by fire” in the new job. More and more, he has been accepted and embraced by the Charles Town community.

The completely revised and rewritten Rules of Racing for West Virginia has been completed and is in the hands of the legislature. While we did not get everything on our wish list, great improvement has been made on behalf of the horsemen. There is still a good chance of some beneficial amendments as it makes its way through both houses of the legislature. If the bill does not pass, we will revert to the existing rules, which is not a good situation at all.

July 7 saw the grand opening ceremony for the start of table games at the newly renamed Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. A Marilyn Monroe lookalike took to song, while Groucho Marx skulked about while clips of old movies were flashed on a large screen.

The public appeared in large numbers to play poker, roulette and other “table games.” A shortage of licensed dealers resulted in patrons betting on live racing and the simulcast signal when they could not get a table, leading to a nice bump in those numbers, which we hope will be sustained.

Charles Town HBPA President Ken Lowe and Executive Director Lenny Hale represented the organization at the National HBPA’s summer convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They came back awestruck by Canterbury Park’s facility and the large crowds of young smiling patrons with their families. The facility, which has table games but no slots, showed the live races and simulcast signals throughout the building in a great atmosphere.

The National HBPA convention itself was very informative, as always, with the Kent Stirling-led Medication Committee Forum on Bute being the most interesting and entertaining panel. By having the convention in Minneapolis, Lowe and Hale were treated to a clean, friendly city with many attractions.

This year, our Charles Town HBPA sponsored the third Groom Elite 101, with eight students passing the test with flying colors. A dinner was held at the Holiday Inn Express in honor of the grooms graduating, with their families, the trainers that employ them, and the trainers’ families in attendance. Special guests included Darlene Hostler and her son Ritchie, who own and operate the Backstretch Kitchen and provided a place for classes and delicious lunches for the students.

The evening began with a welcome by Board member and organizer Larry Miller. Our new racetrack chaplain, Doug Campbell, was introduced and gave the blessing before a scrumptious dinner which was enjoyed by all. Many thanks go out to Curt and Christopher’s Catering.

Dr. Reid McLellan presented appreciation certificates to the Charles Town HBPA, translator Adma Rio, and to Darlene and Richie Hostler. Each of the grooms received their certificates, an identification card, and a Groom Elite jacket.

Again we asked for all members to provide email addresses to your local affiliate. They are needed in preparation for The Horsemen’s Journal to go electronic to provide a less expensive way to access the HBPA news.

Posted 6/20/2010, 9:35 pm

Down in Kent, Va., late Saturday afternoon, at Colonial Downs, Tizaqueena dead-heated for third in the All Along Stakes. A little more than 40 minutes later, Workin For Hops finished a game second in the $500,000 Colonial Turf Cup. Not a bad showing for the two equine Chicago shippers. Two Chicago human shippers associated with the horses, trainer Mike Stidham and assistant trainer Hilary Pridham, then got into an automobile and drove north roughly 168 miles to Charles Town Races and Slots. Waiting was Comedero, who later Saturday night went out and routed six rivals in the $400,000 Red Legend Stakes.

Charles Town's track announcer wondered during the stretch call if Comedero might not be the best 3-year-old going right now. That seemed like hyperbole, but few horses of Comedero's generation have been as fast so far this year. Comedero has won all four of his 2010 starts, and won them by almost 30 lengths combined. His margin of victory in the two-turn, seven-furlong Red Legend was 2 1/4 lengths, but it might have been much more.

Comedero, sent straight to the front by Robby Albarado, made an easy lead, setting fractions of 23.46 seconds for his opening quarter-mile, and 46.31 to the half while racing unopposed. He cruised into the stretch widening his lead with every stride: It was up to seven lengths at the stretch call when Albarao peeked back, saw distant pursuers, and wrapped up on his mount. Mylilsecret bridged the gap with a late rally, but was not in the same class as the winner while outfinishing Backtalk for second. Comedero ($2.40) was timed in 1:25.57 for the seven furlongs.

Comedero, summering with Stidham's Delaware Park string, is an Arkansas-bred by Posse. Peter Redekop owns him, and also owns Woodbine-based Hollywood Hit, among the fastest synthetic-track sprinters in North America so far this year

In other Charles Town stakes action Saturday night:

* Trainer Jamie Ness is winning races at a 29 percent clip during 2010. He won two races from six tries at Charles Town in 2009, but the Ness-trained shipper My Friend Nev still went overlooked in the $100,000 Wild and Wonderful, paying $43.40 in an upset victory. My Friend Nev, a midlevel claimer most of his career, rallied on the outside to overtake Nay's Tap and favored Russell Road, winning by a neck. Russell Road, the 4-5 favorite, fell surprisingly far off the early pace, and could not sustain a lengthy move to the wire, fading late to third. The winner, owned by Midwest Thoroughbreds, and was timed in 1:25.38 for seven furlongs around two turns.

* Immortal Eyed ($10) dueled on a hot pace while racing inside, but still turned back Charles Town-loving Ju Jitsu Jack to win the $100,000 Invitational Dash by a half-length. Ridden by Erick Rodriguez, Immortal Eyes is trained by Damon Dilodovico for the Robert Abbo Racing Stable.

* Down Town Allen ($7.60) led throughout the $100,000 Lady Charles Town, winning by 4 1/2 lengths over Veronica's Lake.

* Still another front-running winner in the $51,350 Fancy Buckles, where Argent Affair broke on top and never looked back in the 4 1/2-furlong race for West Virginia-bred sprinting females.

There is good news for the West Virginia Horsemen since the Spring issue of The Horsemen’s Journal was published. In that issue, it was reported that the Table Games Referendum passed and that the revenue would be split between the existing four tracks. Happily, legislation passed to fund the West Virginia Thoroughbred Purse Enhancement Fund, formally known as the 10-10-10, which included language allowing each track to keep what was earned at that facility – a boon to Charles Town’s horsemen.

The majority of kudos for the Senate Bill 337 goes to Senator Herb Snyder, with help from the Charles Town HBPA in conjunction with the Mountaineer HBPA and the two Greyhound tracks, Wheeling Island and Tri State. Charles Town HBPA President Ken Lowe, with the help of our lobbyist, spent a great deal of time in Charleston meeting with Senators, Delegates, and Governor Manchin to find funding in a very tight economy. Hopefully, by the time you are reading, this some $3,800,000 will be on its way to horsemen who have been waiting since March of 2007 for payment.

A general membership meeting was held on April 3, which included a well attended brunch to update all on Senate Bill 337. The highlight was Senator Herb Snyder producing a signed copy of the bill, which became law.

The second running of the $1,000,000 Charles Town Classic took place on April 17. Last year’s winner, Researcher, took home $360,000 to Rutledge Farm for his 2009 win, and this year Researcher won just under $600,000 for his new owner, Kinross Farm. Jeff Runco did a magnificent job of training him both years.

The only sadness was the death of Herman Greenburg, master of Rutledge Farm, whose estate sold the horse just prior to the race. Researcher is now training to become a steeplechaser for its new owner, Zohar Ben-Dov of Kinross Farm.

Also included on the outstanding card which produced record handle were the $250,000 Sugar Maple Stakes for fillies and mares going seven furlongs, the $100,000 Blue and Gold Stakes for three-year olds going seven furlongs, the $75,000 Web Snyder Stakes for three & up at 4 ½ furlongs, and a $50,000 West Virginia-accredited overnight handicap, The Springtime, at seven furlongs.

Last year’s top money-earning West Virginia-bred, Russell Road, was the top-weighted winner of the Springtime Handicap.

On April 12, our previous Chaplain Pete Crisswell departed for California, and his duties were assumed by our new chaplain, Doug Campbell. We wish Pete all the best and will miss him greatly. We have confidence that Doug will be able to jump right in and continue all the good work of the Chaplaincy. Doug is very excited about the opportunity to serve the people both in the stable area and on the frontside at Hollywood Casinos at Charles Town Races.

Chaplain Doug is a native of Morristown, Tennessee. He attended college at Carson Newman College in Tennessee, where he received a bachelor’s degree in secondary education. He went on to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he received a master’s degree in religious education. He has been involved in full-time Christian ministry for over 30 years. He has served at churches in Texas, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

The last two churches at which Doug served are churches in our local area. He was the Minister of Students and Education at First Baptist Church in Martinsburg. He was also the Senior Pastor at Harvest Pointe Community Church in Charles Town. He has training and experience as a professionally trained Life Coach and as a Florida State Supreme Court certified family mediator.

In the free time that Chaplain Doug does have, he enjoys running, reading, martial arts, and going to movies. Please give him a call if you have any questions about the chaplaincy ministry or would like to talk about volunteer opportunities at the track. The number for the chaplain’s office is (304) 725-4028.

Executive Director Lenny Hale was appointed to a committee to rewrite the Rules of Racing for West Virginia. The nine-member committee has met for 12 eight-hour sessions over the past five months, and the results were presented to the West Virginia Racing Commission on May 20. There is a 30-day period for public comment before it is taken up in the legislature.

Last, but not least, The Horsemen’s Journal needs email addresses for all HBPA members who receive the magazine. The costs of printing and mailing the magazine have become too great, and the National HBPA will look to continue providing its content to members with electronic distribution of The Horsemen’s Journal.

All members of the Charles Town HBPA are asked to provide your email address to cthbpa@yahoo.com so we may insure your future issues of The Horsemen’s Journal and improve communication with every member.

Posted 3/24/2010, 3:53 pm

Two locally based hopefuls for next month's $1 million Charles Town Classic will tune up on Saturday night at Charles Town.

Defending champion Researcher and multiple stakes winner Russell Road are both entered in Saturday's eighth race, a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer that serves as the final local prep for the 1 1/8-mile Classic on April 17.

The 6-year-old Researcher, trained by Jeff Runco, will be following a similar path that worked so well last year, when he won an allowance race in track-record time and three weeks later captured the inaugural Classic by 2 1/4 lengths.

In his only start this season, Researcher finished a distant sixth in the one-mile Native Dancer at Laurel in January.

"It's been a tough winter," Runco said. "But our horse is doing well and I'd expect to see him run very well off his freshening."

Russell Road, recently honored as West Virginia-bred horse of the year for 2009, will be making his second start off a three-month layoff. In his first start of the season on Feb. 27, Russell Road tired to finish fifth, beaten 10 lengths, in an optional claiming race at Laurel.

"He was pretty short and wasn't ready for the race in Maryland", said Mark Russell, owner of the 4-year-old Russell Road. "But he got a lot out of it and we're looking forward to running against Researcher."

Researcher will break from the rail under jockey Luis Perez. Russell Road, trained by James W. Casey, will break next to Researcher under regular rider Travis Dunkelberger.

Nominations for the Charles Town Classic and $250,000 Sugar Maple will close on April 3.

Posted: 03/11/2010

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia House of Delegates on Thursday voted 86-11 to pass legislation that would restore an in-state thoroughbred breeding-incentive program for horsemen at two racetracks, including Charles Town Races & Slots.

“We’re on our way to the governor’s office,” Senate Bill 337 sponsor Herb Snyder said after delegates approved the bill with an amended title. The minor amendment was requested by Snyder and is expected to be accepted by senators Friday, according to Snyder, D-Jefferson/Berkeley, and Del. John Doyle, D-Jefferson.

“This is a great victory for the Eastern Panhandle, particularly Jefferson and Berkeley counties,” Doyle said.

Snyder said he hoped the bill would reach Gov. Joe Manchin for his review and approval by next week. Snyder said he believes Manchin will sign the bill.

“I literally lived with this bill from day one,” Snyder said.

By the end of the fiscal year, the legislation is expected to be worth about $4.2 million to horsemen at Charles Town Races & Slots and the state’s other thoroughbred track at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in Chester, W.Va., Snyder said.

“Mountaineer’s not going to get much of that,” Snyder said. “Eighty percent of their (Horsemen Benevolent Protective Association) members are from other states.”

Charles Town horsemen are expected to receive about $1.2 million per year for the in-state program and they are expected to see an increase in purse money with the addition of table games at Charles Town Races & Slots this summer, Snyder said.

The state code change proposes to divert excess video lottery money that has not been earmarked for something else to the breeder-incentive program, Snyder said. The legislation also changes the division of gaming receipts generated for regular purses at the racetracks to a proportional allocation, rather than an equal split among the tracks.

The breeder program was established to award in-state thoroughbred breeders and owners for winning races, but the last incentive payments by the West Virginia Racing Commission were made in June 2007, Snyder said.

Combined with increased competition from out of state, rising costs and the economy, local horsemen have struggled, Snyder said.

“Because the purses went up, you would have thought the horsemen would have done really well,” Snyder said of the varying challenges to the agriculture-based industry.

“I’m told at least 58 percent of the purse money at Charles Town was won by out-of-state horses last year,” Snyder said.

Joining Snyder in sponsoring the bill were Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley/Jefferson, and Sen. Jeffrey V. Kessler, D-Marshall.

“It has taken every personal and political (effort) that I have, but we got it done and that’s all that matters,” Snyder said.

“Charles Town is a real horse in this industry,” Snyder said of the racetrack’s contribution to state coffers.

The Eastern Panhandle delegation in the House voted unanimously Thursday to support the horsemen bill. Del. Jonathan Miller, R-Berkeley, was absent.

Date Posted: 3/3/2010 10:40:07 AM

West Virginia horse racing’s “10-10-10” program, which offers purse supplements to in-state Thoroughbred owners, as well as breeders and stallion owners, would return under legislation passed by the state Senate March 2.

The West Virginia Racing Commission Special Account, part of state statute, oversees the “10-10-10” program. Payments, however, haven’t been made since 2007.

Democratic Sen. Herb Snyder, whose district includes Charles Town Races & Slots, told the Hagerstown, Md., Herald-Mail the bill would make good on $4.7 million horsemen should have received the past three years. The money would come from excess video lottery terminal revenue; Charles Town and Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort have VLTs.

The “10-10-10” program was designed to offer incentives for breed development and help preserve farmland. Under the program, the owner of the winner of any race in West Virginia, provided he or she is a “bona fide” resident of the state, gets 10% of the purse; the breeder, provided the mare foaled in West Virginia, gets 10%; and the stallion owner, provided the mare was serviced by said stallion, gets 10% of the purse of any race in the state.

The bill, which now heads to the House of Delegates, would restore the payments beginning July 1, 2010 and ending June 30, 2011.

The measure also includes a provision that table games revenue going to purses be paid “pro rata” among Charles Town and Mountaineer. Under current law, the revenue is pooled and each track gets 2.5% for purses.

It’s widely believed that when Charles Town begins table gaming last this year, it will produce more revenue than Mountaineer, located at the other end of the state.

According to the legislation, $200,000 paid from a trust that’s part of the West Virginia Racing Commission Special Account for health and disability benefits to active and disabled jockeys would be discontinued.

As I write this information, our horsemen are digging out of 36 inches or more of snow with 40 mile-an-hour winds, and I’m just praying to the electricity Gods that my electric doesn’t go out … AGAIN. These challenging times have shown the best exhibit of “horsemen helping horsemen.” Some trainers have gotten dug out and onto the Charles Town stable area to the barns and are calling other horsemen to see if they can help by feeding and watering their neighbors’ horses.

With races canceled for the last week and lots of “Z” dates on the books, the bright side is that our athletes have been able to take a break to get freshened up for when races resume. We thank all those who have helped care for the horses and those who have worked tirelessly to clean the snow from the stable area.

Now for the news:

The Charles Town HBPA has had its election for a new Board of Directors and warmly welcomes new President Ken Lowe, 1st Vice President Lee Couchenour, 2nd Vice President James W. Casey, Jeff Runco, Mark Russell, Raymond Schiano De Cola, Elaine Hagy, Larry Miller, Tina Mawing, Harold Shotwell, and Laura Bowman. We would like to thank former President Randy Funkhouser and the former board members for their service and wish them much success in their future racing endeavors.

The West Virginia legislature is in session, and bills are being presented to help the Charles Town horsemen. The 10-10-10 fund has not been paid for nearly a year-and-a-half due to a lack of funding, as the funds were originally designed to come from unpaid mutual tickets. Senator Herb Snyder and Delegate John Doyle, along with other dedicated Delegates, have been working to find a way to get the horsemen the money that is so long overdue and to present a way to have continued funding for this program. Looks like a light at the end of the tunnel, which is not the banker’s flashlight.

On December 5, 2009 a table games bill was passed at Charles Town Races & Slots which will give the horsemen another opportunity to make some money. As the bill is currently written, all revenues from the table games will be put into a pot and distributed evenly among the five tracks in West Virginia.

Local politicians are presenting bills to more evenly distribute the revenues for their districts.

Heartiest congratulations go out to our leading trainer, Jeff Runco, who took that title for the fourth consecutive year, this time with 150 wins.

Leading jockey J.D. Acosta topped the rider standings in 2009 with 244 wins, earning $4,307.806. This was the third time in four years for Mr. Acosta. Runner-up jockey was Gerald Almodovar, with 170 wins and earnings of $3,235,466. Top money-earning horse was Russell Road, earning $438,420 for owner Mark Russell and trainer James Casey.

On a sad note, we have lost an old friend. Patricia L. Johnson passed away on January 14. She was the secretary for the Charles Town HBPA years ago and served on numerous committees over the years. Patricia worked in the horsemen’s bookkeeping office and was a West Virginia breeder and owner. She was married to James A. Johnson, who was a retired jockey and trained at Charles Town for many years before they both retired and moved to Ocala, Florida. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to her family and friends as she has gone to the big training track in the sky.

Date Posted: 2/4/2010 1:38:31 PM Last Updated: 2/5/2010 9:37:13 AM

The top local horses have begun preparations for the April 17 Charles Town Classic, which will offer a $1-million purse this year to become one of the richest races in North America for 3-year-olds and up. And Charles Town officials have begun lobbying for participation by some of the top horses in the United States.

Last year, the first Classic offered a total purse of $1 million if it was won by a grade I winner. The race attracted a few, including Commentator, but locally-based Researcher, a grade III winner at the time, won the race and purse was scaled down to $600,000.

This year, all entrants will compete for $1 million. The race is held at 1 1/8 miles around three turns at Charles Town, which has a three-quarter-mile racing surface.

“The purse and type of race fit this spot on the calendar, and we think it’s an opportunity to attract a very high-caliber field,” said Erich Zimny, director of racing operations at Charles Town. “It certainly did in 2009, and we’ll work our hardest to see it happens again in 2010.”

Zimny visited South Florida the week of Jan. 25 to talk to horsemen, and Charles Town racing secretary Randy Wehrman is heading to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in Louisiana to do the same later in February.

“We realize a lot can happen between now and April 17, but you can’t get on people’s radar too early,” Zimny said.

Local trainers told Charles Town officials their horses are being prepped for the Classic.

Rutledge Farm’s Researcher, trained by Jeff Runco, worked four furlongs in :47 2/5 Feb. 2 at Charles Town in his first workout since a sixth-place finish in the Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park in Maryland Jan. 2.

“We’ll see how it all plays out between now and April, but I’m trying to get at least one race into him before the Charles Town Classic,” Runco said, mentioning the $70,000 John B. Campbell Handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Laurel Feb. 13.

Mark Russell’s Russell Road, a West Virginia-bred who won seven of nine starts in 2009 including the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic at 1 1/8 miles at Charles Town, worked a half-mile in :48 at Charles Town Feb. 4.

“We gave him about six weeks to relax out at the farm,” trainer James W. Casey said. “He didn’t lose much of his fitness, and we’ll look to run at least once before the Charles Town Classic.”

The April 17 Classic card includes the $250,000 Sugar Maple Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs, $100,000 Blue & Gold Stakes, and $75,000 Webb Snyder Stakes. Post time for the first race that day will be 6 p.m. EDT instead of the usual 7:15 p.m.

Date Posted: 2/4/2010 1:38:31 PM Last Updated: 2/5/2010 9:37:13 AM

The top local horses have begun preparations for the April 17 Charles Town Classic, which will offer a $1-million purse this year to become one of the richest races in North America for 3-year-olds and up. And Charles Town officials have begun lobbying for participation by some of the top horses in the United States.

Last year, the first Classic offered a total purse of $1 million if it was won by a grade I winner. The race attracted a few, including Commentator, but locally-based Researcher, a grade III winner at the time, won the race and purse was scaled down to $600,000.

This year, all entrants will compete for $1 million. The race is held at 1 1/8 miles around three turns at Charles Town, which has a three-quarter-mile racing surface.

“The purse and type of race fit this spot on the calendar, and we think it’s an opportunity to attract a very high-caliber field,” said Erich Zimny, director of racing operations at Charles Town. “It certainly did in 2009, and we’ll work our hardest to see it happens again in 2010.”

Zimny visited South Florida the week of Jan. 25 to talk to horsemen, and Charles Town racing secretary Randy Wehrman is heading to Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots in Louisiana to do the same later in February.

“We realize a lot can happen between now and April 17, but you can’t get on people’s radar too early,” Zimny said.

Local trainers told Charles Town officials their horses are being prepped for the Classic.

Rutledge Farm’s Researcher, trained by Jeff Runco, worked four furlongs in :47 2/5 Feb. 2 at Charles Town in his first workout since a sixth-place finish in the Native Dancer Stakes at Laurel Park in Maryland Jan. 2.

“We’ll see how it all plays out between now and April, but I’m trying to get at least one race into him before the Charles Town Classic,” Runco said, mentioning the $70,000 John B. Campbell Handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Laurel Feb. 13.

Mark Russell’s Russell Road, a West Virginia-bred who won seven of nine starts in 2009 including the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic at 1 1/8 miles at Charles Town, worked a half-mile in :48 at Charles Town Feb. 4.

“We gave him about six weeks to relax out at the farm,” trainer James W. Casey said. “He didn’t lose much of his fitness, and we’ll look to run at least once before the Charles Town Classic.”

The April 17 Classic card includes the $250,000 Sugar Maple Stakes for fillies and mares at seven furlongs, $100,000 Blue & Gold Stakes, and $75,000 Webb Snyder Stakes. Post time for the first race that day will be 6 p.m. EDT instead of the usual 7:15 p.m.

Posted: 01/27/2010

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A legislative fix is being proposed for an ailing thoroughbred horsemen’s fund that officials say has helped spur the growth of West Virginia’s horse racing industry and protect farmland in the Eastern Panhandle.

As of Oct. 31, the 10-10-10 award fund managed by the West Virginia Racing Commission owed horsemen about $3.9 million in unpaid claims, state Sen. Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson/Berkeley, said Wednesday.

About 83 percent of the money is due to horsemen who won races at Charles Town Races & Slots since 2007, Snyder said. The remaining portion is due to horsemen who won at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort in the state’s Northern Panhandle, Snyder said.

Awards from the 10-10-10 fund are generally available to in-state owners and breeders in the thoroughbred industry. The amount of the award that can be claimed from the fund is 10 percent of the purse winnings won by a particular horse, according to state law.

The 10-10-10 fund’s revenue stream is currently generated by pari mutuel tickets that bettors failed to redeem after races at the state’s four racetracks, according to state law.

But the amount of unredeemed tickets has declined with the arrival of new betting technology and more gaming options at the racetracks, said Lenny Hale, executive director of Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association.

To pay off the unpaid claims and make the 10-10-10 fund solvent again, Snyder is proposing the Legislature restore about half of $11 million in purse money that lawmakers took from the state’s four racetracks in 2005.

The money in question was put toward paying off the state’s Workers Compensation liability, which has dropped from about $3.7 billion to about $1.19 billion, Snyder said.

“The horsemen didn’t cause any of this Workers Comp debt, but they got swept into (helping pay for) it,” Snyder said.

While Charles Town is generally faring better than horsemen at many other tracks across the nation, the national economic downturn has made the purses at the Jefferson County track attractive to more horse owners from outside the area, Hale said Tuesday.

“And local horsemen are taking it on the chin,” Hale said.

“We could use a shot in the arm,” added Hale, citing his own personal decision to cut costs.

Hale said also he was familiar with circumstances of economic hardship where people are giving horses away because they simply cannot afford to feed them.

While in Charleston recently to rally support for the legislative proposal, Hale said he received a lot of positive feedback and remains cautiously optimistic the bill has a chance.

Prominent racehorse owner Randy Funkhouser said increased costs for feed and hay has not made the economic environment any easier.

Senate Bill 337 “will help people pay some of their ‘back bills,’” said Funkhouser, noting the impact on the local farmers who sell straw and feed to the horsemen.

In addition to paying off past claims, SB 337 also stipulates that the remaining portion of the purse money taken in 2005 would be returned after the Workers Compensation debt is retired, Snyder said.

While Snyder has fielded concerns about the legislation from Gov. Joe Manchin’s administration, he expects a lawsuit will be filed to settle the issue if the state Legislature doesn’t address the Racing Commission’s outstanding financial obligations by the end of the session.

In addition to Snyder, the bill is also is being sponsored by state Sens. John Unger, D-Berkeley/Jefferson, and Jeffrey V. Kessler, D-Marshall.

Posted: 1/16/2010

CHARLES TOWN - A local judge has sided, for now, with the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association in their newest battle against Charles Town Races & Slots.

In early January, Attorney Gregory Bailey filed documents in Jefferson County Circuit Court on behalf of the Charles Town horsemen's group and horse trainer George Yetsook. Bailey and his clients sought a temporary restraining order and injunction against Charles Town Races & Slots and its parent company, Penn National Gaming Inc.

The requests, both of which have since been granted, reportedly came after the company informed Yetsook that he would no longer be entitled to use stalls located on the grounds of Charles Town Races & Slots.

Under an agreement between the HBPA and Charles Town Races & Slots, group members are entitled to free use of more than 1,100 stalls that are located on the racetrack's property. The company is able to determine which horsemen are provided with these stalls and how many are given to each individual. Court documents state, however, that the company "may not discriminate against horsemen in their allocation of stalls on the basis of a horsemen's HBPA membership or activity."

Bailey stated in his court filings that his client believes this is exactly what has been done.

"George Yetsook alleges that PNGI's revocation of his allotted stalls was discriminatory and in retaliation against him for his HBPA membership and activities," the document stated.

The documents show that Yetsook was allocated five stalls in 2009, down considerably from the 20 that he was provided with 10 years ago. In December, the documents stated, he received a letter from the company informing him that those final five stalls were to be taken away as well.

The move, documents stated, would put the trainer at a competitive disadvantage.

"Simply put, revoking Mr. Yetsook's stalls will put him out of business," Bailey's motion stated.

In a complaint that he also filed, Bailey stated that Yetsook was claiming discrimination as the cause of Charles Town Races and Slots' actions. The company, the document said, appeared to be retaliating against Yetsook for the public stand he earlier took against table gaming legislation and his close affiliation with another horseman who had also voiced opposition to the measure and lobbied the West Virginia Legislature "to the detriment" of the facility's parent company. Yetsook, the documents added, had previously testified against the company on various issues.

Judge David Sanders issued the requested temporary restraining order on Jan. 7.

Friday, he ruled from the bench that a preliminary injunction be issued as well, pending final resolution of the claims. The actions enable Yetsook to maintain his stalls, for now.

Ken Lowe, newly-elected president of the HBPA, said his group was thankful for Sanders' consideration in the matter.

"As far as the horsemen are concerned, we respect and appreciate the consideration and verdict of the judge in the court, and we will abide by his ruling," Lowe said.

Al Britton, general manager of Charles Town Races and Slots, refrained from commenting when contacted by The Journal on Friday, noting that the litigation is still pending.

Posted: Thursday, December 31, 2009 4:41 PM

Despite a 2.3% gain during the final ten months, Charles Town Races' handle declined 5.1% in the year-round season that ended with a cancelled card on Thursday because of weather conditions.

On-track handle for 236 dates dropped 7.5% to $15,889,713, compared to $17,186,087 for 225 dates in 2008. The total handle was $178,374,766, down from $188,006,751.

Charles Town set a single-card record with $2,552,250 in total handle for the Charles Town Classic Stakes card on April 18.

Trainer Jeff Runco won the training title for the fourth straight year with 150 wins and a career-high $2,755,187 in stable earnings.

Jockey J.D. Acosta was the leading jockey for the third time in four years, scoring 244 wins from 1,117 mounts who earned $4,307,806. Gerald Almodovar finished second with 74 wins.

Summer seems to have come and gone in a heartbeat after the National HBPA convention that we hosted. The new West Virginia Racing Commission has met monthly and has made great strides for racing in West Virginia. A committee has been formed with a member from each entity involved with racing, both Thoroughbred and Greyhounds. Meetings have been scheduled in Morgantown in November and December to methodically go through the rule book to update old rules and decide new ones.

The HBPA representatives are Maria Catigniani, executive director of the Mountaineer HBPA and Lenny Hale, executive director of the Charles Town HBPA. Additionally, Charles Town HBPA President Randy Funkhouser has been appointed chairman of the committee to find new funding for the 10-10-10 Fund, which is a supplemental award for the owners, breeders and stallion owners of winning West Virginia-accredited runners. This fund is crucial for the West Virginia breeding industry.

HBPA Night, which precedes the West Virginia Breeders Classic, saw matching caps and jackets on all grooms, pony people, gate crew, valets, and tractor drivers. The caps and jackets were provided by the Charles Town HBPA.

In the dining room were the mayors of the five local towns and two of the Jefferson County Commissioners there to present trophies for the races named in their honor. The Governors Cup was presented by Mary Jo Brown, the Governor’s Regional Representative standing in for Governor Manchin, III.

In spite of the rain, it was a good evening of racing.

The Breakfast of Champions, held on the morning of Saturday October 17, was another sell-out, with die-hard Redskin fans still coming out to see past heroes.

Hall of Fame Trainer Carl Nafzger was the guest speaker, while Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgensen took turns trashing the front office of the Redskins. Good thing they are otherwise employed!

On Breeders Classic Night, held October 17, the total of purses for the nine-race card was $2,000,000. The sloppy track was a result of three straight days of rain and produced no repeat winners from 2008.

The first race, the West Virginia Triple Crown Nutrition Breeders Classic for two-year-old fillies, went to Amy’s Affair on a disqualification of Down Town Allen for interference soon after leaving the starting gate, and the result is under appeal at this writing. Jim Casey scored a training double, while jockey Arnaldo Bocachica scored a triple.

Ben Cambra from Winnercom deserves kudos for the television coverage on Fox, Comcast, and HGTV.

Judge King in the Kanawha County Court ruled in favor of PNGI to stop the West Virginia Racing Commission from conducting hearings related to the exclusion by PNGI of Janene and Dick Watson and Patty Burns. At this writing, the commission and Charles Town HBPA are deciding on the appeal, especially since Judge King started the proceedings with a remark that he usually was overturned by the higher court since the loser would appeal.

Right on, Judge King. Here we come for the sake of the horsemen countrywide.

Date Posted: 10/9/2009 11:53:21 AM

A West Virginia court has ruled the state racing commission is prohibited from conducting hearings on racetrack exclusions because it “lacks the authority to unilaterally reinstate an ejected permit-holder over the objection of a racing association.”

The Sept. 24 ruling by the Kanawha County Circuit Court stemmed from cases involving horsemen at Charles Town Races & Slots, which is owned by Penn National Gaming Inc. The West Virginia Racing Commission earlier this year voted to hear the cases, but PNGI filed a lawsuit and requested a court ruling.

Excluded by PNGI are Dick and Janene Watson, the former president and executive director, respectively, of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association; and Patty Burns, a trainer at Charles Town. All three are West Virginia Racing Commission licensees.

The Watsons have been barred from Charles Town property for about four years, and Burns for more than a year.

Dick Watson, then president of the Charles Town HBPA, was sued by the organization for allegedly misappropriating funds. The suit alleged Janene Watson, then executive director of the local HBPA, was a co-conspirator.

The suit was settled after Dick Watson apologized and admitted loaning himself HBPA money without approval of the board of directors. In August 2005, Dick Watson’s membership in the Charles Town HBPA was suspended, and three weeks later, Charles Town barred the Watsons from track property.

The couple have bred, owned, and trained horses at Charles Town for more than 25 years. They lost their stalls when the ejection order was issued.

Burns, according to court documents, was arrested in February 2007 for being a party in an altercation in the Charles Town barn area, and in July of that year, track officials found syringes in Burns’ barn after an inspection. The board of stewards suspended Burns, a trainer, for 30 days, but in February 2008, Charles Town management ejected her.

Attorneys for PNGI, during a WVRC meeting in January 2008, argued the Watsons were banned because of integrity issues. Horsemen have argued the issues had nothing to do with the racetrack and ultimately were resolved by the local HBPA.

The National HBPA during its summer convention this year expressed concerns over what it called “arbitrary” exclusions.

National HBPA general counsel Doug McSwain, who handled the case on behalf of the Watsons and Burns, and PNGI vice president of racing Chris McErlean were contacted for comment on the case but have not yet responded. The possibility of an appeal isn’t known.

In its conclusions of law, the circuit court cited previous rulings that racetracks “possess a common law right to exclude unwanted persons,” and the right to exclude “applies equally to the exclusion of patrons and to the exclusion of licensees or permit-holders.” The court cited a 1969 case involving Waterford Park, now Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort.

The court acknowledged the WVRC “has full jurisdiction over and shall supervise all horse racing meetings, all dog race meetings, and all persons involved in the holding or conducting of horse and dog race meetings,” but the language “is not explicit enough to clearly and without equivocation evidence a legislative intent to alter or change the common law right of ejectment held by private racing associations.”

The court also said state law is “silent” on case reviews when a private racing association ejects a permit-holder, and there is violation of due process.

Posted 9/26/2009, 8:07 am

Run Louis Run, making her stakes debut in her sixth lifetime start, ran down pacesetter My Sister Margaret in deep stretch to prevail by a half-length in Friday night's $51,500 Ruth Funkhouser Memorial Stakes at Charles Town.

The seven-furlong Funkhouser,, restricted to West Virginia-bred 3-year-old fillies, served as the local prep for the $140,000 West Virginia Division of Tourism, a seven-furlong race that is part of the $2 million West Virginia Breeders Classic program on Oct. 17.

Ridden by Larry Reynolds for trainer Tim Grams, Run Louis Run ($6) covered the distance in 1:25.00 on a fast track. My Sister Margaret was eight lengths clear of Silver Buckle, a 55-1 shot.

Jolie Ange flashed speed and faded to fourth as the 6-5 favorite.

The Charles Town HBPA hopes that all of our attending affiliates enjoyed the National HBPA Summer Convention in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. It seems the bus trip with the various points of historical interest was enjoyed by all those on board.

Mother Nature was not too hard on us. The Virginia HBPA-sponsored picnic began with a downpour at the beginning of the event, but after it stopped, everyone arrived to enjoy a delicious barbeque dinner, good music, and lots of networking.

Thursday evening was our night at the races at Charles Town Races & Slots, sponsored by the Charles Town HBPA. Key greeters were National HBPA President and Chairman Joe Santanna, Charles Town HBPA President Randy Funkhouser, and West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin’s Regional Representative, Mary Jo Brown. Mrs. Brown brought a message from the Governor and had a surprise presentation for our own Board Member, Elaine Hagy. Elaine was presented with a certificate of recognition from the Governor for all of her years of volunteerism.

We, the Charles Town HBPA, appreciate the help from Board Member Ken Lowe, the Clarion Hotel and its staff, Laura Plato, Ronda Denham, and a special thanks to the affiliates and businesses who sponsored events for our first national convention, including: Pennsylvania HBPA, Florida HBPA, Virginia HBPA, Mountaineer Park HBPA, Oklahoma HBPA, Indiana HBPA, Martin and Seibert, Billie’s Restaurant, The Tack Lady, Southern States Feed and Supplies, Rutledge Farm, Clarion Hotel, TVG, Finish Line Products, Bank of Charles Town, Jefferson Security Bank, Marovich, O’Shea & Coughlin, and West Virginia Breeders Classics.

Since the signing of the contract on March 1, 2009 between the Charles Town HBPA and Charles Town Racing & Slots, we have been waiting for the construction and operation of a bio-security gate to allow those stabled in the private barns to have access to both the training track and the main track. We are happy to announce that the gate became operational as of July 20. In order to get this gate, the Charles Town HBPA agreed to pay for the building, its contents, and the cost of the guards that work the gate.

We now have three new commissioners on the West Virginia Racing Commission. We welcome Mr. Joe Smith, Mr. Jack Rossi, and Mr. Greg McDermott to their new posts, and it is our hope that we can all work together for the betterment of the West Virginia racing industry. They are off to a good start, with an excellent meeting on July 15.

On July 8, 2009 a hearing was conducted by Judge King in the Kanawha County Courthouse to rule on PNGI’s suit to stop the West Virginia Racing Commission from conducting a hearing into the exclusion of Dick and Janene Watson and Patti Burns. PNGI argued that it was private property and the Commission had no jurisdiction. The West Virginia Racing Commission and Doug McSwain, on behalf of the Watsons/Burns, argued that private property applies to customers, not other licensees of the State; otherwise the track would take away the plenary powers given to the racing commission by the State of West Virginia. We await a decision while various documents are exchanged.

Our election process has begun. The Nominating Committee and the Election Committee have been appointed and approved by the Board of Directors. September 12 will be the general membership meeting to present the slate and accept nominations from the floor. Ballots will be mailed on October 16, with November 16 as the deadline for receiving marked ballots. The Election Committee will count the ballots on November 17.

Date Posted: 8/16/2009 12:23:06 AM Last Updated: 8/16/2009 10:05:03 AM

With his superstar Rachel Alexandra waiting to make her next start, another 3-year-old filly punctuated a big night for trainer Steve Asmussen when Four Gifts took the $250,000 Charles Town Oaks by a half-length over Royal Card. Four Gifts’ win provided Asmussen and jockey Robby Albarado their third stakes win on Charles Town Races & Slots inaugural Race for the Ribbon night Aug. 15.

Four Gifts, the odds-on favorite, got a perfect trip sitting right behind pacesetters Beware of the Bop and Love that Dance. Jockey Luis Perez struck the lead with Love That Dance entering the far turn, but was quickly collared by Four Gifts before turning for home. Albarado opened up a two-length lead in mid-stretch while holding off Royal Card in the final half furlong. Love That Dance checked in third, 4 1/2 lengths behind Royal Card.

In the $100,000 Miss Shenandoah for 2-year-old fillies, Asmussen and Albarado were at it again as Kinsolving took top prize, outgaming the Charles Town-based Down Town Allen to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Coming off a disappointing effort in the Schuylerville at Saratoga, Kinsolving was still sent off as the even-money favorite in the field of eight. Kinsolving took the lead from a stubborn Down Town Allen in mid-stretch and completed the 4 1/2 furlongs in :52.08. Richiesgirlgotgame and Kendrick Carmouche finished third, 1 3/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

While Four Gifts won the richest race on the card, the most impressive winner on the night was Western Smoke who took the $100,000 Charles Town Juvenile by 12 1/2 widening lengths. Sent off at odds of 3-5, Western Smoke was never headed when cutting out quarterly fractions of :22.61, :45.76 and 1:10.96 under Albarado. The 2-year-old son of Smoke Glacken stopped the clock in 1:24.99 for the seven-furlong race. Kratisto took the place spot, seven lengths in front of third-place finisher Bellissima Luna.

In the first six-figure race of the night, a familiar name to Charles Town stakes action came out on top in the $100,000 West Virginia Sprint Derby, when the Scott Lake trained Ju Jitsu Jax rolled home to a 5 1/2 length win. Under jockey J.D. Acosta, Ju Jitsu Jax took the race in a blazing final time of :50.97 over Mike Trombetta’s Pilansberg. Big Push’s third-place finish was Albarado’s only losing mount of the night.

The track-side attendance for Charles Town Races & Slots Race for the Ribbon night was 4,851, besting the total posted for the Sprint Festival held on June 20. Charles Town will hold their next racing event night on Oct. 17 when the track plays host to the 23rd running of the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics.

Date Posted: 7/27/2009 3:00:04 PM Last Updated: 7/28/2009 1:24:37 PM

This year’s West Virginia Breeders Classics program at Charles Town Races & Slots will be worth a record $2 million, organizers said.

Breeders Classics founder and chief executive officer Sam Huff and co-founder and president Carol Holden said in a July 25 release they received approval from the West Virginia Racing Commission to increase total purses from $1.875 million last year, when nine stakes were held on the program.

This year’s Classics night is set for Oct. 17, again with nine stakes for West Virginia-bred or –sired horses. The co-features, each worth $500,000, are the West Virginia Breeders Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, and the Cavada Breeders Classic for fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, at seven furlongs.

The other seven stakes will be worth a total of $1 million.

Organizers said the 2009 West Virginia Breeders Classics XXIII will be featured on FOX Sports Net and will have full-card coverage on HRTV, which recently extended its agreement to broadcast racing live from Charles Town.

The Breeders Classics program is the richest night of racing in West Virginia. The richest program of open stakes in the state is the Aug. 1 West Virginia Derby (gr. II) card at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort. Purses for the all-stakes card total about $1.5 million.

West Virginia racetracks derive purse revenue from video lottery terminals.

Date Posted: 7/23/2009 7:44:25 PM Last Updated: 7/23/2009 7:50:13 PM

Charles Town Races & Slots and HorseRacing TV have reached a new agreement which will allow the track’s races to be shown live on the network through, at least, the end of the 2009 racing season.

When HRTV began broadcasting races from Charles Town Races & Slots March 18, it marked the first time racing from Charles Town received daily in-home television coverage.

In addition to daily coverage, HRTV will be providing expanded in-studio coverage of the two remaining event days at Charles Town this year. Charles Town Races & Slots “Race for the Ribbon” night, including the inaugural running of the $250,000 Charles Town Oaks will take place August 15. The final event day of the year is set for Oct. 17 as the track hosts West Virginia Breeders’ Classics XXIII.

“We’re excited about continuing the partnership with HRTV,” said Erich Zimny, racing administrator at Charles Town Races & Slots. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback on the coverage of the Charles Town Classic and Sprint Festival. We think the exposure generated by this full card coverage of the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics could make a huge impact on the event and the people involved.”

Charles Town Races & Slots has scheduled 235 live days for 2009 and currently races Wednesday through Sundays. Sunday racing has a first post of 1 p.m., while the card for all other days kicks off at 7:15 pm. "Race for the Ribbon" night will have a special event first post of 6 p.m. Charles Town’s 2010 live racing calendar and stakes schedule will be released later this year.

Date Posted: 7/12/2009 10:26:15 AM Last Updated: 7/13/2009 10:16:22 AM

Black Tie Affair, 1991 Horse of the Year, has been pensioned at Randy Funkhouser’s O’Sullivan Farms near Charles Town, W.Va., because of complications from arthritis. The 23-year-old son of Miswaki found it difficult to cover mares.

“His fertility was fine last year,” Funkhouser said. “He covered about 36 mares.”

Bred in Ireland by S. Peakoff, Black Tie Affair was voted Horse of the Year and champion older male after winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) and six other graded stakes for owner Jeff Sullivan and trainer Ernie Poulos. Poulos, a popular trainer on the Illinois circuit, died in March of 1997.

Black Tie Affair closed out his Horse of the Year season with six consecutive victories, taking the Stephen Foster (gr. III), Michigan Mile Handicap (gr. III), Cornhusker Handicap (gr. III), Philip Iselin Handicap (gr. I), and Washington Park Handicap (gr. II) prior to the Breeders' Cup. His streak came under four jockeys: Juvenile Diaz, Pat Day, Shane Sellers, and Jerry Bailey.

Black Tie Affair was retired after the Classic with 18 wins from 45 starts and earnings of $3,370,694.

Black Tie Affair, who entered stud in 1992 at Ben Walden Jr.’s Vinery near Midway, Ky., and later stood several years in Japan, has sired 35 stakes winners, including grade I winner and New York fan favorite Evening Attire and grade I winner and sire Formal Gold. His progeny earnings are $56.2 million.

Black Tie Affair stood at O' Sullivan for a partnership managed by Donna Hayes. Black Tie Affair is out the Al Hattab mare Hat Tab Girl.

Posted 6/17/2009, 6:27 pm

Defending champion Joey P. will have to deal with a pair of graded stakes sprinters coming off extended layoffs in his quest to become a millionaire this weekend.

The Monmouth Park-based Joey P. will be challenged by Florida shipper Ikigai and the Kentucky colt Eaton's Gift in Saturday night's $250,000 Charles Town Invitational Dash.

The Dash is the co-feature on a four-stakes card that features an appearance by Big Drama, the fifth-place finisher in the Preakness, in the $250,000 Red Legend for 3-year-olds. The seven-furlong Red Legend (race 10) completes an all-stakes pick four that begins with a pair of $100,000 races, the Lady Charles Town for 3-year-old fillies going 4 1/2 furlongs and the Wild and Wonderful at seven furlongs.

Entries for all four stakes were drawn Wednesday.

The 4 1/2-furlong Dash, which drew a field of 10, plus three also-eligibles, is topped by the 7-year-old Joey P., who needs to finish at least second to surpass the $1 million milestone. He will break from post 4 with Charles Town's leading rider, J.D. Acosta, aboard.

His chief challengers figure to be Ikigai, winner of the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park in January, and Eaton's Gift, who won the Grade 2 Swale at Gulfstream in February 2008. Ikigai, who will be ridden by Jermaine Bridgmohan from post 5, has been off since March. Eaton's Gift will be making his first start since October when he leaves from post 7 under Sylvester Carmouche.

Big Drama drew post 9 as the probable favorite for the Red Legend and will be ridden by Eibar Coa. His competition in a field of 10, plus two also-eligibles, is topped by Grade 3 winner Azul Leon and the locally based Russell Road.

Azul Leon, based in Southern California with trainer Doug O'Neill, was a hot prospect last summer when he won the Hollywood Juvenile Championship and missed by a nose in the Grade 2 Best Pal at Del Mar. He will be making his first start since December when he breaks from post 7 under Michael Baze.

Russell Road is 6 for 7 at Charles Town, including a neck victory in the $100,000 Blue N Gold last time out. He will be looking for his fifth stakes win locally and breaks from post 4 under jockey Eric Camacho.

Special first post time for Saturday's card is 6 p.m. Eastern.

Posted 6/8/2009, 4:11 pm

Big Drama, who finished fifth after setting the pace in the Preakness, will make his next start in the $250,000 Red Legend Stakes at Charles Town on June 20, trainer David Fawkes confirmed on Monday.

Big Drama had his first workout since the Preakness on Sunday morning at Monmouth Park, where he went five furlongs in 1:00.40. Channing Hill was aboard for the work, but Fawkes said Eibar Coa would be reunited with Big Drama for the seven-furlong Red Legend. Coa took off Big Drama to guide Musket Man to a third-place finish in the Preakness.

"He worked great," said Fawkes. "He went off in 25 and change and finished very strong."

We are very excited that the National HBPA is bringing one of its conventions to Charles Town for the first time. With the headquarters in the Clarion Hotel in Shepherdstown, the conventioneers have only a quick hop to many historic places in the region. George Washington worked as a surveyor here early in his career and loved the land so much that he recommended it to his family as a place to settle. There are four family homes in the area.

Harper’s Ferry was the site of John Brown’s raid to abolish slavery, and he was tried in the Charles Town courthouse, which exists today, and convicted of treason. The Antietam battlefield is just a few miles away, with monuments from many states to honor their dead. Charles Town Race Track has quite a history of its own, having hosted many celebrities and elected officials, including John F. Kennedy on a campaign stop, First Lady Bess Truman, F.B.I. Director J. Edgar Hoover and, of course, Pennsylvania HBPA luminaries like Joe Santanna and Todd Mostoller. Most recently, Penny Chenery made her last scheduled public appearance to speak at the Breakfast of Champions and promote the Secretariat Foundation. The folks at Charles Town showed their support by purchasing more merchandise than was sold at Saratoga.

The most recent history maker was the April 18th inaugural running of the Charles Town Classic, along with four other stakes run that night. The home team took top honors in the Classic (winner: Researcher, owner: Rutledge Farm, trainer: Jeff Runco) and in the Blue and Gold Stakes (winner: Russell Road, owner: Mark E. Russell, trainer: Jim Casey). The $250,000 Sugar Maple went to our neighbor, Ned Evans, from Virginia. The 11-race card included three West Virginia-accredited races, so our local breeders benefited. Moreover, the last race was won by local trainer Kenny Huffman.

The first four months of the year have been consumed with “busy work.”

February 23rd was our first general membership meeting of the year. The agenda included the consideration of a jockey fee increase, which was approved pending the signing of our new contract with Charles Town Races and Slots. That contract included an agreement to pay back ($100) to last for all runners.

On March 1, the contract between Charles Town Races & Slots (CTRS) and the Charles Town HBPA was signed. The first project to get underway since the signing is to get a security building and gate opened for the trainers on Race Track Street (the private barns across the road from the racetrack) in order to have a way for those horsemen and women to get to the main track for morning training without trailering to the receiving barn. They will still have to ship in for the race card.

Payback to last was in the contract, and the Board approved an increase of $25 for losing mounts that totals $75.

The board has been working diligently to get our bylaws updated. They are heading down the stretch to completion. The next step is to present the amended bylaws to the general membership for approval. This is an election year, and the process will begin in June when a nominating committee will be elected.

Date Posted: 6/1/2009 2:24:28 PM Last Updated: 6/2/2009 10:48:44 AM

Charles Town Races & Slots will offer purse incentives in certain races with seven or more starters effective June 6 in an effort to increase field size.

Fields at the West Virginia track are limited to 10 starters because of the configuration of the racing surface. Charles Town has a three-quarter-mile track with two chutes.

The races that qualify for the extra cash are allowance events, including starter allowance races and optional claiming allowance races, as well as open claiming races with a claiming price of $16,000 or $12,500. Maiden special weight races aren’t part of the incentive scheme, officials said.

For each horse above six starters, purses will increase $1,000. So the maximum increase will be $4,000.

Under the plan, $200 will go to each horse finishing seventh through 10th, while $800 will be added to the published purse and paid out accordingly to the top six finishers. The $200 purse incentive will be paid in addition to the $100 currently paid to horses finishing seventh through 10th at Charles Town.

“We’re in a competitive location geographically, and in a competitive time on the calendar,” Charles Town racing secretary Randy Wehrman said in a statement. “We’re taking a step to reward horsemen who help us to drive both quality and field size.”

Charles Town officials said they will study the impact of the purse incentive plan on a monthly basis to determine whether it should continue.

Charles Town has more than 5,000 video lottery terminals, revenue from which goes to purses and breed development programs.

So far this year, purses at Charles Town have averaged $164,237 per day, with average field size at 8.49 (101 programs through May 31). The figures are higher than last year for the same number of programs—average purses of $154,614, and average field size of 8.35.

Though Maryland racing ended May 23 for a few months, Colonial Downs opens June 5. The Virginia track offers a large percentage of turf races and attracts horses from Charles Town.

Date Posted: 4/18/2009 7:43:20 PM Last Updated: 4/20/2009 1:58:34 PM

Two jockeys suspended at Charles Town Races & Slots picked up mounts at the West Virginia track April 18 in the wake of a court order allowing them to access the grounds and to compete in races pending a hearing.

Seven jockeys were each suspended 30 days and fined $1,000 by track management for allegedly misrepresenting their weights. In addition, clerk of scales Michael Garrison was fined and suspended. The alleged actions were said to be caught on camera.

Two of the riders—Anthony Mawing and Larry Reynolds—rode April 18 after late jockey changes. The other five riders are Alexis Rios-Conde, Tony Maragh, Luis Perez, Jesus Sanchez, and Dale Whittaker.

The Jockeys’ Guild was granted a temporary restraining order April 16. Later the same day, Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge L.D. Egnor ordered Charles Town to acknowledge the temporary restraining order.

According to the Guild, the judge’s order states, in part: “If the track bars the plaintiffs from racing at the track, the irreparable harm that caused the court to issue the TRO would go unabated. Such conduct would render the court’s TRO a nullity and frustrate the court’s authority to ensure compliance with its lawful orders.

“Therefore, the court orders that PNGI Charles Town Gaming shall not restrict or impede the rights of the plaintiffs to enter the track and engage in their legitimate racing activities. The suspensions of the plaintiffs’ racing permits are stayed, and until the TRO expires, the track may not impair or impede the plaintiffs’ rights to engage in activities consistent with the plaintiffs’ rights to engage in activities consistent with the plaintiffs’ racing permits.”

Guild national manager Terry Meyocks said the organization “had no choice but to go back to court to secure the rights of the jockeys involved which had already been recognized by the court.” Meyocks said the jockeys haven’t received their due process.

The case comes as Charles Town parent Penn National Gaming Inc. is fighting in court to keep the West Virginia Racing Commission from holding hearings to reconsider the company’s ejection of three individuals that own and train horses. An attorney for Dick and Janene Watson and Patty Burns said the case could be precedent-setting in regard to racetrack exclusions and the powers of racing regulators.

Date Posted: 4/16/2009 2:56:25 PM Last Updated: 4/16/2009 2:56:26 PM

Acting on behalf of seven jockeys suspended by Charles Town Races & Slots for allegedly misrepresenting their weights during races at the West Virginia track, the Jockeys’ Guild on April 16 reported that a temporary injunction had been granted that permits the riders to continue to ride.

According to a release from the Guild, Judge L.D. Egnor of the Kanawha County Circuit Court issued a temporary restraining order that enables the jockeys to continue riding until their case is properly adjudicated. The seven riders are Larry Reynolds, Anthony Mawing, Alexis Rios-Conde, Jesus Sanchez, Dale Whittaker, Luis Perez and Tony Maragh.

The Guild filed the motion on April 14 and was represented by the law firm of Bailey & Glasser, LLP.

According to the Guild, the organization “took immediate action to protect the rights of its members to continue to ride after unfairly being accused of intentionally misrepresenting their riding weights. The Guild also believes that the stewards’ hearing procedure was unfair.”

The Guild statement said the court ruled that “the notices sent to plaintiffs by defendant were facially and constitutionally insufficient; that the manner in which the defendants conducted proceedings against the plaintiffs appears to have violated his constitutional rights to due process in multiple ways; that the injuries caused by the defendant’s actions, including the inability to race, are immediate and irreparable in that monetary damages appear difficult to establish and the public interest is best served when the constitutional rights of public license holders are respected and protected by public agencies.”

“The Guild is committed to supporting its members when they are unfairly accused of violating the rules of racing or not given their proper due process to present their defense,” Terry Meyocks, national manager of the Jockeys’ Guild, said in a statement. “We are thankful that Judge Egnor confirmed the importance of due process rights before any discipline is handed out.”

Charles Town suspended the jockeys 30 days and fined them $1,000 each based on an investigation in which surveillance cameras were used to allegedly detect jockeys carrying more than the assigned weight. Clerk of scales Michael Garrison was fined $1,000, suspended indefinitely, and had his occupational license suspended. According to the ruling issued by the stewards April 8, Garrison was suspended for “failing to use due diligence in the performance of his duty” as clerk of scales and for violating seven rules of racing. He was also found in violation for not testifying before the stewards.

Date Posted: 4/7/2009 12:56:02 PM Last Updated: 4/7/2009 2:28:13 PM

The right of racetrack exclusion is being tested in West Virginia, where Charles Town Races & Slots is seeking to keep the state racing commission from holding hearings to consider granting three individuals reinstatement to the facility.

The case has the potential to be precedent-setting, an attorney involved in the legal proceedings said.

In a petition for writ of prohibition filed March 27 in Kanawha County Circuit Court, Charles Town owner Penn National Gaming Inc. asks the court to prohibit the West Virginia Racing Commission from holding hearings on track management’s decision to eject Dick and Janene Watson and Patty Burns, who each filed appeals of their exclusion in September 2008. The WVRC, during a Feb. 12 meeting, granted the Watsons and Burns a right to hearings under the Administrative Procedures Act.

The filing is the latest move in cases that date back about five years. In 2004, Dick Watson, then president of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, was sued by the organization for allegedly misappropriating funds. The suit alleged his wife Janene, then executive director of the local HBPA, was a co-conspirator.

The suit was settled after Dick Watson apologized and admitted loaning himself HBPA money without approval of the board of directors. In August 2005, Dick Watson’s membership in the Charles Town HBPA was suspended, and three weeks later, Charles Town barred the Watsons from track property.

The couple have bred, owned, and trained horses at Charles Town for more than 25 years. They lost their stalls when the ejection order was issued.

Burns, according to court documents, was arrested in February 2007 for being a party in an altercation in the Charles Town barn area, and in July of that year, track officials found syringes in Burns’ barn after an inspection. The board of stewards suspended Burns, a trainer, for 30 days, but in February 2008, Charles Town management ejected her.

PNGI, which is based in Pennsylvania, contends the three-member WVRC has overstepped its authority regarding reinstatement of individuals barred from private property. “This position by the racing commission violates the specific directive of the legislature and the decisional law of this state, and represents a classic scenario where a lower tribunal has exceeded its legitimate powers,” the company’s petition states.

PNGI in its filing notes the WVRC on previous occasions had held hearings on the Watsons’ ejection and ruled Charles Town had the authority to take such action. PNGI didn’t object to the commission holding hearings.

The Watsons had been granted one-year occupational permits and have been licensed to race at West Virginia tracks. They have on occasion raced horses at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort.

The WVRC March 7denied the PNGI motion to dismiss the appeals by the Watsons and Burns. In the order, WVRC chairman Fred Peddicord said the "burden of proof shall be on Charles Town Races & Slots to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that it had just cause to eject" the Watsons and Burns.

Doug McSwain, general counsel for the National HBPA and special litigation counsel to the Watsons and Burns, has cited other cases throughout North America in taking his position that the WVRC has the right to consider reinstatement of the barred individuals.

McSwain said there is an Arkansas case in which the state’s high court agreed the Arkansas Racing Commission had the power to consider a horseman’s exclusion from Oaklawn Park, even though it ultimately upheld the ejection. In Kentucky in early 1990s, he and the late Don Sturgill appealed Keeneland’s ejection of jockey Billy Phelps, who ultimately was granted permission by the Kentucky Racing Commission to ride at the Lexington track.

McSwain said the West Virginia case has “broad relevance” for the entire racing industry because “house rules” are becoming commonplace at racetracks, and are being encouraged by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Safety and Integrity Alliance. The attorney said horsemen support the alliance and racetracks’ efforts to improve health and safety for all participants, but are concerned they may not be afforded due process.

“The interest of horsemen in the fair and non-discriminatory application of ‘house rules’ is of tremendous importance for obvious reasons,” McSwain said.

In its petition, PNGI lists numerous federal and state court cases to support its right to exclusion. PNGI attorneys argue that racing associations “have a common law right to exclude or eject individuals, whether patrons or permit-holders, from their business premises,” and that “West Virginia law specifically recognizes the authority of a racing association to eject persons from its business premises.”

PNGI attorneys also argue that under West Virginia racing rules, the WVRC doesn’t have the authority to readmit an ejected individual to a racetrack. The petition cites a rule that states “any person ejected by the stewards or the association from the grounds of an association shall be denied admission to the grounds until permission for his or her re-entry has been obtained from the association and the racing commission.”

The petition also claims appeals only deal with stewards’ rulings, not decisions made by private racing associations.

McSwain argued the WVRC agreed with horsemen that Charles Town’s action was subject to appeal. He said the case could set precedent, at least in West Virginia but perhaps nationally.

“The implicit meaning of the ruling is that the commission—if it ultimately agrees with the Watsons and Burns that their exclusions have gone on long enough—possesses the power to order the Watsons and/or Burns back onto the track,” McSwain said. “The exclusions, if overruled on appeal, therefore, represent a classic power struggle between who controls racing: the racetracks or the racing commissions.

“Horsemen submit that the final say in all racing matters, including ejections and exclusions, lies with the racing commission.”

Date Posted: 3/18/2009 7:59:41 AM Last Updated: 3/18/2009 9:20:19 AM

Charles Town Races & Slots and HRTV have reached an agreement to allow the West Virginia track’s races to be shown live on the racing network beginning March 18. It’s the first time racing from Charles Town will receive daily in-home television coverage.

In addition to the live broadcast of Charles Town’s races, HRTV will air a studio show April 18 carrying the Charles Town Classic day card and provide studio commentary and analysis. That evening will feature the 1 1/8-mile Charles Town Classic, which could offer a purse of $1 million.

“We think it’s important from an exposure standpoint that we broaden the reach of our signal and familiarize more racing fans with our product,” Charles Town racing administrator Erich Zimny said.

Charles Town is scheduled for 235 live racing days this year and currently races Wednesday through Sundays. Post time is 7:15 p.m. EDT with the exception of Sundays, when first post I 1 p.m. Post time on special event days (April 18, June 20, and Aug. 15) is 6 p.m.

Posted: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 11:49 AM

Charles Town Races has allocated a record $2.7-million to its open stakes schedule for 2009, including a new race for older horses that could be worth as much as $1-million.

Last year, Charles Town offered a record $900,000 in unrestricted stakes purses. Penn National Gaming Inc. owns Charles Town, located in Eastern West Virginia near the Maryland and Pennsylvania boarders.

Most prominent among the additions this year is the Charles Town Classic on April 18 that will offer a guaranteed purse of $500,000 and tiered incentives for graded stakes winners. Grade 1 winners will compete for a $1-million purse, and the pot will be worth $750,000 for Grade 2 winners and $600,000 for Grade 3 winners.

Owner Tracy Farmer is pointing multiple Grade 1 winner Commentator to the Charles Town Classic, Thoroughbred Daily News reports. The gelding’s trainer, Racing Hall of Famer Nick Zito, has never started a horse at Charles Town, according to Equineline statistics.

Also on the April 18 card, Charles Town will debut the $250,000 Sugar Maple Stakes at seven furlongs for older females and $100,000 events at seven furlongs for three-year-olds and at 4 ½ furlongs for three-year-olds and older.

Another stakes heavy program on June 20 will feature the $250,000 Charles Town Invitational Dash at 4 1/2 furlongs and $250,000 Red Legend Stakes at seven furlongs for three-year-olds.

On August 1, Charles Town has four open stakes on the schedule including the $250,000 Charles Town Oaks at seven furlongs.

Charles Town also is the home of the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics Night, which offered $1.875-million in purses in 2008.

“We consider all these events to be significant showcase days for our racing,” said Dickie Moore, Charles Town’s general manager of racing. “To have these three days set the table for the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics makes our program very formidable. Fortunately, thanks to roughly $35-million in purse funds generated by our slot machines … we’re capable of purring on events like this.”

Charles Town open stakes schedule
April 18 Charles Town Classic, *$1-million, 4 yo &up, 1 1/8 miles;
April 18 Sugar Maple Stakes, $250,000, 4 yo &up fillies & mares, seven furlongs
April 18 Blue & Gold Stakes, $100,000, 3yo, seven furlongs
April 18 Webb Snyder Stakes, $100,000, 3 yo &up, 4 1/2 furlongs
June 20 Charles Town Invitational Dash, $250,000, 3 yo &up, 4 1/2 furlongs
June 20 Red Legend Stakes, $250,000, 3yo, seven furlongs
June 20 Lady Charles Town, $100,000, 3yo fillies, 4 1/2 furlongs
June 20 Wild and Wonderful, $100,000, 3&up, seven furlongs
August 15 Charles Town Oaks, $250,000, 3yo fillies, seven furlongs
August 15 Charles Town Juvenile, $100,000, 2yo, seven furlongs
August 15 Miss Shenandoah, $100,000, 2yo fillies, 4 1/2 furlongs
August 15 West Virginia Sprint Derby, $100,000, 3yo, 4 1/2 furlongs *$500,000 guaranteed; $1-million for Grade 1 winners, $750,000 for Grade 2 winners, and $600,000 for Grade 3 winners.

The Charles Town horsemen have welcomed Chaplain Pete Crisswell as our interim chaplain. Since his arrival, he has been busy walking the barn area and getting acquainted with our stable area personnel. He has been to visit our horsemen that have been hospitalized, as well as those at home recovering.

Chaplain Pete has attended horsemen’s meetings, has provided prayer before the races for not only the jockeys but for our gate crew, and much more. The Chaplain has made a lasting impression on all, and it shows by the Sunday service doubling in attendance. Many of our horsemen have strongly expressed their interest in Chaplain Pete being able to stay as our permanent chaplain.

The Charles Town HBPA sponsored its own Children’s Christmas Party on December 13, with 45 children and parents in attendance. Pizza and boxed drinks were the refreshments of the day.

The children decorated their own gift bags, and then they had them filled with all kinds of toys, coloring books, and much more. Games were geared to age groups, and a piñata was provided by trainer Michelle Knoblauch, and all the children had an opportunity to try to break it.

Chaplain Pete visited with the parents and had the children lined up to learn how to do the bean toss game. The finale of the day was a surprise visit from Santa, and there was great excitement, with lots of laughter and squeals. As each child finished his or her visit with Santa, they were given a bag of cookies, candy canes, hats, and mittens to top off their gift bags.

The committee that arranged this event was: Barbara Robinson, Michelle Knoblauch, Patti Evans, and Chaplain Pete. We thank the all parents that participated during the party and helped to make this event such a success. We must not forget trainer Eddie Householder from the Harvest Pointe Community Church, who provided the tables and chairs, and our landlord Vince Petti for donating the room.

The demolition of the old track kitchen and construction of the new kitchen was in progress during Thanksgiving, and our annual Charles Town HBPA-sponsored backstretch dinner could not be held this year. In order to celebrate the holiday, we gave out 350 pumpkin pies to the stable area personnel.

On January 17, Mrs. Darlene Hostler, who operates the track kitchen, was delighted to once again open for business in a brand new building and with new equipment.

Barbara Robinson, administrator for our pension plan, has mailed out the renewal forms, and new member applications are available in the Charles Town HBPA office. The deadline to turn in the forms is March 15.

Our office and our horsemen lost a good friend and volunteer. Jimmy Meehan was a blacksmith and a frequent visitor to the Charles Town HBPA office. Anything we needed done, he was there to lend a hand, run errands, babysit the office, help stuff envelopes, fix whatever was broken, and tell us a humorous story about something or somebody from days gone by. Jimmy was very special to all of us. His love of animals was exceptional, and he will be missed.

POSTED: February 15, 2009

WHEELING - West Virginia lawmakers could see legislation this session to combine the state's lottery, racing and boxing commissions.

The move could save the state $5 million to $15 million over the next five years, according to state Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, chairman of the Senate Committee on Government Organization.

"We have been working with the governor's administration, and looking at consolidating some state agencies," he said.

Among the ideas is putting the racing, lottery and boxing commissions "into one structure," Bowman continued.

"This will absolutely resolve some of the issues within the racing commission - which has been in disarray," he indicated. "Through this legislation, no one will lose a job. Through attrition, there will be a reduction of jobs overall."

Bowman noted that the only opposition to the plan has come from those in the racing industry.

The industry has voiced concerns about who would be responsible for distributing the Breeders Fund dollars, and how this could impact them.

"They also believe we will promote (gambling) over the racing industry," Bowman said. "I have assured them I wouldn't be a part of anything that would harm the racing industry. With the governor, we have told them we won't allow gaming to reduce the importance of racing."

Delegate Randy Swartzmiller, D-Hancock, was part of a committee that met regularly over the past year to craft legislation merging the commissions.

"It's something definitely on the table during the ... session," he commented.

And Swartzmiller believes the legislation is something that should be considered.

"There are some positives to having all the committees under one roof," he said. "There will be better communications, and from the administrative standpoint you will have fewer people.

"We still need all the workers we have on the front line, but maybe we could reduce the number of administrative jobs" within state government, he said. "We always need to reduce government when we can."

The jobs at local tracks must be protected, Swartzmiller added.

"We also have to make sure that the horsemen still have a voice in those things that affect their industry," he said. "There are some good things here, but we have to be cautious and cover all our bases."

Swartzmiller expects there could be interest in the legislation.

"Whether it will have the votes at the end of day, I don't know," he said. "Sometimes, these things don't pass the first year. Sometimes it is two or three years before people are comfortable enough with the legislation to move it forward."

Tamara Pettit, spokeswoman for Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort in Chester, said officials there support the legislation.

"It seems to be an effective way to manage those departments," she commented.

Officials at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack did not return calls seeking comment.

Date Posted: 2/17/2009 8:13:26 AM Last Updated: 2/18/2009 11:55:50 AM

A Penn National Gaming Inc. official said the company doesn't plan to ask voters this year to approve table games at Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia.

Jefferson County voters rejected table games in June 2007, and by law PNGI could have gone back to voters this year with another request. But company official John Finamore said polling shows area residents haven't changed their minds yet about the gaming expansion.

Finamore said the track needs table gambling to remain competitive now that Maryland is moving toward slot machines. Charles Town has about 5,000 video lottery terminals and offers a year-round racing program.

Finamore said revenue from the machines this fiscal year is about 6% below what it was for the same time period last year.

The other three racetracks in West Virginia have VLTs and table casinos as approved by local referendums.

Date Posted: 1/13/2009 12:46:42 PM Last Updated: 1/14/2009 11:33:53 AM

CANTER-Mid Atlantic will expand its ongoing race horse rehabilitation program with a grant funded by Charles Town Races & Slots.

This additional financing for its existing rehabilitation program enables CANTER-Mid Atlantic to grow from a free race horse sales listing service and race horse rehab provider to an emergency care provider of at-risk race horses it would otherwise have been forced to turn away.

"We have worked very closely with the management of the Charles Town over the years, and we are very excited that they have chosen CANTER-Mid Atlantic as a recipient of these funds to help ex-race horses in need of immediate homes," said CANTER-Mid Atlantic executive director Allie Conrad. "So often we have had to turn away at-risk horses due to a lack of funding. We will now have the resources to help more horses."

Having been granted backside access for nine years by Charles Town management, CANTER-Mid Atlantic volunteers have built strong relationships with the track management and horse racing professionals. Those relationships have made it possible for CANTER-Mid Atlantic to assist trainers and owners in transitioning more than 3000 race horses into successful second careers using its free listing service.

"Working with CANTER-Mid Atlantic has been a very positive experience for us," said Dickie Moore, general manager of racing at Charles Town. "We understand that CANTER-Mid Atlantic has struggled to take in ex-race horses in need of homes, and we are pleased to support their work, and hopefully ease their burden, with a financial grant so that many more race horses can be rehabilitated and retrained for a second career."

Over the last several years, CANTER-Mid Atlantic has taken in over 80 retired race horses as funding allowed and successfully rehabilitated, retrained, and placed them into caring homes. Horses in CANTER-Mid Atlantic's care are boarded on farms deemed appropriate for the health and well-being of the horse.

CANTER-Mid Atlantic is currently managing the care of 24 ex-racehorses that have begun the rehabilitation and retraining process in order to prepare them for a second career. Financial support provided by Charles Town will strengthen these efforts.

CANTER-Mid Atlantic volunteers regularly visit Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia, Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, Md., Bowie Training Center in Bowie, Md., and Laurel Race Course in Laurel, Md., to meet with trainers and owners of horses that are ready to retire from racing, but are capable of beginning a second career.

To find an ex-race horse, volunteer, or to make a donation, visit www.canterusa.org/midatlantic

Where to start? General membership dinner meetings were held in September and October, with about 135 horsemen and women in attendance. There have been so many new rules placed upon the horsemen by security, the stewards, and the racing office of Charles Town Races that our agendas were open floor discussions on any subject that the horsemen wanted to address. This seem to help with horsemen’s frustrations, and from most reports, the horsemen felt these meeting were good.

On September 15, our legal counsel notified Charles Town Races and Slots (CTR&S) of our intentions to negotiate a new contract. The old one expires on December 31, and meetings have begun between our Charles Town HBPA and CTR&S. In addition, a committee was assigned to bring our bylaws up to date, and progress has been made on this project.

Our track kitchen was supposed to be torn down back in June, but it did not happen until September 25. At the moment, we have a concession trailer where we can pick up a bite to eat. The new track kitchen is scheduled to be completed within 90 days from the time demolition began.

The schedule has been full to overflowing here at Charles Town. The weekend of October 17 and 18 will be remembered as the best revival of HBPA night and the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics night to date. The weather was perfect, and the races were all run without incident. On Friday night (HBPA night), three open stakes were carded. Two races honored the mayors of the neighboring towns, and one honored the governor of West Virginia. Chippendale Trays were presented to the winning owners, trainers, and jockeys of the stakes races.

Classic’s Night was a classic. The first two stakes were won by two Virginia girls who race regularly at Charles Town. Jean Rofe, who headquarters at the Middleburg Training Center, won the Vince Moscarelli for two-year-olds. Meanwhile, Susan Cooney, training at the Marsh Farm in Berryville, won the two-year-old filly stakes. The rest of the evening saw the purses evenly distributed, with the exception of two breeders who scored doubles. Dr. Maurice Casey bred Fool Proof and Cedar Run Emblem, while Charles A Woodson Jr. was the breeder of We’re in the Money and Ghostly Thunder.

The prize for the most exuberant winner easily went to trainer Edwin (Punky) Tobin, who startled everyone on the apron of the grandstand with his whoops and then scared them with his charge to the winner’s circle, whooping it up all the way. Seems his Punk Robinson got up to win by a head, giving the trainer his first stakes win.

Ollie Figgins III won the “Division of Tourism Classic” and then prepared to head to Santa Anita. Ollie ran the first Charles Town-trained horse ever to run in the Breeders’ Cup, Rouse the Cat. Fresh from a heartbreaking “nose” defeat in the $500,000 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine, Rouse the Cat was not happy with the downhill part of the turf course at Santa Anita, and dug in when it leveled out, but it was too late, finishing 12th of 14.

Aside from the racing, the real highlight of the weekend was the personal appearance of Penny Chenery, or Penny Tweedy as she was known when her family’s Meadow Stable won the Triple Crown with Secretariat. Penny was at Charles Town to speak at the “Breakfast of Champions” held the morning of the Classics.

Being the trooper that she is, Penny signed autographs at both HBPA night and Classics night. A full range of Secretariat merchandise was on sale, and the Charles Town racing fans took full advantage.

A weary but enthusiastic Penny told a reporter, “What I like about it here is this is not a city crowd; these are people who know their horses and love their horses. It’s fun to meet fellow horse lovers.”

For anyone interested, you can log on to www.secretariat.com and find a wealth of information and gift items, and the proceeds go to the Secretariat Foundation.

Charles Town was in the news once again when three of its horsemen were named as finalists for the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA)’s 2008 White Horse Award. Rachael Pitt, Bryan Smith, and Daniel Mele were cited for bravery which resulted in saving a 64-stall barn and all but one of the horses stabled therein.

While Pitt, Smith, and Mele did not win the first prize, they came away with a great experience, visiting Santa Anita Park for the first time, and the plus was that it was Breeders’ Cup weekend. They also shared a $1,000 prize; were included in many of the festivities, including the “Press Party”, a tour of Los Angeles, and a fiesta in the infield for the Breeders’ Cup horsemen.

The title sponsor was Taylor Made Farm, and the award was presented by Mr. Duncan Taylor to four great guys from Vinton, Louisiana, namely Beau Smith, Larry Higgs, Todd Malley, and Jason Inabinett.

While on the subject of the chaplaincy, many volunteers made the annual horse show on September 4 a great success, raising over $2,000. Riders came from the track and as far away as Penn National with their lead ponies to have a fun-filled day and to take home some well-deserved ribbons.

The horse show was also to be a farewell for Chaplain Rick Mann, who has gone to a new post at Oaklawn Park. We wish him the very best and know it was a tough decision. Within two weeks, the RTCA was able to arrange for the services of interim Chaplain Pete Chrisswell.

Our annual flu shot clinic brought 76 backstretch folks in for their shots. We followed up the next week with another blood pressure and sugar diabetes clinic.

Now we are looking forward to the holidays and what activities might be coordinated. Happy holidays to all from the Charles Town affiliate.

Posted: Sunday, October 19, 2008 3:08 PM

Ghostly Thunder and Julie B were sent off as heavy favorites in the co-feature races on the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics card on Saturday night at Charles Town Races, and both horses lived up to expectations with impressive victories.

Ghostly Thunder was positioned in an ideal stalking spot by jockey Travis Dunkelberger in the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders’ Classic Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race for three-year-olds and older.

The three-year-old Ghostly Minister gelding closed willingly from fourth in early stretch to make up six lengths and collar runner-up Eastern Delite for a three-quarter-length score.

Co-owned by Paul L. Fowler Jr. and trainer Gary Capuano, Ghostly Thunder completed the distance in 1:53.54 as the 6-to-5 favorite and improved to eight wins in 13 career starts. Bred in West Virginia by Charles A. Woodson Jr., Ghostly Thunder extended his winning streak to four with the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic score and picked up his fifth career stakes victory.

Julie B entered the $500,000 West Virginia Jefferson Security Bank Cavada Breeders’ Classic Stakes, a seven-furlong race for fillies and mares, off a clear win in the Roger Van Hoozer Memorial Stakes on September 20 at Charles Town.

The five-year-old Eastover Court mare was reserved off the pace early by Larry Reynolds, surged into contention on the final turn, and powered to a 2 1/4-length win as the 7-to-10 favorite.

Julie B improved to 13 wins in 24 career starts and secured her ninth career stakes win for owner-breeder O’Sullivan Farms and trainer George Yetsook. Way to go Randy!!!

Two horses produced by the same broodmare won stakes on the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics card, which featured nine races worth a combined $1,875,000 for West Virginia-bred horses.

Fool Proof won the $125,000 West Virginia Lottery Breeders’ Classic Stakes for three-year-olds and Cedar’s Run Emblem prevailed in the $125,000 West Virginia Enterprise Rent-A-Car Breeders’ Classic Distaff Stakes.

Both Fool Proof and Cedar’s Run Emblem were produced by the Mane Minister mare Minister’s Lady and bred by Maurice F. Casey III, D.V.M.

Posted 10/15/2008, 2:35 pm

As a prelude to Saturday night’s West Virginia Breeders Classics program, featuring nine stakes worth a collective $1.8 million, Charles Town will run three $50,000 stakes sponsored by the local Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association on its Friday night card.

Four contenders appear difficult to separate in the 1 1/8-mile HBPA Governor’s Cup (race 8), which drew a full field of 10 older horses.

P V Lightening ran the fastest race of his 13-race career two starts ago when he dominated the $100,000 Owners’ Day Handicap at Delaware Park, then regressed when ambitiously spotted in the Grade 2 Meadowlands Cup two weeks ago.

Coyoteshighestcall, a six-time winner each of the past two seasons for trainer Scott Lake, won his only start locally back in March and was good enough to finish a close third in the nine-furlong Claiming Crown Jewel in August.

Researcher has been first or second in 7 of 8 starts at Charles Town and comes off a wire-to-wire score over high-priced optional claimers at Laurel Park.

Sea Dubai steps up in class off a series of strong efforts in the $6,000 starter handicap ranks, including back-to-back lopsided victories going long in August and early September.

* The 7-year-old Love’s Strong Hart, coming off a career-best 101 Beyer Speed Figure in a $50,000 overnight handicap last month, faces two horses who are a combined 8 for 12 locally in the 4 1/2-furlong HBPA Bolivar, Harpers Ferry, and Shepherdstown Mayors (race 4).

The Maryland-based 9-year-old Crafty Schemer has won 3 of his last 4 starts, all in short sprints at Charles Town. Lacewell, second to Love’s Strong Hart as the 6-5 favorite three weeks ago, is 5 for 7 lifetime at Charles Town and won the $85,000 West Virginia Chairman’s Cup at Mountaineer two starts ago.

* Star Snuck, who has been in front or within a head of the lead at the stretch call of her last four starts while going slightly longer, rates a slight edge in the HBPA Charles Town and Ranson Mayors for fillies and mares going seven furlongs (race 7).

Her chief challengers are Circuit Breaker, a Steve Klesaris-trained mare who is 3 for 7 locally, and La Bomba, who has been first or second in all four of her starts at the distance.

Posted: 10/16/2008

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va.— Residents of Charles Town, W.Va., are quick to remember when the racetrack on the city’s border was in trouble.

The racetrack closed for a short period at the end of 1994, was put up for sale in November 1995 and was purchased by Penn National Gaming Inc. following a 1996 referendum, in which Jefferson County residents voted in favor of allowing slot machines. Since then, residents, officials and horsemen haven’t looked back.

“Video lottery terminals were the salvation for the horsemen,” said Janene Watson, a trainer who owns a small horse farm outside Charles Town with her husband, Dick. “Without the machines, we would have been a ghost town.”

Before slots

Charles Town resident Ann Hilton, an owner and trainer, has been racing horses since 1959. In the 1950s, the purse for one race was about $1,000. Before slots, the daily purse was about $22,000 to cover nine races. Today the daily purse is about $165,000 to cover nine races.

“It was a struggle to make a living. You really had to love horse racing,” she said about racing prior to slots.

Hilton said the horsemen worked to keep the racetrack open even when they were running for meager winnings.

Charles Town raced about 182 days in 1994, the following year that number dropped to about 159 days, according to West Virginia Racing Commission’s Annual Report.

In 1994, attendance, handles and purses were all down.

Compared to 1993, 64,000 fewer people attended races in 1994 and handles were down about $16 million at Charles Town.

Tim Grams, a trainer who has worked in Charles Town since the late 1980s, said horsemen faced desperate times, particularly after slots failed the first time in Jefferson County in 1994.

“This town, the first time the slots failed, within weeks of that happening the town was like a ghost town. It just took the wind out of everybody,” he said. “We knew we were finished.”

John Finamore, senior vice president of regional operations for Penn National Gaming, said the situation in Charles Town would have been much different if slots were not passed the second time.

“Without slots, the Charles Town facility would either be a strip mall or a housing development,” he said. “It was closed before we bought it. It was done.”

After slots

Horsemen said Penn National’s purchase of Charles Town Races was a turning point. Slots came online at the facility in 1997.

“The advent of slots just changed everything. Maybe people were tentative because we didn’t know that much about it. But I can tell you from personal experience — and I truly believe — we would not be racing here; there would be no racetrack here at Charles Town without slots,” Hilton said.

Dick Watson, past president of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, said the impact has extended beyond the racetrack.

“Breeding in West Virginia has grown exponentially since slots were legalized. Hopefully it would help Maryland in the same way,” he said. “There are a lot of old breeding farms and a lot of history there I’d be in favor of saving.” In 1995, there were 192 foals born in West Virginia. In 2005, that number increased to 599, according to a report done by Thomas Perez, secretary of the Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation, on slot machines and the racing industry.

Both small and large horse farms in West Virginia said they saw the benefit from slots.

“A lot of people in Jefferson County are a lot better off because of slot machines at the racetrack,” said Titus Hagy, a trainer who owns a 20-acre horse farm outside of Charles Town with his wife Elaine.

In 1990, Elaine and Titus Hagy moved to West Virginia from Westminster and started their breeding operation.

Titus Hagy ran horses at Charles Town and was traveling to the track every day, so it made sense to move closer.

After Penn National bought the racetrack, Elaine Hagy said business picked up for everyone because more people were getting involved in horse racing.

“Everything picked up because there was more money to do it,” she said.

Today, the Hagys have two stallions standing at the farm but are looking to cut back, not because of business but because they want to slow down. But without slots, the Hagys said their small farm wouldn’t have lasted.

A short distance away is Harold Shotwell’s 173-acre horse farm that houses a stabling and breeding operation. There are about 70 horses on the farm, he said.

Shotwell built the farm in 2000 after he moved from a smaller farm in Virginia. Rather than continuing to travel to Charles Town for races, he moved.

“[Racing] is getting better all the time,” Shotwell said. “As the money flows in, you have the tendency to reinvest in better stock.”

Shotwell said the breeding industry in West Virginia has increased substantially since he first arrived.

Although most horsemen will say the introduction of slots has saved horse racing in West Virginia, it has also changed the industry in some ways.

Hilton said horsemen helped each other more when times were tough because everyone was in the same position.

“There’s not as much camaraderie. There is so much competition with big purses that there’s a lot more jealousy and greed involved; that’s a personal choice,” she said.

Today daily purses are up to about $165,000 per day.

Despite the changes to West Virginia’s racing industry, the horsemen said the benefits outweigh the consequences.“There’s pros and cons to everything, but what’s perfect?” Grams said. “But it’s working out good for us.”

Effect on Maryland racing

The higher purses in Charles Town have attracted out-of-state horses to compete. Hilton and Grams said Maryland horses often fill the fields in races at Charles Town.

“A lot of times they beat us, because they have just a little bit better horse,” Hilton said. “We are upgrading [our breeding stock] slowly, sometimes they beat us. The competition is tougher when the money is higher. It’s just part of the business.”

If Maryland does get slot machines, it may mean less Maryland horses crowding the fields.

However, it could also mean less Maryland residents visiting Charles Town and betting on the horses.

“There will be some repercussions,” Grams said.

Despite the competition, Hilton said they would rather face the possibility of some drop off than to see the end of Maryland’s racing industry.

“Maryland’s got a wonderful history,” Hilton said. “I know they are our competition, but as a horseman I have to say I would hate to see anyone go down the tubes.”

Owner and trainer David Walters of Charles Town said slot machines have become an essential part of keeping horse racing going.

“[Slots are] the necessity you have to have nowadays because horse racing can’t make it on its own,” Walters said. “[Maryland horsemen] are keeping their head above water without it, but barely. The competition surrounding them is what’s killing them.”

Hilton said Maryland has to do something if it is going to turn around its horse racing and breeding industries before it’s too late.

“If they don’t do something soon, it is going to be over,” she said.

Posted: Thursday, October 09, 2008 11:04 AM

Stephanie Beattie, who ranked seventh among North American trainers with 170 wins through Wednesday, is serving a 15-day suspension for a clenbuterol positive.

On August 2 at the Charles Town Races, Beattie saddled Butler to victory in a $10,000 claiming race. Butler later was disqualified and placed last in the field of seven when the four-year-old gelding tested positive for clenbuterol.

Charles Town Chief Steward Danny Wright said Beattie had requested a second test of the sample. When that test also showed up positive for the bronchodilator, she accepted her 15-day suspension. Wright said that Beattie did not receive a fine because it was her first clenbuterol positive.

Wright said Beattie barn likely administered the clenbuterol too close to race day.

Beattie’s trainees have won 170 races from 476 starts, a 36% win rate. That win percentage is the best of any of the ten leading trainers by wins. Her horses finish in the money 63% of the time.

In June, trainer Richard Dutrow Jr., who ranks ninth in wins this season, received a 15-day suspension from Kentucky regulators for a clenbuterol positive at Churchill Downs.

Date Posted: 9/18/2008 11:28:05 AM Last Updated: 9/18/2008 11:29:18 AM

A new stakes worth up to $1 million will be offered next year at Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia.

Track officials Sept. 18 announced creation of the Charles Town Classic for 4-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles. The race, scheduled for April 18, will offer a total purse of $1 million to grade I winners in the last two year.

The Classic will have a guaranteed purse of $500,000. A tiered payout structure will offer additional purse money to winners of grade II and grade III stakes.

“We’re still tinkering with the language,” Charles Town racing administrator Erich Zimny said in a statement. “We didn’t want to only allocate additional money to the winner, and thought this was the best approach. Our goal is simple: We want to attract some of the best horses in training by offering them incentives commensurate with their prior achievements.”

Currently, the richest races at Charles Town, which has more than 4,000 video lottery terminals that produce revenue for purses, are the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic and Cavada Breeders Classic for state-bred runners. Earlier this year, the track inaugurated the Sprint Festival (total stakes purses of $500,000) and the Juvenile Showcase ($250,000 in total purses).

The Charles Town Classic, if grade I winners compete, would be one of a handful of $1-million races for older horses at more than one mile, other than Breeders’ Cup events. It would be the only such race in which horses would negotiate three turns for 1 1/8 miles as Charles Town has a three-quarter-mile racing surface.

Officials said the complete 2009 stakes schedule at Charles Town will be submitted to the West Virginia Racing Commission for approval later in 2008.

The weather was perfect for our annual Owners’ Day event on August 3. There 500 in attendance enjoying a fabulous buffet luncheon. Trophies were presented to the winning owners, trainers, and jockeys of all nine races run that day. Our appreciation goes out to the volunteers from our membership that make this event the success that it is: Babe Smith, Dixie Miller, Patrick Polouch, Carol Brown, Charlotte Shotwell, Laura Bowman, Ed and Sherri Perry (who spent all day handing out ball caps and programs), Hope Smith (who spent her entire day getting the trophies to the winner’s circle), and Elaine Hagy (who is always our all-around helping hand). And, we can not forget Banquet Coordinator Jeff Pietz, Chef David, and his staff.

On July 16, the Charles Town HBPA sponsored a family picnic for all backstretch personnel and their families. The event was held on the picnic grounds of our local Moose Lodge. Those in attendance enjoyed the most delicious food, prepared by Curt and Christopher Caterers.

Some of the adults at the picnic teamed up for a friendly game of horseshoes. Meanwhile, the children had fun on the playground equipment and the moon bounce. They were treated to pony rides and face painting, and they went home with a straw hat and a soft cuddly pony toy.

In June of this year, we sponsored our second Groom Elite Program 101, with five more graduates. Following the assessment of this group, we had Groom Elite 201, with all of our new graduates and last year’s graduates in the classes.

A banquet was held in their honor on the July 30, with a total 15 grooms receiving their certificates, witnessed by the groom’s families, the trainers that employ them, and several of our Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors.

A special honor went to Daniel Mele, who used his Groom Elite skills to try and save a horse in a stall fire. He was assisted by two other Groom Elite grads. Sadly, the horse could not be saved, but the rest of the barnful of horses was saved.

During the spring of this year, our office space went from a cozy office with Barbara Robinson’s and Patti Evans’ desks pushed up against each other and not much room to spread out to a huge office area where the horsemen can come in, sit down, read, visit, and take care of their business. There is still much to do to make it more comfortable for our horsemen, but our new office is coming along. In addition, we have a bigger conference room for meetings, the Welfare Benefit Trust has an office, the Assistance Fund has a space, and there is even an office for the executive director.

Posted: July 2, 2008

CHARLES TOWN - An ongoing legal battle involving a horse banned from Charles Town Races & Slots took another turn recently when a circuit court judge weighed in on the matter.

The case involves an appeal filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court before Judge Gina Groh, in which horse owner Kevin Patterson claims that the West Virginia Racing Commission and the Board of Stewards at Charles Town Races have illegally banned his horse from racing.

Charles Town's stewards prohibited Patterson's horse, Brooklyn Bridge, from thoroughbred racing when they placed it on the track's veterinarian's list indefinitely on June 8, 2007. They said the horse's standard blood test showed "high EPO antibodies," and decided that the horse was to remain on the list, unable to race, until "an EPO antibody reading is below the cut-off standard." The Racing Commission upheld that decision in February.

The problem is, there is no West Virginia racing law that prohibits EPO antibodies or provides an acceptable "cut-off standard," according to Patterson's attorney, Paul Weiss, who filed an appeal of the Racing Commission's decision on March 5.

Weiss said the Racing Commission's attorneys, who work in the state Attorney General's Office, have not been able to show that a statute against EPO antibodies exists, and it appears that the stewards and the commissioners have acted well beyond their lawful powers and authority.

"It's absolutely shocking," Weiss said in a recent interview, adding that his client has suffered financial harm and lost more than $19,700 because his horse has not been able to race.

Weiss said Patterson does not deny that the EPO antibody was present in the horse, but says the antibody itself is not a drug. The presence of the EPO antibody simply suggests that the horse was exposed to erythropoietin, or EPO, at some point in the past.

His appeal stressed that Brooklyn Bridge's blood test showed no impermissible drugs in its system.

Patterson said he's extremely frustrated with the situation because Brooklyn Bridge is a good horse, but it's 11 years old and nearing the end of its career. He has owned the horse about eight years, and said neither he nor his trainer have exposed the horse to any illegal substances.

"I keep feeding him and keeping him happy, hoping for the day he can race again," Patterson said in a phone interview last week from his farm in Chambersburg, Pa. "This is the first time we've ever had a situation like this happen."

He said he is seeking support from the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and the National HBPA.

"It is real important that all horsemen pay close attention and support this case, because the outcome of this lawsuit could have an effect on them for years to come," he said last week. "We as horsemen cannot continue to let the commission and the stewards make the rules up as they go."

In the appeal, Weiss also claims that the Racing Commission violated Patterson's due process rights, denied him fair consideration and failed to follow standard hearing procedures in regard to transcripts and official records.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Tom Smith, who is representing the Racing Commission in this case, could not be reached for comment.

After reviewing the petition for appeal and considering motions in the case, Judge Groh issued an order on June 19 that calls for the Racing Commission to set a new hearing date, and grants Patterson's request for the court to stay enforcement of the administrative order. That means his horse can be removed from the veterinarian's list and allowed to race while the legal proceedings continue.

Weiss said he is happy with Groh's order because it granted some relief to his client and should allow the horse to race for the time being. Weiss also said the judge got right to the main point of the case.

"She said the same thing we've said from day one - 'show me the statute or regulation that prohibits EPO antibody,'" Weiss said Tuesday afternoon in a phone interview.

Weiss also said if Brooklyn Bridge is not allowed to race, the track would not be following the judge's order.

"If we have any further difficulty with them, I do believe that would be contempt of court," he said, adding that Patterson intends to enter his horse in a race this weekend.

Patterson said he tried to enter Brooklyn Bridge in a race this past Saturday, but the stewards did not allow the horse to be entered because the Racing Commission's attorney had not informed them about Groh's decision. However, he faxed a copy of the order to the stewards and was told there shouldn't be any more problems complying with the court order.

Weiss said it's not over yet, and he is waiting for the Racing Commission to set a new hearing.

"We're pleased with it for now," Weiss said.

Date Posted: 6/15/2008 8:16:05 PM Last Updated: 6/18/2008 2:03:12 PM

Charles Town Races & Slots has long been known for sprints, particularly the 4 1/2-furlong variety. But it hasn’t been known for offering $500,000 in open sprint stakes on one card.

That will be the case June 21 when the West Virginia racetrack offers its first “Speed Festival,” the centerpiece of which is the $200,000 Charles Town Invitational Dash at the track’s popular 4 1/2-furlong distance. Charles Town has a three-quarter-mile racing surface, so the 4 1/2-furlong races start from the short chute on the upper backstretch.

The card is the richest in terms of open stakes in Charles Town history. The track for years has offered the West Virginia Breeders Classics, a series of stakes for state-bred horses that this year will be worth more than $1.8 million; it's scheduled for Oct. 18.

Other Speed Festival stakes are the $100,000 Lady Charles Town for 3-year-old fillies at 4 ½ furlongs, the $100,000 West Virginia Sprint Derby for 3-year-olds at 4 ½ furlongs, and the $100,000 Red Legend Stakes for 3-year-olds at seven furlongs. At Charles Town, seven-furlong races start at the top of the homestretch and cover two turns.

Track officials reported that 147 horses were nominated or invited for Speed Festival races. Trainer Anthony Dutrow led the way with 11 nominations, followed by Mark Shuman with nine, and Steve Asmussen Scott Lake with seven each. Other trainers with multiple nominations include New York-based Kiaran McLaughlin and Rick Violette Jr., along with Kentucky-based Michael Maker and Ronny Werner.

The top-weight invitee for the $200,000 Dash is Lindy Redding’s Ravalo, a multiple stakes winner trained by Donald Barr. Ravalo has won three consecutive stakes and is one of the top sprinters in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Other Dash invitees are Eaton’s Gift, winner of the grade II Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park; grade III winner Noonmark; and graded stakes winners High Finance and Lucky Island. Joey P., a multiple stakes-winning New Jersey-bred, also is invited.

The June 21 program at Charles Town includes the $50,000 Coin Collector Stakes for accredited West Virginia-bred 3-year-olds at 4 ½ furlongs. The lowest purse of the 10 primary races in the condition book for June 21 is $25,000.

First post is set for the customary 7:15 p.m. EDT. The four Speed Festival stakes will comprise a pick four. According to advertisements on HTRV, the network plans to broadcast the Speed Festival events.

Our news in the spring issue of The Horsemen’s Journal painted a dreary picture at Charles Town, but hallelujah, with the advent of spring came a “new” racing secretary. Randy Wehrman has made a comeback after leaving Charles Town in 1999 to work at Turfway Park, Keeneland, and Colonial owns.

We wish the best for all concerned. Randy has been open and understanding of the prior problems with the condition book. On the subject of the state veterinarian, we now have the reappearance of Dr. Dennis Dibbern for his second stint in the position, which he held back in the late 80s/early 90s. Unfortunately, he accepted the job subject to certain time restraints. The commission has not hired a second vet to conduct a pre-race exam and act as a backup to examine horses on the vet’s list. At this writing, there is a waiting list of three to four weeks for an appointment to work for the vet. Imagine your owner’s joy at paying a day rate for an extra three or four weeks.

On a completely different note, we were blessed (fortunately) with a misdiagnosed Equine Herpes Virus (EHV) scare. Two days of racing were lost, and a number of barns and a farm were quarantined.

The aftermath of this debacle has resulted in an even greater debacle. Horses stabled in private barns adjacent to the training track are now forced to trailer across the street, be identified via lip tattoo, and train out of the receiving barn. That receiving barn holds 44 horses, and there are over 400 horses in the private barns. Do the math!

We hope and pray that a compromise solution will be in place by the time this issue of The Horsemen’s Journal is published.

Legislatively, the subject at hand is the re-introduction of a bill to legalize “table games” in Jefferson County. The bill passed the other three counties that include two greyhound tracks and Mountaineer Park. The referendum failed at Charles Town, with opposition from the “no growth” crowd – the school teachers, the churches, and the town. Regardless, guess who got the blame? You guessed it – the horsemen. We are currently in negotiations to create a plan to help pass the table games for the good of all.

As for the racing schedule, plans for the West Virginia Breeders Classics are well underway. On October 16, the gala will be held at the Clarion Hotel in Shepherdstown, sponsored once again by the Valley Equine Associates. On Friday, October 17, the golf tournament will be held at Locust Hill Country Club, with the CTHBPA Stakes run that night.

This year’s Classics, to be run on Saturday, October 18, will include a record nine races with purses totaling $1,845,000. The Breakfast of Champions will start the day, with proceeds to benefit the Race Track Chaplaincy and the Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic. It will be quite a nice venue, with kudos to Carol Holden and Sam Huff for their efforts.

Posted 5/16/2008, 7:02 pm

The purse for the Charles Town Invitational Dash has been doubled to $200,000 as part of the newly created Charles Town Sprint Festival.

The event, on Saturday night, June 21, highlights a schedule of eight open stakes worth a cumulative $900,000, announced by the West Virginia track Friday.

In addition to the 4 1/2-furlong Dash for colts and geldings, the card will feature two other 4 1/2-furlong stakes worth $100,000 apiece - the Lady Charles Town for 3-year-old fillies and the West Virginia Sprint Derby for 3-year-olds - plus the $100,000 Red Legend Stakes for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs.

The track will also inaugurate a pair of stakes for 2-year-olds on Aug. 23, the Charles Town Juvenile and the Miss Shenandoah, both at 4 1/2 furlongs.

The two other open stakes are the $100,000 Charles Town Distaff Sprint, a 4 1/2-furlong race for fillies and mares on Aug. 16, and the $100,000 Wild and Wonderful, for 3-year-olds and up going seven furlongs on Oct. 11.

The track is still in the process of putting together its stakes package for West Virginia-breds, but did announce that West Virginia Breeders Classic Night, with $1.8 million in purses, has been set for Oct. 18.

Posted 3/13/2008, 1:56 pm

A horse who was displaying symptoms of equine herpesvirus at Charles Town Races and Slots in West Virginia has tested negative for the highly contagious disease, racetrack officials said on Thursday, and the track has lifted a self-imposed quarantine.

Charles Town is scheduled to resume live racing on Friday night after canceling the Wednesday and Thursday cards because of concerns over the horse. Equine herpesvirus, which attacks a horse's upper respiratory system and can lead to neurological disease, is easily spread among confined horse populations if the disease is not addressed.

Danny Wright, chief steward of Charles Town, said that horses resumed training on Thursday morning at the track. As a result of the quarantine, all of the horses on the backstretch had been confined to their stalls since Tuesday.

"We're very relieved," Wright said. "But we're still satisfied that we took all the necessary precautions."

The unidentified horse who displayed the symptoms is still in quarantine in its barn, Wright said, while veterinarians work to determine what had affected the horse.

Posted 3/11/2008, 6:33 pm

Charles Town Races and Slots in West Virginia has shut down its backstretch and canceled racing on Wednesday and Thursday while the track awaits test results from a horse that began exhibiting symptoms of equine herpesvirus on Monday afternoon, according to officials at the track.

Danny Wright, the track's chief steward, said samples were drawn from the unidentified horse on Monday and sent to Kentucky to test for the disease, which is highly contagious and attacks a horse's upper respiratory and neurological systems. The disease poses no danger to humans.

The horse's symptoms were not conclusive for herpesvirus, Wright said, but the track wanted to take "every possible precaution."

"So far, we're encouraged" that the horse does not have the disease, Wright said. "But we've put in place a total shutdown. No horses can train or walk the shed row. No horses in and out. No equine movement whatsoever."

The racing industry has taken extreme precautions over the past several years when horses exhibit symptoms of herpesvirus because of an outbreak of the disease in 2006 that disrupted racing and training schedules along the Eastern Seaboard. Earlier this year, a barn was quarantined at Bowie Training Center in Maryland after a horse displayed symptoms of the disease, but the horse tested negative.

Unfortunately there is little in the way of good news from the Charles Town HBPA.

The management of Charles Town Races and Slots, aka Penn National Gaming, has elected to run for the last three months without a racing secretary. As a result, the condition books for January and February have been a disaster. Each book has been a new problem. Without warning or regret, many of the traditional races have been replaced by races that do not fill or, in some cases, do not draw even a single entry. Entire categories have been dropped, so there are horses here that have not had the appropriate race for four to six weeks.

The West Virginia-accredited races mandated by statute are decided by a three-man committee, and in the January book, 17 of the 44 races were not on the approved list. The West Virginia Racing Commission was notified, not for punitive action, but to insure that the February book would be acceptable. It was not.

In spite of meetings with our Condition Book Committee, many of our requested changes were not followed. In one case, the same race is in the book three times within ten days. The proof of the March book contains even more changes.

Dickie Moore, once the racing secretary and now the general manager of racing for Charles Town Races and Slots, has been writing the book, and even though he stands several stallions and breeds in West Virginia, he continues with this farce known as the condition book. Penn National Gaming, in its condition book for the re-opening of the new casino and grandstand in Pennsylvania, have noted that on June 1, there will be a change in the type of races to be carded. This gives their horsemen some notice of an upgrade in the racing to match the increased purses. They have not chosen to do that here at Charles Town at this writing.

On yet another matter, we also have no state veterinarian at this writing. Local practicing veterinarians have been filling in for the racing cards, but there have been no pre-race exams since the resignation of the former state veterinarian in approximately mid-January. We hope to have some good news to report on both of these subjects well before the next issue of The Horsemen’s Journal is published.

Regardless, the holidays were good to us, and the National HBPA convention in New Orleans was very educational for all three of our delegates. While there is still devastation in parts of the city, the racing is thriving and the spirit of New Orleans is at an all-time high.

Best of racing luck to all from Charles Town.

Like most recent years, live racing will be conducted at Charles Town Races and Slots from January 1 through December 31 of the year. A total of 220 days of live racing will be presented at the track this year.

New Charles Town HBPA Executive Director Leonard “Lenny” Hale took office on October 1. A veteran racing official who secured his first groom’s license at then Waterford Park in 1961 and later a trainer’s license at Charles Town in 1967, Hale worked as an assistant starter in Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

While serving as assistant racing secretary at Arlington Park, Hale accepted the same job at the New York Racing Association (NYRA) under Tommy Trotter. Four years later, he was named racing secretary for NYRA. He was eventually promoted to vice president and then senior vice president of racing for NYRA.

Hale’s tenure at NYRA lasted 18 years. Then, he moved on to the Maryland Jockey Club, where he was vice president of racing for nine years.

Hale will commute between Charles Town and Rockburn Farm in Marshall, Virginia, where he has mares, weanlings, yearlings, lay-ups, retirees, field hunters, and a Jack Russell named Snoopy.

According to Hale, “The first priority will be to reunite the horsemen’s organization to its original intent, which is ‘horsemen helping horsemen’. The second will be to improve relations with the breeders and the racing association, and the third will be to help make the business of training and racing horses as unencumbered as it can possibly be in this racing jurisdiction.”

The West Virginia Breeders’ Classics had their 21st renewal on October 20 at Charles Town. In the words of its co-founder, Sam Huff, “This was the greatest success to date. We had a perfect night, with the most competitive races we have ever had. A very enthusiastic, large crowd attended, and the betting went very well. Our thanks to the horsemen and the HBPA for their cooperation and acceptance of the TRPB (Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau) Special Events Team, a first for the Classics (the team then went to Monmouth Park to oversee the Breeders’ Cup). The racing surface was a tribute to the track crew after a torrential rain the previous night. The Classics were placed a week later than in the past to avoid a conflict with the Maryland Million, and it worked perfectly.”

Posted: 10/17/2007

CHARLES TOWN — Prominent horseman Raymond “Randy” Funkhouser will be able to enter his horses in Saturday’s Breeders Classics races after the suspension against him was lifted Tuesday.

Funkhouser had been accused of making misrepresentations to the state Racing Commission in order to get a rival horse removed from a July 4 race at Charles Town Races & Slots, and the track’s stewards suspended his occupational permit on Oct. 2, barring him from thoroughbred racing.

That suspension was lifted Tuesday, following the decision of an independent hearing examiner who found a lack of evidence to support the allegation that Funkhouser had acted improperly when he brought up a question about the rival horse’s eligibility.

“He’s completely exonerated,” Funkhouser’s attorney David Hammer said on Tuesday evening. “He should not have any problems at all entering the race this weekend.”

Hammer said the notice of suspension against Funkhouser was vacated, and all his rights as an occupational racing permit holder have been restored.

Funkhouser said Tuesday evening that he and his family are grateful and excited with the outcome, which is a final decision.

“I feel that these were politically motivated, bogus charges, and we are happy to be racing this weekend,” he said. “The good Lord and justice prevailed, and we are just pleased to be able to move forward.”

Funkhouser plans to enter four horses in the Breeders Classics this Saturday, including his horse Confucius Say, which will be entered in the $500,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic XXI. The horse won that race twice already, and Funkhouser said this is the first time a horse has the potential to win it three times.

“(Confucius Say) is just amazing to watch,” he said, adding that the horse is very well known and has reached a high level of competition. “We’re relieved to be able to race.”

The decision to vacate the suspension came from independent hearing examiner Oscar Bean, an attorney from Moorefield, who was selected to hear the matter on Monday in accordance with an order issued last week by Kanawha County Circuit Judge Charles King.

Bean presided over a 12-hour hearing Monday, where the state Racing Commission and Funkhouser’s attorneys presented their arguments for and against continuing the suspension.

The hearing included testimony from Funkhouser, representatives from the Racing Commission, local horsemen and women, and Dan Ryan, the owner of Forest Park, the rival horse that was removed from the $100,000 Charles Town Dash Invitational on July 4. Funkhouser’s horse, Confucius Say, won that race, and a complaint from Ryan’s attorney prompted an investigation by the Charles Town stewards and the state Racing Commission.

Deputy Attorney General Christie Utt, who represents the Racing Commission, argued Monday that the suspension against Funkhouser should have remained in effect for three reasons: He did not disclose his personal interest as an owner in the July 4 race to the commission; Funkhouser, as president of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, said he was representing that board and all horsemen even though he had not notified the board nor sought prior approval; and he lied about Charles Town’s Chief Steward Danny Wright in regard to declining to make a decision regarding Forest Park.

However, Funkhouser’s attorneys argued that he thought the commission knew about his horse. He was representing the HBPA and the board retroactively supported his actions, and he did not need to approach Wright about the problem because he went directly to the Racing Commission.

In his decision, Bean wrote that the Racing Commission failed to prove that Funkhouser violated any rule by submitting a written complaint directly to the commission. Bean also said, “The State has failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence any intent to deceive the Racing Commission by Raymond Funkhouser during the July 3, 2007, Racing Commission hearing (when Forest Park was scratched from the race).”

Hammer said he was pleased with the hearing examiner’s decision regarding Funkhouser.

“Not only did he not violate racing rules, he did what he was instructed to do (by the Racing Commission),” Hammer said.

Although Funkhouser did not notify the Racing Commission that he owned a horse in the July 4 race, Bean said testimony on Monday showed that Funkhouser thought everyone knew he owned Confucius Say — and no one asked whether he had a personal interest in the race.

Utt said Funkhouser used his position as president of the HBPA to further his personal interest in the race, but Bean said testimony showed that Funkhouser felt he had the authority to act during an emergency situation, similar to what chief executives do for businesses or other boards. Also, Bean said the Racing Commission did not give any more weight to Funkhouser as the HBPA president while the board was making its decision to scratch the horse.

Bean said the evidence presented during Monday’s hearing was susceptible to two reasonable interpretations: one that is consistent with the Racing Commission’s arguments, and the other which does not involve bad sportsmanship, corruption or dishonesty.

“When the evidence is evenly balanced, the party with the burden of proof has failed,” Bean’s decision states.

Utt and Ryan were not available for comment Tuesday evening.

Posted: Thursday, October 11, 2007 5:24 PM

A hearing has been scheduled for Monday in the matter of Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association President Randy Funkhouser, who stands accused of misusing his position as HBPA president to get a rival horse scratched from a race.

On the eve of the July 4 race, Funkhouser directed his lawyer to write a letter on behalf of the HBPA, protesting the entry of Forest Park in the $100,000 Charles Town Dash Invitational Handicap because the horse had been on the vet’s list at Delaware Park.

The HBPA board had not discussed the matter previously, and Funkhouser did not disclose that his O’Sullivan Farms had entered Confucius Say in the race. Funkhouser’s attorney David Hammer says that the disclosure issue was moot.

“Every person in that hearing knew who Randy Funkhouser is and that Confucius Say was in that race. They knew that,” Hammer said. “This is probably the most famous horse at Charles Town.”

Forest Park, owned by Dan Ryan and trained by Michael Pino, finished in front of Confucius Say in an allowance race at Charles Town on January 27.

Members of the West Virginia Racing Commission held a conference call the night of July 3, with Funkhouser participating, and decided to scratch Forest Park. O’Sullivan Farms’ homebred Confucius Say won the seven-furlong race by 12 1/2 lengths.

Charles Town stewards, who were not involved in the decision to scratch Forest Park, later determined the horse was eligible to race on July 4. Funkhouser disputes that finding.

The stewards suspended Funkhouser’s occupational permit indefinitely on October 2.

“Raymond J. Funkhouser is deemed to have misused his position as the president of the Charles Town HBPA and made false representations to improperly influence the racing commission to make a decision that directly benefited him without disclosing his personal interest in the decision, which would constitute improper acts…” the decision read.

Funkhouser attempted to get an injunction against the stewards’ ruling, but a Kanawha County Circuit Court judge referred the case to the Charles Town hearing officer.

Funkhouser, 56, is disputing the choice of hearing officer and location of Monday’s hearing.

“The only concern we have is getting a fair and impartial judge and holding the hearing in a neutral place. They want to hold it at the racetrack,” Funkhouser said. “If we can get this before a fair and impartial judge, we have no question the truth will come out and we will prevail. The whole incident is politics at its worst.”

Hammer said he believes Funkhouser is being punished because his wife Clissy Funkhouser campaigned against a June referendum that would have legalized table games at Charles Town. The referendum failed.

Confucius Say, a nine-year-old Eastover Court gelding, won the West Virginia Breeders’ Classic Stakes in 2001 and ’02, and the West Virginia Onion Juice Breeders’ Classic Stakes in ’06. He has won 16 of 35 starts and earned $715,257.

Funkhouser is allowed to pre-enter horses for the October 20 West Virginia Breeders Classic night, pending next week’s decision.

O’Sullivan, located in Charles Town, stands 1991 Horse of the Year Black Tie Affair (Ire) and multiple Grade 1 winner Prized, among others. O’Sullivan bred and owns West Virginia’s champion three-year-old filly of 2006 Julie B.

Posted 9/26/2007, 7:05 pm

Nine 3-year-old fillies pointing to next month's West Virginia Breeders Classics will get their final local tune-up Friday night at Charles Town.

The $50,000 Ruth Funkhouser, a seven-furlong stakes for West Virginia-accredited fillies, is the fourth of six local preps for the 21st annual West Virginia Classics series on Oct. 20. The Funkhouser is designed for horses planning to run in the $100,000 West Virginia Division of Tourism at seven furlongs.

The fillies in the Funkhouser with the fastest recent races are all deep closers, which could enable one of the few horses with early speed - Josephine Ichimo, B's Wild Rush, or Makin Copy - to steal the race.

Josephine Ichimo raced above her conditions when she scored her second win in a nonwinners-of-three allowance from close to the lead going 6 1/2 furlongs on July 7. In three subsequent starts, she twice flashed early speed and tired.

B's Wild Rush ran much faster than any of the opponents she will face in the Funkhouser in four starts over Polytrack at Arlington Park. But since coming to Scott Lake's barn, she has finished a distant third twice going two turns on dirt, at odds of 1-5 and even money.

The only stakes winner in the field is Makin Copy, part of a coupled entry with Jip's Girl. Makin Copy won the 6 1/2-furlong Eleanor Casey Memorial in her final start at 2 last December, but is winless in four starts this season.

Jip's Girl, Sassy Sheri, and Seemslikealifetime come off good efforts locally against second-level allowance company, but all three need a fast, contested pace to do their best running from far back in the pack.

Our office is now in the planning stages for West Virginia Breeders Classics for the weekend of October 20-21, with three stakes races planned for HBPA Night of the Classics weekend.

The West Virginia Racing Commission announced that checks would soon be issued for the 10-10-10 Fund requests from the year 2006. Since January of last year, the Uncashed Pari-Mutuel Fund no longer had sufficient funds to cover the claims made for this program. Future claims will be paid as moneys become available.

This summer, the Charles Town HBPA sponsored its first Groom Elite Program, with 15 students receiving their certification at a gathering held in their honor on Tuesday, August 14. The event was arranged through Jeff Peitz, head of food and beverage at Charles Town Race Track. Thanks to Jeff and his chefs, the students enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner with family and friends attending the event.

John and Joe Funkhouser provided candid photos of classroom work and practical work. The photos were displayed for all to see in a slide show during the dinner.

Our appreciation goes out to Charles Town HBPA Board Member Larry Miller for his dedication in getting this program together. He made the arrangements for all the program’s needs, such as ponies, the use of stalls in the receiving barn, and providing guest speakers during the classroom work.

Special thank yous go out to instructors Dr. Reid McLellan and Christine Miller, and for help received from Diana McClure of the Colonial Downs program.

As one student summed it up, “This course was not only educational, but a lot of fun.”

Congratulations to all of our proud grooms.

The seventh annual Owners Day was held on Sunday, August 5, with 680 horsemen in attendance. Trophies were presented in each of the ten races to the winning owner, trainer and jockey. Jockey J. D. Acosta was presented with four winner’s trophies.

Charles Town HBPA office staff Patti Evans and Barbara Robinson celebrated the 4th of July by greeting unsuspecting horsemen at the office with red and white Charles Town HBPA ball caps, slices of a patriotic red, white and blue American flag cake, fresh coffee and punch.

Posted: Friday, September 07, 2007 6:33 PM

The Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association’s board of directors has voted in support of President Randy Funkhouser, who directed his attorney to write a letter that led to the scratch of a rival horse in the $100,000 Charles Town Dash Invitational Handicap on July 4.

The West Virginia Racing Commission is reviewing the matter. Confucius Say, owned by Funkhouser’s O’Sullivan Farms, won the seven-furlong race by 12½ lengths.

On the eve of the race, Funkhouser directed his lawyer to write a letter on behalf of the HBPA, protesting the entry of Forest Park in the race because the horse had been on the vet’s list at Delaware Park. The HBPA board had not discussed the matter previously.

Forest Park, owned by Dan Ryan and trained by Michael Pino, finished in front of Confucius Say in an allowance race at Charles Town on January 27. Members of the West Virginia Racing Commission held a conference call the night of July 3 in response to Funkhouser’s letter and decided to scratch Forest Park. The stewards were not involved in the decision.

Ryan requested the race commission look into the matter, and that investigation is ongoing, according to deputy attorney general Christie Utt.

West Virginia Racing Commission Executive Secretary Linda Lacy declined comment.

The HBPA’s attorney Clarence E. Martin said the board of directors voted on September 6 to support Funkhouser, although he declined to reveal the vote tally.

“There’s not always time for a board meeting, and there’s time when a chief executive needs to act on behalf of the corporation,” Martin said. “Given all the turmoil surrounding this matter, the majority of the board spoke and ratified what Mr. Funkhouser did.”

Date Posted: 8/14/2007 7:16:35 AM Last Updated: 8/14/2007 7:16:35 AM

Contested election results indicate voters approved table games at a Kanawha County, W.Va., dog track located less than an hour from the eastern Kentucky border.

The results showed 22,544 voted in favor of the proposal and 22,511 against it. But about 500 votes have been challenged by poll workers and will not be determined until the results of an official canvass scheduled for Aug. 17.

If the election stands, Tri-State Racetrack and Entertainment Center near Charleston will add games such as blackjack, craps, poker, and roulette to its selection of video lottery terminals. The facility, which also offers live Greyhound racing and full-card simulcasts year-round, would become the closest full-scale land-based casino to Kentucky, where expanded gambling looms an issue in the 2007 gubernatorial election.

Earlier this year, voters in Hancock County and Ohio County approved table games for Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort and Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center, respectively. Table games for Charles Town Races & Slots were defeated in a referendum in Jefferson County.

The West Virginia legislature earlier this year passed a bill allowing the games at the state’s four racetracks, all of which have VLTs. The legislature contained a local option provision that called for a vote by the people in each county before the games could be established.

Tri-State earlier unveiled plans for a $250-million expansion that would include a hotel and arena on the property should the table-games measure pass.

Date Posted: 6/10/2007 9:37:03 AM Last Updated: 6/11/2007 11:04:58 AM

Concerns over too little tax revenue and increased traffic in Jefferson County are believed to have led to the defeat of a June 9 referendum on table games at Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia.

Voters in Ohio County, however, endorsed plans to put blackjack, poker, and other table games alongside video lottery terminals at Wheeling Island Racetrack & Gaming Center, a Greyhound facility.

With all 30 precincts reporting, Jefferson County voters rejected the table games option for Charles Town 56% to 44%. The defeat means Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming Inc., which owns the racetrack, must wait two years before putting the issue before voters again.

"We are obviously disappointed with the results, but we look forward to continuing to work with state, local, and community officials in order to find a way to keep Charles Town Races & Slots competitive as gaming continues to expand in nearby states," PNGI executive John Finamore said.

Horsemen at Charles Town didn't take a position on table games. The legislation that allowed the local referendums called for purses to get 2% of gross revenue, and breed development another 2%. The state's Thoroughbred breeding industry is concentrated around Charles Town.

Kevin McCoy, director of the Christian group West Virginia Family Foundation, called the table-games votes "excellent news for the citizens" of Jefferson County. The foundation will begin advertising in two other counties scheduled for table-games votes within the next week or so, on television and radio, he said.

A vote in Hancock County, where Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort is located, is set for June 30. Kanawha County, home of Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center, a Greyhound track, will vote Aug. 11.

The state legislature endorsed a measure this year that allowed voters in the four counties to decide if their respective tracks could offer table games as a way to combat the introduction of slot machines in Pennsylvania. Ohio County's approval means West Virginia is the 12th state in the nation to have a full-fledged casino gambling with machines and table games. It becomes the second in the nation, behind Iowa, to offer live racing, slots, and table games in a single location.

With all 39 precincts reporting, the referendum to allow Wheeling Island to expand its gambling offerings won 66% to 34%. West Virginia's industrialized Northern Panhandle has been beset by economic woes including the loss of thousands of steel industry jobs in recent years, and the track's campaign focused on the chance to create new jobs and launch millions of dollars' worth of new construction.

Unlike Ohio County, Jefferson County, located on the Maryland border in eastern West Virginia, is not reeling from the decline of the industrial economy, and voters there expressed worries about the increased possibility of crime and sprawl if the track expanded its operations.

Date Posted: 6/6/2007 1:50:14 PM Last Updated: 6/6/2007 2:54:02 PM

Two of four racetracks in West Virginia will find out June 9 whether they will be permitted to install casino-style table games.

Legislation passed earlier this year allows each county where the tracks are located to hold a referendum on the gambling expansion. The tracks already have video lottery terminals operated by the state.

Charles Town Races & Slots, located in Jefferson County in the state’s Eastern Panhandle, and Wheeling Island Racetrack & Gaming Center, a Greyhound facility located in Ohio County between Pennsylvania and Ohio in the Northern Panhandle, have advertised heavily to win support for table games. Proponents are calling table games a jobs and economic development issue.

The legislation taxes gross revenue from table games at 35%. Of that amount, the state will award 2% to purses for Thoroughbred and Greyhound racing, and 2% to breed development programs for horses and dogs. A provision in an earlier version of the bill that called for purses to receive 6% met with opposition at the state capital.

Voters in Hancock County, where Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort is located, will go to the polls June 30. Kanawha County, where Tri-State Racetrack & Gaming Center, a Greyhound facility, is located, has a vote scheduled for Aug. 11.

Tri-State is located about 40 minutes from the Kentucky border and about 2 1/2 hours from Lexington. With table games, Tri-State would provide more fuel for those attempting to stoke up the fire for racetrack casino gambling in Kentucky during next year's General Assembly session.

Tri-State, just off Interstate 64 west of Charleston, recently made public its plans to spend at least $250 million to add a hotel, conference center, new gaming area, and parking garage. Mountaineer and Wheeling Island already have hotels, while Charles Town has one in the works.

Expansion of gambling is opposed by the West Virginia Council of Churches and the West Virginia Values Coalition, which are getting out the word through a “No Dice” campaign. Aside from racetrack VLTs, West Virginia also permits small numbers of VLTs at various establishments around the state.

The Associated Press reported more than 6% of registered voters already had cast ballots in Jefferson and Ohio counties as of June 4. Some believe many of the early votes are “pro” votes.

Owners Day this year is set for Sunday, August 5, 2007.

Our 2007 stakes schedule is now posted on our website, www.cthbpa.com.

We are happy to announce that we will have our first Groom Elite Program underway this summer. Hats off to Board Member Larry Miller for all his efforts getting this coordinated.

Trainer Eddie Householder has resigned from his position on the Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors. With his increasingly busy schedule, he felt he was unable to give the appropriate time to the board. We all appreciate his years as a board member, serving on various committees and going the extra mile when we have had special events. First alternate Tim Grams has been seated in Eddie’s place on the Board of Directors.

Our HBPA is looking for an executive director. You will find an ad on page 56 of the Summer 2007 issue of The Horsemen’s Journal. We are also advertising in the Daily Racing Form, the Thoroughbred Times, The Blood-Horse and on our website, www.cthbpa.com.

Another Vision Clinic was conducted on May 22. This was an opportunity for backstretch workers to have their eyes examined and acquire glasses.

On April 26, a Sugar Testing and Blood Pressure Clinic was held in the Charles Town HBPA office. The Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic nurses were on hand to provide the testing to our backstretch workers.

Equine pre-med students from the West Virginia University revisited our area on April 12. They were invited to Blue Spruce Farm (owned by Kate and Joe Painter) and O’Sullivan Farms (owned by Randy Funkhouser) to learn about the breeding and foaling operation.

The Valley Equine Associates and the Charles Town HBPA sponsored a complimentary buffet dinner and seminar for our owners, trainers, and breeders. The event was held at the Epic Buffet of the Charles Town Races & Slots. The subjects presented were: angular and flexural limb deformities in foals, upper airway evaluations, vaccinations, and neurological herpes. The response was so encouraging that another seminar will be planned for the fall.

Posted: Thursday, May 17, 2007 12:08 PM

Voters in two West Virginia counties will decide if table games should be added at Charles Town Races and Mountaineer Race Track in elections next month.

West Virginia’s state government approved laws this year to allow table games at its two Thoroughbred and two Greyhound tracks if local voters approve such additions. Initial plans called for special elections on June 9 in the four counties in which the tracks are located, but Mountaineer and one of the dog tracks have requested their dates be moved to June 30.

As for Mountaineer, because the Hancock County clerk did not properly advertise the June 9 special election, the results could have been called into question. Mountaineer, which like Charles Town is footing the bill for the special election, has asked the county to change the date to June 30.

Officials from Mountaineer owner MTR Gaming Group said the special election has been properly publicized but moving the date would assure the election results would not be challenged.

“This way, we won’t be looking over our shoulders,” said MTR President Ted Arneault.

Officials from Charles Town are still negotiating with the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, which currently does not endorse or oppose the addition of table games. Both sides said an agreement could be reached before the June 9 election in Jefferson County.

Charles Town officials estimate the addition of table games would provide at least $1.3-million in additional purse funds and $1.4-million in additional breeders’ bonus funds.

Also, the West Virginia Family Foundation is challenging in court the constitutionality of adding table games in the state. A May 23 decision by the state’s Supreme Court on whether or not it will hear the case is expected.

Applications are now being accepted for the position of Executive Director of the Charles Town HBPA.

Qualifications and requirements include:

• Thorough understanding of and broad exposure to the thoroughbred racing industry
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret complex documents, routine reports, and other correspondence
• Good public relations skills; contract negotiation and lobbying skills preferred
• Proficiency and experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Quick Books Pro
• Basic understanding of internet communications
• General knowledge of accounting and mathematical principles
• High School graduate with college background preferred
• Must qualify for licensure with the West Virginia Racing Commission
• Salary and Benefits commensurate with qualifications and experience

Send resume and references to: Charles Town HBPA P.O. Box 581, Charles Town, WV 25414 Phone: (304) 725-1535

Posted 4/30/2007, 6:36 pm

An ambitious schedule of 45 stakes worth a collective $3.4 million is planned for 2007 at the Charles Town Races and Slots.

Last year, the West Virginia track intended to run a similar 45-stakes schedule worth $3.31 million, but lower-than-expected revenue from its slot machines forced the cancellation of nine stakes, saving $500,000 in added-money purses.

The revamped lineup of stakes is headed by the 21st annual West Virginia Breeders Classics on Oct.o20. The track's showcase card will be topped by the $500,000 Classic for 3-year-olds and up at 1o1/8 miles and the $350,000 Cavada for fillies and mares going seven furlongs. The other six stakes on that night's card are worth $100,000 apiece.

The only other stakes worth $100,000 are the Charles Town Dash Invitational, increased in distance from four furlongs to seven, and the Tri-State Futurity, formerly worth $50,000.

The remaining 35 stakes are worth $50,000 apiece, beginning with this Saturday's West Virginia Distaff. All eight stakes in May and June are restricted to horses who have started at least twice locally within the past year.

The legislature is currently considering the implementation of table gaming in West Virginia. The Charles Town HBPA has employed Richard Thalheimer of Thalheimer Research Associates to conduct a number of studies on the economic impact of horse racing and horse breeding and their inter-relationship with gaming at racetracks. Richard has worked tirelessly to assist our horsemen with information gleaned from his research in other states concerning the effects of introducing table games into racinos (racetracks that currently have slot machines). We remain hopeful that any new legislation passed this year will be helpful to our industry.

Darlene Hostler, owner of our track kitchen, provided a hearty turkey dinner with all the trimmings for our horsemen on Thanksgiving Day.

Our annual flu shot clinic for all our backstretch workers was another successful event.

The Charles Town HBPA election has been carried out, and the official results are as follows:

• President – Raymond J. Funkhouser

• Owners – E. Elaine Hagy, Sharon Johnson, Kenneth Lowe, Larry Miller, and Harold Shotwell

• Trainers – James W. Casey, N. Eddie Householder, Tina Mawing, Jeff Runco and John Stahlin

Our appreciation goes out to the following horsemen who did a very professional job of carrying out our election process:

Nominating Committee members – Chairman Dick Minard, Patty Burns, Billy Berry, and Richard Cockrill

Election Committee members – Chairman Sam Engle, Maurice Rogers and Enoch Price

The new board had a get acquainted meeting in December of 2006, followed by two business meetings. Committees have been appointed, and some have already gotten underway.

Date Posted: 2/23/2007 2:21:57 PM Last Updated: 2/23/2007 2:21:57 PM

Due to suspected cases of equine herpesvirus in Maryland and Virginia, West Virginia's Charles Town Racetrack on Friday imposed an embargo on any horses that have been in those states since Feb. 1

The embargo, which precludes horses from those states being able to ship to or race at Charles Town, had an immediate effect on the track’s Friday night card. Racing secretary Doug Lamp said there were as many as 30 scratches for the 10-race program due to Maryland and Virginia horses being excluded from the grounds.

“Half of our race card usually consists of shippers,” said Lamp, adding that the embargo is in place indefinitely.

Meanwhile, under the direction of state veterinarian Richard Wilkes, veterinarians with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have quarantined six farms in Northern Virginia with horses that might have been exposed to a horse infected with EHV-1.

Quarantines will restrict movement on and off the affected facilities. In addition, veterinarians are urging horse owners to observe strict hygiene control procedures, including a thorough cleaning and disinfecting routine using a proven disinfectant/cleaner, to avoid spreading the disease in the environment.

EHV-1 is a highly infectious disease that usually affects the respiratory system. Occasionally, the virus can also cause neurologic disease. Transmission likely occurs by inhaling infected droplets or ingesting material contaminated by nasal discharges or aborted fetuses.

Date Posted: 12/3/2006 6:13:29 PM Last Updated: 12/3/2006 10:38:05 PM

The Thoroughbred racing industry in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle has grown so much in six years that it now helps employ more than 3,600 people and has an annual economic impact of $173 million, a study concludes.

But the report for the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association also finds some horse owners are struggling to turn a profit. It warns that out-of-state competition for gamblers and the handling of slot-machine revenues could make things even more difficult.

Thalheimer Research Associates Inc. of Lexington, Ky., says the horse industry contributed $113 million in direct spending to the economy last year and created the equivalent of 2,313 full-time jobs. The other $60 million and 1,345 jobs were the "ripple effect" on other businesses, industries, and government.

Horse owners, trainers, and breeders were surveyed by mail for the report, and some data was provided by the Charles Town Races & Slots owned by Penn National Gaming Inc. of Wyomissing, Pa.

The survey shows a dramatic surge in the breeding business since 2000, with the number of breeding farms rising from 55 to 140, said Richard Thalheimer, an economist and president of the consulting company.

West Virginia is now 12th in the nation for the number of registered Thoroughbred foals, up from 20th in 2000, he said.

"To grow from 20th to 12th is quite remarkable," he said, and reflects the success of the state's decision to require live racing year-round.

"That's not true in almost any other state, but that has promoted a great economic boon to the area because, for every day you race, you have to have employees," he said.

"As you have these horses in training -- even if they come from Maryland or Pennsylvania or Virginia -- they're still running here," he said. "And that's even better, bringing money from outside into West Virginia."

The report was released at a time when horsemen and executives alike are worried about competition from gambling parlors in Pennsylvania. The first, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, opened Nov. 14, and three others are expected to open in the next three months.

West Virginia lawmakers, under new House leadership in January, may consider a bill to allow table games at the tracks to help them stay ahead of the competition. Past efforts, however, have failed.

The Thalheimer report shows racing has an economic impact that stretches beyond the betting parlor, said HBPA President Randy Funkhouser. The industry spends money on labor, tack and supplies, stud fees, seed and fertilizer, and veterinary, blacksmith, and transportation services, among other things.

But with new casinos nearby, efforts to grow will suffer "and negatively impact horse farmers who have been in this region for generations," Funkhouser said.

West Virginia legalized slot machines in 1994 as a way to save its then-dying horse industry, and Mountaineer Racetrack & Gaming Resort Chester was first to install them.

Charles Town horsemen were initially skeptical and refused to support the first local referendum on slots in 1995. A year later, a compromise on revenue-sharing was reached and the referendum passed. The first machines were installed in 1997. By the end of 2005, there were 4,300.

Slot profits have soared steadily, helping to fatten racing purses and draw better horses.

But last year, lawmakers diverted $11 million from the purse fund to help pay down a $3 billion shortfall in the workers' compensation fund -- a fund the horsemen could not join because they are considered independent contractors.

The Thalheimer report says the horsemens' share of gross terminal revenue was 43% less in fiscal 2006 than it was in fiscal 2000.

Reprinted from Martinsburg Journal, November 5, 2006

Ruth Clark Funkhouser, 90, of Cedar Lawn, Charles Town, died Thursday, November 2, 2006, at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Ranson.

Ruth was born February 26, 1916, in Honolulu, Hawaii, and was the daughter of the late John Kirkland Clarke and Caroline Crewes Clark.

She was a 1934 graduate of Stuart Hall in Staunton, Virginia, a member and vestry member of Zion Episcopal Church in Charles Town, a founding member of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association and the senior partner in O’Sullivan Farms, LLC, West Virginia’s oldest and largest Thoroughbred breeding farm.

She is survived by her children, Robert J. Funkhouser of Sunapee, New Hampshire, Raymond J. Funkhouser of Charles Town, West Virginia, Ann F. Strite-Kurz of Midland, Michigan, Pamela F. Day of Coral Springs, Florida; nine grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; one sister, Mariajane C. Mee; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Justin Funkhouser; her daughter, Carol Ruth Funkhouser; two brothers, James G. Clarke and John K. Clarke; and one sister, Margaret C. Bennett.

The memorial service was held at Zion Episcopal Church in Charles Town on Saturday, November 11, with the Rev. Melanie McCarley officiating. A private internment at Cedar Lawn followed the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either Zion Episcopal Church, 221 East Washington Street, Charles Town, WV 25414 or the Charles Town Race Track Chaplaincy of America, P. O. Box 1377, Charles Town, WV 25414.

Effective as of November 15, 2006, our new website address became www.cthbpa.com. We are very excited to share this new website, which will have a lot more information than ever before. Check the website for our current HBPA election results, which were posted on November 23.

After nearly 11 years in the same place, we have moved our office to a new location. The Charles Town HBPA office can now be found at 635 E. Washington Street, Suite 106, Charles Town, WV 25414.

Knowing that our lease would not be renewed, we began the search back in May, as well the pitching and packing. Patti Evans and Barbara Robinson often used their lunch hour to look at possible buildings. On October 1, a suitable building was found, and on October 31, we were set up and had an open house for our horsemen.

Recently, 30 equine pre-med students from West Virginia University spent the day at Charles Town to learn about the racing industry. Wayne Rix greeted the students and spoke to them about the identification, registration, and tattooing of a Thoroughbred.

Jockey Sunday Diaz was on hand to tell them about the horses schooling on the racetrack. He talked about his job as a jockey and how to become a jockey. Trainer James W. Casey shared how he went from being a coach at a Virginia high school to an owner of Thoroughbred horses. He talked about how he became a trainer and then got into the breeding business.

Jockey Diaz then took the students through the jockeys’ quarters, where they were able to see the equipment used by a jockey.

Next was a visit to the equine swimming pool. After lunch, there was a trip to the Coleswood Farm (owned by Susan and Jeff Runco), The O’Sullivan Farms (owned by Randy Funkhouser), and Taylor Mountain Farm (owned by James W. Casey). The finale of the day was a visit to the races, where the students were greeted by Charles Town Races & Slots Publicity Manager Jeff Gilleas during his pre-race show.

The golden leaves of fall have arrived in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, and the beautiful fall colors herald the West Virginia Breeders Classics, the richest races run in West Virginia. Part of the three days of festivities was the Charles Town HBPA Night at the Races. This year, we were privileged to have Governor Joe Manchin attend and present the Governor’s Cup Trophy for one of our stakes races. In addition to Governor Manchin, we were host to the mayors and city council members from Charles Town and Ranson.

Date Posted: 11/9/2006 4:43:57 PM Last Updated: 11/9/2006 4:43:57 PM

Ruth Funkhouser, who played a major role in the founding of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association, died Nov. 2 in a Ranson, W.Va., hospital. She was 90.

A native of Hawaii who came stateside to attend boarding school, Funkhouser and her son, Randy, operated O'Sullivan Farms near Charles Town. The farm, founded in 1939 and the oldest Thoroughbred farm in the state, was started by Funkhouser's late husband, Justin Funkhouser.

Ruth and Randy Funkhouser proved instrumental in the creation of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund and the West Virginia Breeders Classics. Confucius Say, a son of O'Sullivan stallion Eastover Court bred by O'Sullivan, won the West Virginia Breeders Classic Stakes in 2001-02 for a partnership that included Ruth Funkerhouser and O'Sullivan. Another of Funkhouser's top stakes winners was multiple added-money winner Jefferson Pop.

In addition to Randy, who runs the farm with his wife, Clissy, Funkhouser is survived by a son, Robert, and daughters Ann and Pamela.

Posted: 10/11/06

Any time there's a stakes race at Charles Town this season, it's safe to assume trainer Scott Lake has at least one contender.

Of the 10 horses Lake has started in added-money events in 2006 at Charles Town, he has collected 7 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, and $268,775.

Lake figures to add to those impressive statistics when he sends out strong threats in both of the $50,000 stakes on Friday night's card.

Sinister G is the 123-pound highweight and likely favorite among seven older males in the HBPA Governor's Cup Handicap at 1 1/8 miles.

Lake also has Remarqable Tale, who will meet defending champion Miss Hamma for the fourth time this year in the HBPA City of Ranson Handicap for fillies and mares.

Both stakes serve as appetizers to Charles Town's premiere event, the $1.45 million West Virginia Breeders Classic series, on Saturday night.

In the Governor's Cup (race 9), the front-running Sinister G is well-drawn on the rail for the three-turn route. In his only previous local appearance, Sinister G wired seven allowance rivals going nine furlongs, earning a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure.

Since then, Sinister G has finished fourth in the Grade 3 Iselin Handicap at Monmouth Park and third in the $100,000 Charles Hadry at Laurel Park. He is cross-entered in a six-furlong overnight stakes Saturday at Delaware Park, but seems better suited to this spot.

Sinister G's chief rivals are Tactical Brush and Miner Moss, the first- and third-place finishers from a three-horse photo in a similar 1 1/8-mile stakes in early August.

Both horses own good records over the course. The 3-year-old Tactical Brush is 3 for 5 at Charles Town. Miner Moss, 6, has recorded 12 of his 15 lifetime victories locally, but has primarily raced at shorter distances the past two seasons.

Remarqable Tale and Miss Hamma renew their rivalry in the City of Ranson (race 7). The 7-year-old Miss Hamma finished ahead of Remarqable Tale in 2 of 3 meetings earlier this year, most recently in a seven-furlong stakes on Aug. 6.

Remarqable Tale, 5, is a confirmed front-runner whose chances may be compromised by the prescence of the 3-year-old filly Misty Lake, another speedster who ships across the state from Mountaineer following back-to-back dominant victories in shorter sprints.

A speed duel would benefit Miss Hamma, who spots Remarqable Tale two pounds as the 122-pound highweight.

Date Posted: 9/19/2006 2:09:46 PM Last Updated: 9/19/2006 2:16:13 PM

Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia fired three placing judges who called the wrong order of finish for the second race Sept. 9, according to head state steward Danny Wright.

Preston Herbst is the trainer and owner of 24-1 outsider Kris Taylor, who was originally placed second to Bella Cavello Stables' 2-1 favorite Seven Talents. Herbst appealed the official order of finish the day after the race, which led to an investigation by the board of stewards and a hearing Sept. 15.

Wright said the judges--John Desmond, Larry Sanders, and Beth Weatherspoon--missed a step in the reviewing process when they didn't look at a mirror-image photograph of the finish before making the race official. The three judges admitted their decision about the order of finish would have been different if they had viewed the image.

"These are three good people that made a human error," Wright said. "They failed to take advantage of all the technology and sophisticated equipment we have here in rendering a decision as to where to place these horses."

The stewards have now reversed the positions of the first two horses and redistributed the purse, based on the correct order of finish. For pari-mutuel purposes, the original result stands.

Though their error wasn't done with intent or malice, Wright said, the judges were subsequently terminated by Penn National Gaming Inc., which owns Charles Town. As a result, the stewards decided not to issue additional penalties.

Charles Town has filled the three vacant positions with three existing employees. The responsibility of placing judges is to call the official order of finish and post the running positions of horses.

The sixth annual Charles Town HBPA Owners Day event was held on August 6 in the banquet room on the third floor of the racetrack clubhouse. More than 600 guests enjoyed an array of delicious food consisting of carved roasted marinated top round, seasoned steak with mushroom sauce, roasted chicken, fried chicken, barbecue meatballs, peel and eat shrimp, pork loin, Italian sausage with peppers, macaroni and cheese, green beans, vegetable medley, smoked cabbage, garlic potatoes, a full salad bar, dessert bar and beverages.

By popular demand, Charles Town HBPA ball caps were the favors given to all our guests. Trophies were presented to all the winning owners, trainers and jockeys in each of the ten races.

The Charles Town Assistance Fund sponsored a sugar testing and blood pressure clinic for all licensed backstretch personnel on July 26. Volunteers from the Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic provided the service to about 75 of our horsemen in the Charles Town HBPA office that day.

Many of our horsemen and local residence said goodbye to Shenandoah when it was demolished on June 14. The crowd gathered to watch history in the making and to reminisce about the good old days of racing at Shenandoah.

Caroline Hogan of Luitpold Pharmaceuticals visited the Charles Town HBPA office on June 7 and set up a display of literature on Adequan. She provided informational brochures and answered any questions regarding this product.

Date Posted: 8/22/2006 11:40:11 AM Last Updated: 8/22/2006 11:40:11 AM

Family Calling, West Virginia second-leading sire by 2006 progeny earnings, has been moved to the Funkhouser family's O'Sullivan Farms near Charles Town, W.Va.

A 12-year-old son of Mr. Prospector, Family Calling sports progeny earnings of nearly $760,000 this year among his career total of almost $4 million.

Family Calling has sired five stakes winners, including Midwife, who is graded stakes-placed. His other stakes winners include 2006 grade II steeplechase winner South of Fifty and two-time Dominican Republic champion No More Drinks.

Family Calling, who is out of the Northern Dancer mare Sense of Unity, won or placed in four stakes and earned $249,997. His fee for 2007 is $2,500. Family Calling previously stood at Blue Spruce Farm near Kearneysville, W.Va.

Posted: 8/7/06

Tactical Brush ($6) prevailed by a neck in a three-horse photo with 3-2 favorite Donald's Pride and Miner Moss to win the nine-furlong HBPA and West Virginia Racing Commission Stakes at Charles Town.

In three other stakes on the card, Rain Song ($4) dominated the 4 1/2-furlong Horsemen's for fillies and mares, Miss Hamma ($7.80) romped by 7 1/4 lengths in the seven-furlong West Virginia, and the 3-year-old Flying Past Fast ($18.60) upset older horses in the 4 1/2-furlong Dash.

Posted: 7/20/06

Charles Town Races in West Virginia has canceled all its open stakes races scheduled for later this year in the face of tightening revenue from the track's slot machines, the president of the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association said Thursday.

Randy Funkhouser, the president of the horsemen's association, said Thursday that because of lower-than-expected revenue, a purse underpayment of $4 million at the beginning of the year has been shaved to $2 million, and that horsemen were fearful that without the cuts, the underpayment would be exhausted by the end of the year. He also said that several open stakes held earlier this year drew short fields and very little wagering.

"We don't want to cut purses, but we do think the condition book has become a little top-heavy," Funkhouser said. "So the solution was to scale back the open races."

Unaffected will be the state's restricted stakes program, including the West Virginia Breeders Classics, an eight-race card scheduled for October with total purses of $1 million.

Officials of Charles Town did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Date Posted: 6/20/2006 1:35:30 PM Last Updated: 6/21/2006 6:54:13 PM

The owner of Charles Town Races & Slots say they will invest $200 million in the property if lawmakers allow West Virginia's four tracks to feature casino-style table games, a company official said.

Penn National Gaming Inc. would build a 500-room hotel and a 25,000-square-foot conference center if it were allowed to expand, John Finamore, Penn National's senior vice president of regional operations, told Jefferson County commissioners on Monday.

The Wyomissing, Pa.-based company has already invested about $250 million in the track.

State track owners say they need to expand their venues to compete with the expansion of slot machines in surrounding states. State tracks currently operate 11,283 slot machines, but Pennsylvania's slots are expected to come on line this year.

Track owners plan to go straight to the public to press their claims that West Virginia laws should be expanded to permit casino-style gambling. State lawmakers have debated a bill but have yet to take action.

Finamore told Jefferson County commissioners that he expects another table game bill will be introduced during the Legislature's 2007 Regular Session.

He also discussed a proposal that would resolve questions about giving local voters the chance to decide the fate of table games in their counties. The proposal has not been discussed with the state's three other tracks, he said.

If voters approve table games, they couldn't reconsider the issue for five years. The five years would give track owners time to recoup their investments in the games, he said.

Racetrack interests have so far given more than $100,000 to legislative candidates for this year's elections, according to an analysis of campaign finance reports by The Associated Press. Penn National officials, including Finamore, have contributed through the Friends of the Track political action committee.

Posted: 6/15/06

Jockey Alcibiades Cortez earned his 1,000th career win after rallying Right on the Buff to a neck victory in the tenth race on Wednesday at Charles Town Races.

The 45-year-old Cortez is a Panama native who rode Perfect to a Tee to wins in the 1999 Congressional Handicap and Maryland Million Classic Stakes at Laurel Park and the William Donald Schaefer Handicap at Pimlico Race Course. Perfect to a Tee's win in the $200,000 Maryland Million Classic is Cortez's most lucrative.

Cortez's 9,485 mounts have earned $15,066,972.

Posted: 6/15/2006 5:37:05 PM

The grandstand at Shenandoah Downs in Charles Town, West Virginia, became nothing more than a pile of memories at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday when 80 pounds of dynamite reduced the structure into a pile of wood and metal.

Shenandoah Downs opened in 1959, and offered races through 1975.

"I spent many a day over there," Dickie Moore, general manager of Charles Town Races and Slots, told the Herald-Mail Online, as he watched the grandstand collapse. "It was a beautiful place in its time."

The grandstand was originally part of Shenandoah Downs racetrack, which is now part of the Charles Town Races complex. Charles Town has installed a training track and new barns so the old track at Shenandoah and the barns there were no longer needed.

Posted: 6/8/06

Barring a slew of scratches, a trainer other than Scott Lake will win a stakes at Charles Town.

Lake has swept all five stakes run this season at the West Virginia oval and has Morine's Victory entered for this weekend's $50,000 Cortan at seven furlongs. Morine's Victory is stuck on the also-eligible list, along with two-time West Virginia Breeders Classic winner Confucius Say. To run, Lake's horse would need at least three horses to scratch to get into the 10-horse field.

The deep closer Vanna's Honeybear and Unison Moon come into the Cortan in sharp form.

Vanna's Honeybear, making his first start in nearly three months, came from 10 lengths back to finish second to multiple stakes winner Cherokee's Boy three weeks ago. He shows strong Beyers of 96 and 99 in his last two races, both at seven furlongs.

Unison Moon has had nearly a month to recover from a nose victory going 6 1/2 furlongs in which he earned a career-best 97 Beyer.

Other contenders include Donald's Pride, a stakes winner going 1 1/8 miles last summer who is 5 for 8 in sprints of similar length to the Cortan, and North Broad, a consistent performer at the distance who prepped for his first start since November by working four furlongs from the gate in 47.80 seconds on Wednesday.

Plans are in the making for Owners Day, which is scheduled for August 6. This year will be quite different. We are planning a luncheon buffet in place of the picnic buffet. It will be held on the third floor of the racetrack, just above the main dining room. At this writing we are still working on a menu.

On May 12, the Charles Town HBPA sponsored two teams of horsemen to golf in a fundraiser for the Jefferson Health Care Foundation. There was a grand turnout of golfers from many local businesses.

Although neither our teams made it to first place, they all had fun participating. Those who represented our HBPA were: owner/trainer Raimondo Schiano DiCola, owner Keith Davis, jockey agent Arnold Iliescu, owner/trainer Ollie Figgins, III, owner/trainer Greg Smith, jockey agent Bill Kennedy, jockey Joseph Schneider and jockey Christy Petty.

We are all aware of the seriousness of the Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) and the number areas that were quarantined this winter. The Virginia HBPA joined our affiliate in arranging a seminar to learn about this disease and other contagious diseases. Owner/Trainer Rowena Milton closed her restaurant to the public so we could have a complimentary dinner and seminar.

Dr. Reid McLellan of The Elite Program came from Kentucky to provide us with information on EHV-1. Local veterinarian Dr. Keith Berkeley made a presentation on preventive measures of contagious disease.

The Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors voted to update our Racing Impact Study, which will again be done by the Thalheimer Research Associates. On March 22, 2,100 survey packets were assembled and mailed to the members of our HBPA. A postcard reminder was mailed on April 5, and a third mailing was assembled and mailed on April 18.

This would have been a very time consuming office project if it were not for the wonderful volunteer horse owners and trainers that came in and got the job done in record time.

To those horsemen that are members of our affiliate, please do not forget to fill out your survey form and send it in.

Winter has left Charles Town, West Virginia, and spring brought us lush green pastures and flowers popping their little heads up all over the county. While we were waiting for spring, we stayed busy.

On March 18, our HBPA arranged for a group of Tiger Cub Scouts to visit the racetrack to complete the requirements of a sporting event and animal care. Jockey agent and former identifier Wayne Rix offered to be their host. He took them to the track during training hours, where the boys visited with jockey Sunday Diaz, who talked about being a jockey, the equipment he uses, and provided each scout with a pair of goggles. Outrider Dean Johnston brought his horse over where the boys were able to visit up close and personal. Trainer Scoobie Schneider helped them to understand the morning workout. In addition, the Tiger Cub Scouts were invited to visit the jockeys’ quarters, and the finale was a visit to Freddie and Sharon Johnson’s swimming pool, where Mike Johnston was handling one of the swimmers.

On March 30, our little visitors graduated to Bear Cubs.

Posted: 5/25/06

Shamss, Rainbow Inthestorm, and Riproarious - all of whom have displayed high speed in longer sprints out of town - will try to replicate that form going 4 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 Jiva Coolit Stakes for 3-year-olds at Charles Town.

Shamss, whose Beyer Figure of 98 in a nose loss against second-level allowance sprinters at Delaware Park is the best figure in the field, is coupled with Riproarious, who exits a six-length win against $35,000 claimers at Delaware.

Rainbow Inthestorm has not been behind at the half-mile call in each of his seven lifetime races, including an easy win at the distance facing maidens at Delaware last September.

Among those with experience going 4 1/2 furlongs at Charles Town, Logan's Rally is unbeaten in three career starts and Prince o'Pranks won his maiden by 3 3/4 lengths in April.

Date Posted: 5/25/2006 11:42:11 AM Last Updated: 5/25/2006 11:51:15 AM

As part of its on-going series, the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) will conduct a seminar featuring three nationally known trainers November 21 at Charles Town Racetrack in West Virginia.

The guest trainers are A. Ferris Allen III, Robbie Bailes, and Allen Jerkens. The seminar will follow an open forum format, with the trainers fielding questions from the audience.

Allen, the all-time leading trainer at Colonial Downs, has trained the winners of more than 1,500 races with earnings of over $20 million, including Maryland Juvenile Championship winner Miracle Wood and grade II winner Passeggiata.

Bailes has trained the winners of more than 500 races and over $8 million, including 2005 Withers Stakes (gr. III) winner and Preakness Stakes (gr. I) runner-up Scrappy-T, Scootin Girl, and Take Achance On Me.

Jerkens is a member of the Hall of Fame and is known for his upsets, including defeating Secretariat with both Onion and Prove Out. He was the leading trainer in New York in 1957, 1962, 1966, 1969, and 1998. In 1973 and 1984, he won the Eclipse Award for outstanding trainer; in 1975, he was the youngest trainer ever inducted into the Hall of Fame; and in 1994, he trained champion Sky Beauty. From 1950 to 2005, Jerkens has trained over 160 stakes winners.

Cost for the seminar is $50 per ticket, including a full buffet dinner. The event starts at 6 p.m. with check-in and a cash bar, followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the seminar at 7 p.m. Advance reservations are required. Please contact the VTA at either 540-347-4313 or vta@vabred.org.

Posted: 5/12/06

A horse that shipped from an eastern Ohio farm to Mountaineer Race Track in late March has shown neurological symptoms of equine herpesvirus (EHV-1), leading the track and Charles Town Races take the precautionary measure of banning shippers from that farm.

Mountaineer Race Track confirmed Friday that no horses from the Carrollton, Ohio, farm of trainer Lonnie Stokes on or after March 25, 2006, will be permitted on track grounds due the suspected EHV-1 case in the eight-year-old What a Spell gelding Johnny One Note.

Johnny One Note was shipped from Florida to Stokes's farm on March 25. He raced at Mountaineer on March 31 in a 5 1/2-furlong claiming race and was shipped back the farm afterward, according to Mountaineer officials.

On April 14, veterinarian Jimmy Boucher was summoned to Stokes's farm after the horse displayed signs of EHV-1. Boucher sent blood samples to Tennessee University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab for testing.

On Thursday, lab officials informed Boucher the test results suggested EHV-1. Boucher notified state veterinarian Joe Starcher, who traveled to the Stokes's farm on Friday to obtain another sample for a more accurate and conclusive test.

"We don't have confirmation," Starcher said. "We've got a horse that has experienced neurological signs for between five or six weeks. It has never carried an elevated temperature. The [equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a neurologic disease] test was negative."

Starcher said more test results are expected in two or three days.

"We have a horse that has neurological symptoms, but I can't say [it is EHV-1], because it doesn't fit the history," Starcher said. "We have no laboratory confirmation. It doesn't follow the typical history [for EHV-1], it's been too long. You have to go at this expecting that [it is EHV-1], because you don't want to miss anything. But I'm going to be a little bit surprised it that's what it is, very honestly. If it is we're going to be re-writing some textbooks."

EHV-1 manifests in three forms: respiratory disease, abortion, and neurological disease. Neurological symptoms can include a loss of coordination, the inability to stand, and bladder control problems.

Earlier this year, Charles Town quarantined horses to prevent the animals from contracting the disease, which surfaced at tracks in nearby Maryland.—Mike Curry

Date Posted: 4/21/2006 10:13:21 AM Last Updated: 4/21/2006 10:13:21 AM

Multiple graded stakes-placed and stakes winning sire Way West was euthanized March 26 due to laminitis.

Way West was owned by a syndicate, including manager Bonnie Heath Farm. He stood in Florida before moving in 2004 to West Virginia to stand at O' Sullivan Farm until his death.

Way West is the sire of Western Pride, a multiple graded-stakes winner and a grade I-placed earner of $1,289,929, and graded stakes winner Flamethrowintexan.

The second leading sire by earnings in West Virginia in 2004, Way West finished 2005 in second place by number of winners and number of wins.

Bred by Wertheimer et Frere, Way West raced in France before his retirement to stud.

Copyright © 2006 The Blood-Horse, Inc.

Posted: 4/14/06

More than a dozen newly created or renamed races, plus the return of the track's premier stakes for sprinters, highlights a beefed-up and revamped stakes schedule for 2006 at the Charles Town Races and Slots.

In contrast to last year, when numerous stakes were canceled and 17 of the 30 added-money events that were run carried purses of less than $50,000, the list of 2006 stakes released by the track Friday contains 45 races, and all but six are worth at least $50,000. In 2005, the first stakes wasn't held until July 31. This season's stakes begin May 6.

Back on the schedule after a year's absence is the $100,000 Charles Town Dash, a 4 1/2-furlong race for 3-year-olds and up, on July 4.

There are three new races worth $75,000 apiece: the seven-furlong Crying for More for males, the seven-furlong Golden Girls for fillies and mares, and the 1 1/8-mile Frosty Brook for 3-year-olds.

Charles Town's biggest event of the year remains the West Virginia Breeders Classic, a series of eight races for statebreds, on Oct. 14. The 1 1/8-mile Classic remains the biggest race, with a $500,000 purse.

The seven-furlong Cavada for fillies and mares has received a $100,000 purse boost to $350,000.

In order to reward horsemen who race regularly at Charles Town, 14 stakes will give preference to horses who have made the most starts at the local track within their last four races.

Charles Town's purses are fueled by more than 3,800 slot machines, which produced $369 million in revenue last year.

The Charles Town HBPA is currently establishing a website. Our web address is www.cthbpa.org, and we invite all horsemen to visit.

Our website is still under construction, but we hope that in the future it will allow all horsemen to keep abreast of recent news and educate all horsemen about the workings of the Charles Town HBPA by providing them with information and minutes from our general membership meetings.

The equine herpes virus (EHV) epidemic in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky has effected racing at Charles Town as well. An official order issued by the West Virginia Racing Commission on January 9 prohibited horses from returning to the Charles Town stable area after racing at any track outside the state. On January 22, an embargo was placed on the Charles Town/Shenandoah stable area that prohibited any horses from entering the grounds for either racing or training purposes. On February 9, the embargo was lifted for all horses domiciled within the state of West Virginia to train or race under the following conditions:

“Effective immediately, horses currently within the borders of the state of West Virginia are permitted to enter the grounds of Mountaineer Racetrack and PNGI Charles Town Races under the following conditions:

A current Coggins and health certificate.

The health certificate must contain:

(A) The temperature of each horse;

(B) The date of the vaccination for Equine Herpes Virus 1;

(C) The name of the vaccine used;

(D) The vaccine must have been administered no closer than ten (10) days of shipment nor no longer than ninety (90)days prior to shipment.

Hopefully, the EHV problem will have abated before March 1, and the quarantines will have been lifted in Maryland and Pennsylvania so that all out-of-state horsemen who race at Charles Town can return once again.

With the resignation of Wayne Harrison on January 5, Raymond J. (Randy) Funkhouser ascended to the presidency of the Charles Town HBPA, Inc. A member of the current Board of Directors for the last two years, Randy previously served on the CTHBPA board from 1984 through 1990, and as president from 1990 to 1997.

A graduate of Stanford University, Randy has been a licensed owner and/or trainer since 1974. His wife, Clissy, is a licensed CPA, and his son, John, works as the general manager of their family farm, O’Sullivan Farms.

One of the stallions currently holding court at O’Sullivan Farms for 2006 is Prized, sire of recent $500,000 Donn Handicap (Gr. I) winner Brass Hat, whose next race will be the $6,000,000 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) on March 25.

As president, Randy’s future goals include unifying and strengthening the Charles Town HBPA, proposing legislation that will increase purses and breeders awards for all horsemen, and working with management to revitalize and promote horse racing at the Charles Town Races.

On December 19, 2005, the Charles Town HBPA, Inc. (CTHBPA) held a Christmas dinner at the Clarion Hotel in Shepherdstown, West Virginia for the CTHBPA Board of Directors and the members of both the Charles Town Assistance Fund and Charles Town Welfare Benefit Trust Fund, who volunteer their time to administer these funds. The buffet was delicious, and a good time was had by all.

Posted: 2/23/06

Charles Town Races in West Virginia will ease restrictions on ship-ins beginning Sunday, an official of the track said Thursday. The move comes in response to the apparent containment of an outbreak of equine herpesvirus in Maryland. In addition, Penn National in Grantville, Pa., will begin rolling back a similar policy on March 7, track officials said.

Both tracks, owned by Penn National Gaming Inc., have banned shippers since Jan. 23, limiting entries to horses stabled on the grounds or, in Charles Town's case, to horses stabled within West Virginia. The tracks implemented the bans after outbreaks of equine herpesvirus in Maryland and an isolated case at Penn National.

Ismael Trejo, a state steward at Charles Town, said Thursday that the track may still restrict horses shipping in from Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, where 10 horses tested positive for the virus last week.

At Penn National, ship-ins will be allowed to enter races at the track beginning March 7, according to the track, though restrictions on horses shipping in from Maryland will remain for an undetermined amount of time.

Last week, the New York state veterinarian extended a prohibition on horses shipping in to Aqueduct from Maryland after the positive test results at Fair Hill. The prohibition is expected to be in place until at least the end of the first week in March.

Equine herpesvirus, a highly contagious disease marked by fevers and nasal discharge, attacks a horse's upper respiratory and neurological systems and is sometimes fatal.

Date Posted: 2/11/2006 2:05:41 PM Last Updated: 2/11/2006 8:32:22 PM

Lawmakers representing one of West Virginia's four racetrack counties want some changes made before they consider supporting a bill that aims to clear the way for casino table games at the tracks, they said Friday.

All three of Jefferson County's delegates object to several provisions in House Bill 4314. The Eastern Panhandle county is home to Charles Town Races & Slots.

"We are united in our opposition," said Delegate Bob Tabb, D-Jefferson. "The track is completely unwilling to compromise."

A leading lobbyist for the racetracks said he does not consider the objections – echoed by the Jefferson County Commission in a resolution passed 5-0 on Thursday – "deal-killer issues are far as the industry is concerned."

"We accept the legislative process and understand that bills are going to be changed," said John Cavacini, president of the state racing association.

Cavacini also said that he believes the bill has enough votes in the House Judiciary Committee, where a similar measure died during last year's session.

The bill would have Hancock, Jefferson, Kanawha, and Ohio counties vote on legalizing the games at their tracks. The tracks believe the games will help them compete with slot parlors slated to open in neighboring Pennsylvania as early as this summer.

But once voters approved table games, a provision in the bill would bar any further elections. Delegate John Doyle, D-Jefferson, said voters have been allowed to revisit such decisions since the 1994 legislation allowing elections on installing video lottery machines at the tracks.

Jefferson County rejected the machines that year, but approved them in a vote two years later.

"We put that into the bill in 1994," said Doyle. "If they want to pass this thing in Jefferson County, they need to get rid of that provision."

Doyle, Tabb, and Delegate Locke Wysong, D-Jefferson, also balk at the 8% of table games revenue earmarked for racing purses at the tracks. They want more money to be used for racing purses but did not give a specific figure.

The question of table games has roiled the Legislature for the last several sessions. Foes decry the social ills linked to gambling and argue the state constitution must be amended to allow such games.

Pennsylvania will eventually host 61,000 slots at 14 locations around the state, threatening both West Virginia lottery revenue – the tracks generated $371 million for the state last year – and jobs at its tracks.

Copyright © 2006 Associated Press.

Posted: 2/10/06

Stanley Jones, a longtime trainer of racing and show Thoroughbreds, died on Friday at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Ranson, West Virginia. He was 91.

During his career, Jones saddled horses at Bowie Race Course, Charles Town Races, Laurel Park, Penn National Race Course, Shenandoah Downs, Timonium, and Waterford Park [now Mountaineer Race Track]. He was a member of the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

Visitation will be held at the Melvin T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home in Charles Town on February 13 from 7-9 p.m. EST. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Mt. View Church of the Brethren Cemetery in Berkeley County, West Virginia.

Memorial contributions are being directed to the Charles Town Race Track Chaplaincy Fund, P.O. Box 1377, Charles Town, WV, 25414.

Date Posted: 1/18/2006 8:36:10 AM Last Updated: 1/18/2006 8:39:37 AM

The president and vice president of the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have resigned, and a West Virginia owner/breeder who headed the organization when video lottery terminals were introduced in the mid-1990s has again taken over as president.

Wayne Harrison resigned as president effective Jan. 8, while David Walters resigned as vice president effective Jan. 1. Randy Funkhouser, who headed the Charles Town HBPA in the early to mid-1990s, has been elevated to president given the resignations. He operates O'Sullivan Farms, one of the top Thoroughbred breeding operations in the area.

In addition, executive director Brande Larrimore has resigned, reportedly for personal reasons. The organization currently has no executive director.

Harrison won a seat on the Charles Town HBPA board of directors in 2003, and took over as president after Ann Hilton resigned only a few months later. Hilton won the presidency in 2003 in a contentious election in which former president Dick Watson was ousted.

In his resignation letter, Harrison said he had agreed to serve as president for only one year, and that he has personal commitments, including his Maryland-based business, that need attention.

"I sincerely believe a president who can be more available in Charles Town on a daily basis will now better serve the HBPA," the letter said.

Walters, in his letter of resignation, said he worked for the benefit of horsemen but now believes "the general membership of horsemen believe I have not fulfilled those duties. I do not want to stand in the way of other board members who are certainly more capable of doing this job."

Last year, Watson called for a special election in the wake of what he called repeated attempts by Harrison and the Charles Town HHBA board of directors to discredit him and his wife, Janene, the former executive director.

The Charles Town HBPA sued Watson for allegedly using HBPA funds for his personal benefit. Last summer, he apologized to horsemen in a letter and said the civil suit had been mediated and settled, but claimed no bylaws were broken. Watson and his wife subsequently were expelled from the HBPA for two years--a period that will keep him from running for office in the next regular election in December 2006.

The Charles Town HBPA is the third National HBPA affiliate to have a management shakeup in the past month and a half. HBPA boards in Indiana and Ohio ousted their presidents in December; the Indiana situation is subject to an appeal that will be heard by the National HBPA executive committee during its winter convention in Tampa, Fla., Jan. 21-25.

Copyright © 2006 The Blood-Horse, Inc.

Posted: 1/9/06

Constantine L. "Costy" Caras, announcer at Charles Town Races for 30 years, died on January 7 at Shenandoah Health Village Center in Charles Town, West Virginia. He was 81.

Officials at Charles Town began the races on January 7 with a moment of silence for Caras, who retired as track announcer in 1999. Caras began calling races as an apprentice to Fred Capposella, the announcer at now-defunct Jamaica Racetrack in New York.

Visitation is scheduled for 1-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday at Melvin T. Strider Colonial Funeral Home in Charles Town. Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at Zion Episcopal Church.

The Charles Town HBPA hosted a student group from West Virginia University on November 12. Thanks to Shotwell Farms, O’Sullivan Farms, Eddie Householder, Sharon Johnson, Anthony Mawing, and many more for their contributions. Locke Wysong, delegate to the West Virginia Legislature, also attended.

The Racetrack Chaplaincy and special guest singers (family members of our own Jenny Lynn Payne) put on a great picnic on October 1 at the Charles Town Moose Lodge. An auction followed lunch and entertainment. The Charles Town HBPA was represented, and personal donations were made through the auction.

Management and Condition Book Committee members have been working together for a purse increase for the December book. The current underpayment is approximately $3.4 million.

Op. ed. by Brande Larrimore

I never had been involved in horse racing until 1996. Since then, I have been exposed to many aspects of this industry. In 1996, I was the field coordinator for the Jefferson County campaign for the video lottery referendum. Remember Vote 222? Bumper stickers, billboards in trucks, yard signs – that was me.

My first job on the backside was with trainer Donald Barber. I was given the chance of a lifetime – to learn to work with horses. After that, I moved on to the management side of Charles Town Races & Slots in its marketing department. At one point, I was the assistant horsemen's bookkeeper. In between, I worked for the county and FEMA.

You can take Brande out of the shedrow, but you can’t take the shedrow out of Brande. So I went back to backside, hot walking, holding for blacksmiths, and rubbing horses.

Now I serve you in the HBPA office. The challenges here are varied and interesting.

But do I miss my four legged friends – you bet I do!

Program your cell phones with ICE – an “In Case of Emergency” phone number programmed into a phone under I for ICE. First responder personnel are being trained to look for this number. Program your ICE number today.

I had my first experience with the West Virginia Legislature this past Special Session in September. I worked closely with a few of our delegates and lobbyist CEM Martin on the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Bill. The bill passed, however, with only half of the funding for which we asked.

Serving you every day,

Brande Larrimore

The barns at Charles Town are going up pretty much according to schedule, says Wayne Harrison, president of the Charles Town HBPA. According to sources at PNGI, the first barn has not yet been signed off by management, citing unspecified reasons.

The racing office has not indicated where the new receiving barn will be as of this printing. However, it did say that there would be approximately 60 stalls dedicated to ship-ins.

One unresolved issue is where to park the horse trailers. The HBPA has weekly discussions with management regarding this topic.

Management has indicated that several thousand dollars will be dedicated in its 2006 budget for new manure bins at Charles Town.

The training track will not be getting the poly surface originally agreed to by PNGI management. Instead, the surface will be similar to that of the racetrack proper.

A recent report from an industry tester stated that the composition of the track was, in fact, within industry standards. This was summarily supported by the fact that all races were run on the weekend of the West Virginia Breeders Classics despite the heavy downpours.

A special committee appointed by Charles Town HBPA President Wayne Harrison, consisting of trainers, owners, laypeople, and professionals, has been created to assist our organization in getting in step with the times. Jeff Runco, Tim Grams, Gene James, and John Stahlin make up the core committee, while Brande Larrimore, Alan Foreman, and Tom Lomangino make up the consulting arm of the committee.

A special meeting of the Laurel medication committee was held Monday, October 24 at the Ruffian Room in Laurel. John Stahlin and Brande Larrimore both attended and then took a tour of the Maryland lab where our tests are processed.

The committee has specific goals for 2005. They are: to have the West Virginia Racing Commission establish testing levels and penalties for milkshakes, to articulate the testing issue for EPO, and to adopt the Racing Medication & Testing Consortium rules.

The HBPA Stall Committee has been meeting regularly with Charles Town management. The first thing that was established was the tenuous arrangement the Stall Committee actually has with management. The Committee is really a mouthpiece for the horsemen – not a policy making body for PNGI. PNGI reserves the right to make any and all decisions regarding its property – the stalls. The Stall Committee is able to assist horsemen in making arguments for why they should keep stalls or be given additional stalls.

Recently, an assessment was done based on 5 1/4 starts per stall for January 1 through September 30, 2005 (using seven starts per stalls per year as the baseline). Letters went out to horsemen telling them they were having stalls cut – some totally. After much discussion, management rescinded the letters through year’s end, much to the relief of some of our horsemen.

• The Charles Town HBPA coordinated a community food drive at the local office, with the help of Ray Riggleman. Ray brought the information from the Community Ministries, and we ran with it. Ray continued to help throughout the drive, even handing out informational flyers to horsemen. Nearly 150 pounds of food was delivered to the pantry on September 1.

• The Charles Town HBPA and the Chaplaincy Program at Charles Town joined forces to raise more than $75,000 for paralyzed rider Shannon Campbell’s expenses. Campbell, 34, was paralyzed from the waist down after being thrown from her mount on July 9.

• A successful Spay Today clinic was held on Wednesday, October 19, at the Charles Town HBPA office. The clinic registered cats to be spayed or neutered at local vet clinics courtesy of Spay Today.

• Great job horsemen – over 150 members attended the third 2005 general membership meeting on Monday, October 17.

• A flu shot clinic was held Wednesday, October 25 at the HBPA office. Over 100 people (104 to be exact, 8 were unlicensed who paid) came in to receive their flu shots. The Jefferson County Health Department provided the injections and staff, who did their jobs with a smile. Their phrase for the day was “raise your sleeve!”

by Patti Evans

You have seen on the news all of the devastation in New Orleans, but what you don’t see is the devastation of the horse farms, the horses, and the racetracks.

The Fair Grounds in New Orleans was ruined by Katrina. So were the Louisiana HBPA office and the homes of the HBPA staff. Farms were ruined or just gone.

It did not stop these good people from helping others. There are eight HBPA employees who moved their operation to Louisiana Downs and are working in a very small space.

Delta Downs was also severely damaged and more farms ruined. Racehorses that were rescued were taken to Louisiana Downs and stabled there.

Farms in untouched areas offered stalls and pasture to those in need.

National HBPA, the Kentucky Horse Park, and several reputable animal rescue people organized tractor trailers to haul feed, hay and clothing to Louisiana Downs to a staging area. The National HBPA also set up a Katrina Relief Assistance Fund for monetary donations. That is what helped to pay for the feed, hay and finding places for homeless horsemen and their families to stay. There are investigators making a thorough check of all applications for assistance.

The hurricanes are gone, but the devastation is still very vivid. For many, it will be like starting all over again with absolutely nothing.

National HBPA and the gals from the Louisiana HBPA have been keeping me informed of what the needs are. Currently, there are people without the necessary equipment to exercise or race a horse. Safety vests, helmets, bridles, bits, exercise saddles, and even riding boots are needed.

It is my hope that you, Charles Town horsemen, will walk a mile in their moccasins and help. Clothing is now plentiful, but folks will be in need of household items such as bed linens, towels, washcloths, personal products, blankets, and pillows.

Please, let’s not forget the children. The holidays will be upon us before we know it. Think about small toys, games and the like.

May I add that one of our trainers has already brought in 100 tubes of toothpaste and 100 toothbrushes.

Eddie Householder, local horsemen and HBPA Board member, has volunteered his time and truck to deliver donations to the Louisiana Downs staging area.

Thanks everyone!

Patti Evans

Dear Horsemen,

What a wild ride we have had since last summer. Between rough weather and sad passings, our plates have been terrifically full. America’s losses were so great because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The National HBPA called on its people to be generous, and they were and still are.

Closer to home, we lost the great matriarch of West Virginia Thoroughbred breeders, Eleanor Casey. She passed away watching one of her favorite fillies work during morning training. We extend our sympathy to the Casey family.

The Watson case was appealed to the West Virginia Racing Commission, which voted three to nothing to uphold the decision of PNGI management to expel the Watsons until such time in 2006 when there may be a review.

We had a tumultuous time with management regarding stalls and stall allocations. It is our opinion that our on-grounds loyal horsemen should get first preference for stalls based on the predetermined seven starts per stall per year.

Stall letters went out to many horsemen informing them of stall cuts and stall evacuation notices. Again, after much negotiation, we were informed that the racetrack would rescind these letters until the end of the year.

The West Virginia Breeders Classics weekend, with the HBPA stakes races, was something to behold. Even with terrible weather, the races went off without a hitch.

The Charles Town HBPA recently hosted a general membership meeting where Mr. Roger Beasley, director of racing at Keeneland Racecourse in Kentucky, spoke about the polytrack surface. Although PNGI management has made no commitment to a polytrack surface for the future, they are keeping an open mind. We thank Mr. John Finamore for attending this informational presentation.

It has been my distinct pleasure to work with two ladies who really take the horsemen’s best interest to heart. I want to personally thank Patti Evans and Barbara Robinson for all their hard work at the HBPA office.

Very truly yours,

Wayne Harrison

Date Posted: 8/26/2005 5:24:24 PM Last Updated: 8/26/2005 6:48:11 PM

Edited press release "Shannon Campbell Day" at Charles Town Races & Slots raised more than $75,000 to aid the jockey who was paralyzed in a racing accident at the West Virginia track.

The chaplaincy program at Charles Town Races & Slots, in conjunction with the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, track management, and West Virginia jockeys, said the money was raised Aug. 13 to help Campbell with her medical expenses.

"We are grateful for this tremendous outpouring of support for Shannon," said local Race Track Chaplaincy of America chaplain Rick Mann. "I know this will mean a lot to Shannon and her family during this very difficult time."

Chaplaincy volunteers, Jockeys' Guild members, and other jockeys collected more than $35,000 from patrons at donation booths set up on the Charles Town apron. The track and its parent company, Penn National Gaming Inc., pledged $20,000. The Charles Town HBPA pledged $10,000, while Penn National Race Course, also owned by PNGI, pledged $5,000. Jockeys at Charles Town and Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort donated mount fees of $4,775.

"We have all been praying for Shannon and her family, and we hope the rest of the racing world will join us in those prayers," local council president Henry Christie said. "It has been a wonderful experience to see so many people and organizations in racing come together to help."

Campbell, a 34-year-old apprentice, was paralyzed from the waist down after her mount clipped heels with a rival moving into the turn of a 4 1/2-furlong race earlier this year. She is hospitalized at Washington Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Campbell and her husband, a local environmental specialist, have an 8-year-old daughter.

For more information on ways to assist Campbell contact Mann at (304) 283-0036. Checks designated to Shannon Campbell on the memo line can be sent to the Chaplain's Fund, P.O. Box 1377, Charles Town, W.Va., 25414. Donations may be tax deductible and will be receipted.

Copyright © 2005 The Blood-Horse, Inc. Limehouse to Retire at End of Year; Will Stand at Vinery Blood-Horse Date Posted: 8/26/2005 2:08:25 PM Last Updated: 8/26/2005 8:06:26 PM Limehouse, who ran fourth in Smarty Jones' Kentucky Derby (gr. I) last year and this June won the Brooklyn Handicap (gr. II), will be retired at the end of the year and will stand in 2006 at Tom Simon's Vinery near Lexington. The 4-year-old son of Grand Slam -- Dixieland Blues, by Dixieland Band, is in the process of being syndicated. The share price and stud fee were not announced. Limehouse was bred in Florida by Cheryl Curtin and purchased by Cot Campbell's Dogwood Stable for $140,000 at the 2002 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. He won his first three starts including the Bashford Manor Stakes (gr. III). Put on the Triple Crown trail by trainer Todd Pletcher, Limehouse won the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) in his first start at three. He then won the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) and finished third in the Blue Grass (gr. I) before running fourth in the Derby. This year, Limehouse won the Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs prior to winning the nine-furlong Brooklyn on the Belmont Stakes day undercard. "He is a marvelous horse, won major stakes as a two, three, and four-year-old, and is certainly known for his consistency," said Campbell. In all, Limehouse has to date won seven of 19 starts and earned $1,099,933. In his last start, Limehouse ran fifth in the Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at Saratoga Aug. 6. "The plan is to freshen him a bit, and perhaps experiment with a grass race," Campbell said, adding that Limehouse will work on the turf when the stable moves back to Belmont . "Depending on this, we will map out a campaign for the balance of the year, hoping to include a Breeders' Cup race in the scenario." Copyright © 2005 The Blood-Horse, Inc.

Thank you to our members who volunteer their time on various committees. Horsemen are some of the busiest and hardest working people on the planet, yet they seem to be able to find just a bit more time to give of themselves. The Charles Town HBPA thanks you very much.

Our congratulations go out to Frank Smith on his retirement.

The weekend of October 9, 2005 at Charles Town Races will feature the West Virginia Breeders Classics.

Because of safety and liability considerations, please do not plan to breeze or work your horses on the training track. It will be primarily for green babies and ponied horses.

Management and Condition Book/Purse committee members have been working together for a steady and sensible purse and condition book format. This work will continue to adapt to changing conditions in the future.

The West Virginia Racing Commission mandated the change to $4,000 as the minimum claiming price as of August 1, 2005.

Horsemen – it is critical that you pay attention to your barn area, your stalls, tack rooms and wash bay areas. You are responsible for your areas.

Please do a daily check of these areas. Please ensure your employees understand your responsibility to keep these areas up to your standards for legal and safety purposes.

By Brande Larrimore

For 96 days, I have had the privilege to serve the horsemen of the Charles Town HBPA. In future issues, I hope to outline my goals as your new executive director.

The first thing I’d like to accomplish is to build open lines of communication with the Charles Town HBPA membership. Please know that I will undoubtedly make mistakes from time to time, but I assure you I will try to learn from them. I thank you in advance for your support.

Here are your representatives. Officers: Wayne Harrison, President; David Walters, Vice-President; Patricia Evans, Secretary/Treasurer.

Executive Committee: Wayne Harrison, David Walters, and Tim Grams; alternate, John Stahlin.

Board of Directors: Cliel “Skip” Albright, Martha Close, Raymond J. “Randy” Funkhouser, E. Elaine Hagy, Gene James, Clay Brittle, Tim Grams, N. Eddie Householder, Jeff Runco, and David Walters. Alternates: Donald Dean, William Gilliam, Stephanie Beattie, Ronney Brown, and John Stahlin.

Executive Director: Brande Larrimore.

Administrative Support: Laura Bowman.

Charles Town HBPA Post Parade News Editor: John Stahlin.

On June 14, 2005, Mr. Richard Watson, former two-term president of the Charles Town HBPA, signed a letter of agreement ending the legal proceedings between him and the Charles Town HBPA, with Magistrate Joels presiding.

The agreement provides for monetary remuneration and discusses incidents for which Mr. Watson has assumed responsibility. These points include:

• Loans made to himself and to his family without the approval of the Board of Directors. These loans were repaid after approximately one year without payment of the prevailing interest rate;

• Mr. Watson’s purchase, using Charles Town HBPA funds approved by the Board of Directors, of a four-wheel vehicle which was to be used on Charles Town property, but which was taken to his farm for his personal use;

• Without the approval of the Board of Directors, and in violation of the Charles Town HBPA bylaws, Mr. Watson paid retirement pay, bonuses and vacation pay to his wife, who was the Charles Town HBPA executive director;

• Mr. Watson paid personal American Express bills, which included gambling advances, without the approval of the Board of Directors, and repaid the funds at a later date;

• Mr. Watson received, but failed to provide, audit reports and auditor’s management letters to the Board of Directors.

Mr. Watson apologized for his actions.

Wayne Harrison, president of the Charles Town HBPA stated, “This chapter is finally finished, and we can now move on freely to a vigorous and productive future.”

Charity begins at home. The Charles Town HBPA has two committees that review the needs of our horsemen. They are the Welfare Benefit Trust (a medical assistance program for owners, trainers and their employees) and the Horsemen’s Assistance Fund (a hardship and medical assistance program for all eligible backside workers). Forms are available in the Charles Town HBPA office, along with the guidelines for these programs.

The Horsemen’s Assistance Fund has two new committee members. They are Joanna Boggs and Glenn Harrison. They will be guided by members Joe Stehr, Raimondo Schiano-diCola and Ronnie Sigler. Rolling off will be Tim Grams and John Casey.

Charles Town HBPA Executive Secretary Patti Evans and Executive Director Brande Larrimore attended a Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce living will seminar which was held at Jefferson Memorial Hospital. The presenter was Kathy Campbell from Hospice of the Panhandle.

Patti Evans presented the Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic a check for $10,000 on behalf of the Charles Town HBPA at a recent fundraising activity. Other contributions went to Saddles and Smiles, local fire departments, Special Olympics and more.

Lee Couchenour, Scoobie Schneider, Arnold Iliescu and Jacob Dillon teamed up to represent the Charles Town HBPA as a $1,000 team sponsor at the annual Jefferson Memorial Golf Tournament.

On Saturday, May 14, a museum quality Winchester rifle, along with a Gator all-terrain vehicle, were auctioned off on the steps of the Charles Town HBPA. Proceeds from this auction will be given to charity, as well.

This year has been one of tearing down and building up at Charles Town Races & Slots. The horsemen deserve a hearty thank you from everyone for their patience and willingness to adapt to sometimes extreme hardship.

We are in the midst of the site development of the training track and eventual employee parking lot. Bulldozers, dump trucks, cherry pickers, and drills are all making a racket.

Construction crews, for the most part, try very hard to be considerate of all horsemen and horses. For this, we are grateful. We understand they have a boss breathing down their neck but are still willing to work with the horsemen for safety.

Perry Engineering is laying out the site for the second of the three barns. John Fugh, the barn contractor, is currently building Barn 19.

The Charles Town HBPA has been given a seat at the weekly meetings with construction bosses. These meetings have proven to be helpful (not failsafe) for planning ahead for alternative horse paths, crossing guard issues, etc.

In preparation for the eventual evacuation of Shenandoah Downs, the Charles Town HBPA is committed to keeping the horsemen informed every step of the way.

If any horsemen have issues or questions regarding construction at Charles Town, please call or stop by the Charles Town HBPA office. Our number is (304) 725-1535, and our hours are Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

National HBPA President John Roark and NTRA representative Steve Andersen addressed the Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors at a recent June meeting. After some brief remarks by Charles Town HBPA President Wayne Harrison, John Roark spoke animatedly about the importance of why the Charles Town HBPA should retain its membership with the national group. The national organization is a watchdog for the many detailed and complicated issues we simply do not have the resources to encompass. These issues include international gambling, off-shore simulcasting, immigration legislation, and innovations in benevolence programs.

There are several experts hired by the National HBPA to research and write definitive opinions on issues such as EPO and milkshaking abuses.

Mr. Roark mentioned proudly that the Charles Town HBPA contract with PNGI is deemed a “model” for all the other affiliates, and it has been posted it on the National HBPA website. The site can be found at www.nationalhbpa.com.

NTRA Purchasing’s Mr. Steve Andersen handed the guests informational pamphlets and spoke briefly on the benefits of NTRA membership discounts on such products as John Deere tractors, Dodge trucks, Sherwin Williams paints, etc.

For more information, please contact Patti at the Charles Town HBPA office (304) 725-1535.

The year 2005 has brought trials and tribulations to the Charles Town HBPA. As your president, I can tell you that the successes we have achieved in spite of the many impediments are due to the hard work of many people. I have tried to thank you personally, but please accept this thank you, as well.

The most recent legislative session proved to be an eye-opener. We now know that racing has a ruthless and cunning enemy. We must be watchful and intelligent in our dealings with the legislature.

At Charles Town, 2005 may be known as the year of the “breakdown.” The Charles Town HBPA threw itself into identifying every feasible contributor to breakdowns. We have pleaded with the West Virginia Racing Commission to provide us with a second state veterinarian in an effort to institute pre-race checks.

We also have witnessed an increased interest by the stewards and security to uphold rules of racing as they pertain to drugs and paraphernalia. The West Virginia Racing Commission commissioned an elite group to come to Charles Town and investigate the rash of breakdowns. A factor that stood out clearly was the condition of the track – its surface and the quality of track maintenance management. A report will be coming from the West Virginia Racing Commission later this month.

In the upcoming months, I will be asking the Charles Town HBPA to take on the task of expediting an updated set of our bylaws. These bylaws will contain language regarding term limits, financial security, and protection by way of regular audits, etc.

The Charles Town HBPA is here for all horsemen. We will try our best to assist anyone who walks through our doors within the parameters of our programs. If we do not know the answer, we will try our very best to find the answer. We are an open book, and we keep no secrets from our horsemen.

Very truly yours,
Wayne Harrison, President

Posted: 7/12/2005 4:49:00 PM ET

Richard Watson, the former president of the Charles Town Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, admitted to misusing the organization’s funds and properties in a statement dated June 14, 2005. Watson, along with his wife, Janene, signed the statement in which he admitted to loaning himself money out of the HBPA without paying interest, using a four-wheel drive vehicle on his farm, paying his wife retirement pay, bonuses, and vacation pay without approval from the board, and paid his American Express credit card, which he had used to gamble, using HBPA funds.

"The Charles Town HBPA is looking towards the future now that the legal proceedings with former CTHBPA President Richard Watson have concluded," current Charles Town HBPA President Wayne Harrison said. "It was very disheartening to learn that the former president and his wife admitted to taking funds from the CTHBPA accounts for his personal use. Mr. Watson abused the bylaws for his own personal benefit."

Building permits have been issued to Charles Town Races & Slots, allowing for new barn construction beginning as early as the second week in May. A permit has been issued for the construction of a training track, as well. The track project, which is going through design changes, may begin by the end of the month of May.

Charles Town HBPA Executive Secretary Patti Evans has been actively preparing for the opening of the Charles Town HBPA office annex. Located in the racing office complex on the lower level of the Charles Town Races & Slots building, the office is tentatively scheduled to be open for three hours during live racing.

Brande Larrimore was hired to serve for a 90-day interim period as the assistant executive director of the Charles Town HBPA beginning March 28, 2005. A Jefferson County resident since 1986, Larrimore has worked in many of the venues needed to understand the racing industry, the legislative process, horsemen, horses, and office management.

Beginning on January 1, 2005, the Charles Town HBPA began “sign-ups” for the Pension Fund program year 2004. To date, more than sixty (60) members have returned to fill out their applications.

Assistant Executive Director Brande Larrimore is currently administering the pension fund program. She indicates that membership applications for Program Year 2004 are likely to exceed previous years.

The Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors met on Monday, April 25 and approved funding for several charities. The Eastern Panhandle Free Clinic was the first charity to be reviewed.

“This organization helps our own horsemen. It deserves our support,” stated one board member. Other donation recipients included independent and citizens volunteer fire departments.

4-H Saddles and Smiles received a donation, as well. This special group consists of local 4-H saddle club members who donate their horses and their time to provide riding opportunities once a month for disadvantaged and handicapped children.

Special Olympics of West Virginia, Cystic Fibrosis/Great Strides-Shepherdstown, Jefferson Health Care Foundation, New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, and the Racetrack Chaplaincy Program were all also recipients of donations from the Charles Town HBPA.

Don Combs, formerly the Charles Town HBPA executive director, departed the beautiful mountain state for Finger Lakes, New York on April 15. We thank him for his work here, and wish him success in his future activities. Good luck Don, and stay in touch!

WHEELING - As West Virginia's legislators continue to look at whether the state is getting its fair share of racetrack video lottery revenue, the line dividing the benefits for the government and the benefits for the racetracks can become blurred when considering a major segment of the proceeds - the $112 million allocated to the state's horse racing and dog racing industries.

During the last fiscal year, proceeds from gambling machines at the racetracks totaled about $855 million. Of that amount, municipalities, counties and the state retained about $376.4 million. The remainder, about $478.4 million, went to the tracks or for various purposes benefitting the horse and dog racing industries.

Though many in the gambling industry maintain that $112 million of that $478 million did not go to the tracks, it did benefit what is supposed to be their primary industry. While the state benefits by using such funds to help provide jobs for those in the racing industry, the money also benefits the racetracks by maintaining their profitable - albeit sometimes only slightly profitable - racing operations.

Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort in Hancock County, for example, had a gross profit of about $2.3 million from its horse racing operations in 2003. That compares with the facility's gross profit of $94.5 million on its gambling operations from slots.

The Chester-based company probably would not have horse racing today if not for the 1994 Racetrack Video Lottery Act, which allocates a portion of gambling revenue to the racing industry and, especially, racing purses.

Mountaineer spokeswoman Tamara Pettit said, "at the point when the legislation passed, Mountaineer was on the brink of closure." The bill, she added, "not only saved racing at Mountaineer, but caused it to flourish."

Geoff Andres, president and general manager at Wheeling Island Racetrack and Gaming Center, confirmed that video lottery revenue helped his business maintain its dog racing program and attract better greyhounds for its races. He said he doubts the state's tracks still would have racing today if not for the additional stream of video lottery revenue.

In Fiscal 2004, the revenue from video lottery terminals at the state's four licensed tracks was distributed as follows: The tracks kept 43 percent, while state and local governments received 44 percent. Entities associated with the dog and horse racing industries received 13 percent - the majority of which went to purse funds.

The money for the racing industry helped the track's pari-mutuel wagering operations survive: each year since the Racetrack Video Lottery Act was made law in 1994, West Virginia has provided millions of dollars of video lottery revenue for racing purses and racetrack employee pensions.

For example, during the 2003 calendar year, Wheeling Island Racetrack saw about 11.6 percent - or $20.2 million - of its gaming revenue withheld for racing purses. In fact, video lottery revenue contributed almost all - 93.4 percent - of the purse funds offered at Wheeling Island that year. The remaining purse funds were taken out of the "handle," which represents the total amount wagered by patrons of the track on live and simulcast races.

George Sidiropolis, one of the state's three racing commissioners, noted that Wheeling Island has the largest purses of any greyhound racetrack in the nation. The state's other greyhound track, Tri-State Greyhound Park in Kanawha County, ranks among the top in the nation as well, he said.

The total handle at Wheeling Island was about $68 million in 2003, according to the West Virginia Racing Commission's annual report that year. Although the state, county and local governments received close to $1.6 million of that amount in taxes, the racetrack still received more than $4.8 million in pari-mutuel revenue.

Prior to the 1994 legislation, the purses were paid exclusively from the handle, said John Cavacini, president of the West Virginia Racing Association, which represents the state's four racetracks. The purses are used to pay the winnings for the horsemen and, as such, contribute to the wages of the owners, trainers, jockeys and groomers - known collectively as "backside workers."

Since the 1994 legislation, the purses have grown dramatically. According to Pettit, the average daily purse awarded to the winners at Mountaineer in 1994 was $22,000. Today, the average daily purse is $160,000.

Sidiropolis said the other tracks have seen comparable increases. The state's two thoroughbred horse tracks, Mountaineer and Charles Town Races in Jefferson County, rank among the highest purses in the nation for year-round tracks, he added.

The "dramatic increase" in purses, said Pettit, has helped recruit higher quality horses and more backside workers to Mountaineer. The ranks of these backside workers have increased from about 1,000 in 1994 to more than 3,000 in 2005. In addition, a number of "agribusinesses," such as farm and feed stores, have sprung up to support the amount of racing activity, she added.

The advantages to the state, she said, include income taxes and payroll taxes.

Mountaineer wins because it now has a more marketable product and now receives a good portion of its racing revenue by simulcasting its races internationally to more than 900 off-site betting establishments.

Prior to the Racetrack Video Lottery Act of 1994, many of the entities associated with the racing industry - regular purses, pensions for racetrack employees, breeders' funds and income for the West Virginia Racing Commission - were paid exclusively from the handle, according to the racing commission.

All four of the state's racetracks received about $92.2 million in purses from video lottery revenue in Fiscal 2004, although that amount is likely to change next year. Starting Friday, July 1, the state will be taking $11 million each year from the gambling revenue devoted to purse funds in order to pay off Workers' Compensation bonds.

Also, video lottery revenue contributed $3.9 million to the four racetracks' employee pension funds - including about $880,000 at Wheeling Island - and provided $7.8 million to the West Virginia Racing Commission in Fiscal 2004.

The breeders' funds - the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund and the West Virginia Greyhound Development Fund - each received about $4 million

The Charles Town HBPA sponsored a Thanksgiving dinner that was served by the track kitchen staff to 124 folks from the backstretch. We also supported the Chaplaincy Children’s Christmas Party, which featured Christmas table accessories, sandwiches, juice drinks, bags of mixed candy, nuts and a stocking cap for each child.

Newly elected West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin called a special session of the state legislature in January of 2005. One of his priorities was a plan to take a total of $20 million per year from purses at West Virginia’s four racetracks in order to aid the state’s troubled Workers’ Compensation Fund. Unfortunately, the bill introduced to accomplish this would have cost horse and dog owners $20 million per year, while costing track operators absolutely nothing.

The Charles Town HBPA opposed the bill because we thought that if the racing industry must help pay for West Virginia’s shortfalls, management should shoulder some of the financial burden. The bill was passed by the legislature, but the purse reduction was changed from $20 million to $11 million dollars.

Don Dean (one of our Charles Town HBPA directors) arranged through the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America for the Charles Town HBPA to donate $30,000 to a relief fund that has no administrative costs (100% goes to relief) to support the victims of the tsunami in southern Asia.

As to our pension plan, each of those applicants who qualified (about 135 horsemen) for all three years (2001, 2002 and 2003) now has close to $12,000 in his or her personal account. Hopefully, this information will result in greater numbers of applicants for 2004 and subsequent years. This program really works.

Our contract, which is for three years, with two one-year extensions available by mutual consent, increases the commitment from 210 to 245 annual race days (at least 10 races per day). This provision will ensure a wider range of opportunities to run for horses at all levels. In addition, the contract establishes an arbitration procedure for issues on which Charles Town HBPA and management cannot agree. If either side believes the other has violated the contract, each side will appoint an arbitrator, the two arbitrators will appoint a third arbitrator, and both sides agree to abide by the decision of the arbitration panel. Although we sincerely hope to reach agreements rather than employ arbitration, the arbitration option could prove very valuable.

The Charles Town HBPA is pleased to be able to report some tangible progress in our new contract (signed December 23, 2004) with track management. Additionally, our pension plan is finally operational. After accumulating half a million dollars per year starting in 2001, the funds are now going into individual accounts for qualifying horsemen. It is also gratifying that the Charles Town HBPA has been able to respond quickly to the tsunami disaster in southern Asia with a donation of $30,000 from available charitable funds.

Date Posted: 1/26/2005 1:23:36 PM Last Updated: 1/26/2005 1:53:09 PM

Representatives of horsemen's groups are working in the West Virginia capital of Charleston to fend off an effort by Gov. Joe Manchin to take $5 million from purse accounts at each of the state's four racetracks to help pay off a $3-billion debt in the state workers' compensation program. Manchin called legislators in for a special session to act on legislation related to the "the financing and funding of the long-term liability debt of the Workers' Compensation Commission," the Charleston Daily Mail reported. Manchin has suggested $20 million come from video lottery proceeds.

West Virginia has two Thoroughbred tracks, Charles Town Races & Slots and Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort, and two Greyhound tracks, Tri-State Racetrack and Entertainment Center and Wheeling Island Gaming. They all have video lottery terminals.

In West Virginia, VLTs were legalized through votes in the state legislature and the counties in which the tracks are located, not through a constitutional amendment.

Officials with the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and Mountaineer HBPA told The Blood-Horse they are working together to lobby against the purse reduction. Along with the $20 million, Manchin has proposed that $45 million come out of the fund for excess VLT revenue. That money is used for infrastructure improvements in the state, according to reports.

Currently, there is no public plan to ask the racetracks to contribute a portion of their VLT revenue. Horsemen have suggested the state allow casino-style table games at the tracks to generate more revenue that could be used to help pay down the workers' compensation debt.

On Jan. 26, a top official in the West Virginia coal industry withdrew his support for the workers' comp proposal. The coal industry would contribute about $90 million a year under Manchin's plan.

Though purses at Charles Town and Mountaineer have increased dramatically since the late 1990s--the 2003 daily averages were $140,000 and $175,000, respectively--the tracks didn't make the top 10 in daily average purses for the year. They were toward the bottom of the top 10 in total purses for the year.

Dog racing purses are calculated in a different fashion, but the two West Virginia tracks are believed to be among the top in the nation in purses paid.

Copyright © 2005 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Date Posted: 1/7/2005 1:55:17 PM Last Updated: 1/7/2005 1:55:17 PM

The Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association announced Jan. 7 it has signed a new contract with Penn National Gaming Inc., owner of Charles Town Races & Slots, which increases the number of live racing dates per year.

The pact is for three years, with two one-year extensions should both sides agree, according to a release from the horsemen's association. There is a commitment to 245 live racing programs a year, with a minimum of 10 races, up from 210 programs a year.

The 2004 calendar was disrupted on several occasions. The racetrack was closed for much of August for renovation of the racing surface as scheduled. But problems with the surface led to multiple cancellations in September. Charles Town ended up carding 12-race programs and adding dates through the rest of the year.

The horsemen's group said the contract establishes an arbitration procedure for issues on which the Charles Town HBPA and track management can't agree. If either side believes the other has violated the contract, each side would appoint an arbitrator. Those arbitrators will appoint a third arbitrator, and both sides would agree to abide by the decision rendered by the panel.

In other business, a pension plan containing about $500,000 is now operational. Funds are now being deposited into the individual accounts of horsemen.

The Charles Town HBPA, with assistance from the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, will donate $30,000 to a relief fund to assist victims of the recent tsunami in Asia.

Copyright © 2005 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Our pension plan is finally underway. A mass mailing of information was sent out to members on October 29.

From our affiliate to yours, happy holidays!

The Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors was informed at its November meeting of Ann Hilton’s decision to step down as president. The board appreciates all of her efforts and wishes her the best. Wayne A. Harrison has assumed the presidency.

On October 11, our Charles Town HBPA office had 40 visitors. Local mothers and children were assembled to visit the swimming pool owned and operated by Mr. & Mrs. Fred Johnson. Charles Town HBPA Executive Secretary Patti Evans took them in groups of six to watch the horses swim. The mothers, as well as the children, were truly fascinated by what they saw and learned. We all appreciated Mike Johnson, who handles the horses, for his time in answering all the questions.

The Charles Town HBPA Board of Directors has approved a necropsy (autopsy) program. In the event a horse dies and the cause might be in question, a necropsy and full blood analysis is necessary to determine the cause of death.

Charles Town horse owner Laura Bowman set up this program through the Maryland Department of Agriculture in Frederick, Maryland. The cost is $200 and will be reimbursed to our members. Mrs. Bowman began chairing this reimbursement program effective July 9, 2004. She can be contacted through the Charles Town HBPA office.

The West Virginia Breeders Classics XVIII events began with a gala held on October 7 that included a one-item auction in the evening’s festivities. A beautiful framed print of Ron Turcotte aboard Secretariat, donated by Mrs. Ann B. Hilton, went to the highest bidder, Dr. Keith Berkeley of Valley Equine Associates, LLC. The $2,100 raised by the auction was donated to the Charles Town Race Track Chaplaincy.

Our HBPA sponsored three stakes races during Classics weekend: the City of Charles Town Stakes, City of Ranson Stakes, and Governor’s Cup. The City of Charles Town Stakes race trophy was presented by Mayor Randy Hilton. Mayor David Hamill presented The City of Ranson Stakes race trophy, and Christy Morris, Secretary of Military Affairs and Public Safety, represented Governor Wise for the trophy presentation of the Governor’s Cup.

Our annual Backstretch Flu Shot Clinic, which had been scheduled for October 20, was cancelled due to the shortage of serum.

The Charles Town HBPA sponsored a rabies clinic for cats living on the backstretch. The clinic was set up in our office, with small animal veterinarian and horse owner Dr. Douglas Allara inoculating 40 cats. We are happy to report that no cats objected to getting shots and none got loose in the office.

Horsemen and track management agreed to adding two races a day to make up for the lost races during the track renovations. The 12-race cards continue through November 13, 2004.

Weekends in September and October of 2004 will be offering a total of 19 stakes races, highlighted by the weekend of October 8 - 10. The West Virginia Breeders Classics XVIII will be held on October 9, featuring eight stakes races headed by the $250,000 BB&T “Cavada” for fillies and mares, three and up, going seven-eighths of a mile and the $300,000 West Virginia Breeders Classic XVIII for three-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles.

The 36th running of the $50,000 Tri-State Futurity is slated for October 23. The seven-eighths of a mile race is for two-year-olds bred in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Even though the day started off raining and windy, Owners Day 2004 (July 18) attracted a crowd of about 1,000 attendees. Our compliments go out to the entire food and beverage staff at PNGI Charles Town Races for making our day so special and preparing the delicious food, which was enjoyed by all.

The festivities began at 11:00 a.m. and continued as the races were run. Stakes winners were: Not for Sam - owner Diamond Oak Stable, trainer Amy Albright; Umpateedle - owner Michael Gill, trainer Mark Shuman; Ribbon Cane - owner Carey Miller, trainer Gary Capuano; and Cherokee’s Boy - owner ZWP Stable, Inc., trainer Gary Capuano.

The West Virginia Legislature concluded its regular session, with the exception of budgetary matters, on March 13. A number of bills were introduced into both the Senate and the House which related to gaming activities. However, of all the bills that were introduced, only two passed which are of any interest to the Charles Town HBPA.

The first of these is Senate Bill 197. Senate Bill 197 amends several different sections of the code, including Article 22A, which relates to race track video lottery. The only changes made in Article 22A are in Section (c) (A) and (B) by deleting the lead in language of those two subsections which relates to the effective date of those subsections of Article 22A. It also deletes subsection (c) (9), which dedicated one percent (1%) of the net terminal income to the Veterans Memorial construction project on the Capitol grounds. It further provides in subsections (9) (a) and (b) for the deletion of certain restrictions on the percentage from which the monies allocated there are to be taken and mandates the depositing of those particular sums of money. This Bill has no effect on the monies that are received either in the Purse Fund or the Thoroughbred Horse Development Fund.

The second Bill of interest to the Charles Town HBPA is House Bill 4523, about which we had many discussions this year and spent a lot of time lobbying for and working out compromises between the HBPAs at Charles Town and Mountaineer Park, the management of the two tracks, the various interested parties at the greyhound tracks, and the Thoroughbred breeders. As finally passed, this bill accomplished a number of different things:
1. It adds the obtaining of veterinary services which are documented by veterinary reports as an additional qualification for the thirty (30) day grace period for a horse to qualify as an Accredited Thoroughbred Horse.
2. It added the definition of regular purse to mean both regular purses and stakes purses. As you know, this was a concern of the West Virginia Racing Commission and has been addressed through this change in the legislation.
3. Authorizes each Thoroughbred racetrack licensee to enter into an agreement with its local Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, under which you can agree to a percentage of up to two percent (2%) of purses actually paid during the proceeding month to be paid to the HBPA, from the special fund required, for the medical trust for backstretch personnel and administrative fees. This also addresses a West Virginia Racing Commission concern.
4. It provides for a racing association to conduct up to 13 races a day, but further provides that if there are more than ten races in any performance, then the monies that are to be distributed from the Ten, Ten, and Ten monies are allocated in a total amount as if there were no more than ten races in any given performance.
5. It provides, for purposes of participating in the West Virginia Futurity, that all mares, starting with the breeding season of 2004, have to be bred back that year to an accredited West Virginia stallion which is registered with the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeder’s Association.
6. It provides that each pari-mutuel Thoroughbred horse track has to provide at least one restrictive race per day, provided that sufficient horses and funds are available.

That is the only legislative activity which occurred this year relating to gaming matters that pertain directly to the interests of the Charles Town HBPA. This bill was sent to the Governor on April 2. It becomes law pursuant to Article 7, Section 15 of the West Virginia Constitution in five days (excluding Sundays), if not signed or returned to the Secretary of State. As of this writing, the Governor has taken no action.

Obviously, a lot of work was done on a daily basis monitoring the progress of the bills; ascertaining to which committees the bills were referred; speaking to the Chairs of the different committees on what action the Chair was proposing on any given piece of legislation, assuming that any was planned; making sure that the Chair and other key members of each committee knew of the HBPA’s position on all gaming legislation which effected the interest of the Charles Town HBPA; and compiling periodic bill status reports.

Our election of officers took place on December 29, 2003. The Election Committee had a long and tiring day counting all the ballots. Many thanks to Chairman Sam Engle and committee members Ken Pitta, Enoch Price, and Maurice Rogers, as well as accountant Michael Camardi.

The results were as follows:

President: Ann Hilton

Owners: Cleil Albrite, Martha Close, Randy Funkhouser, Elaine Hagy, and Wayne Harrison; Alternates – Gene James, William J. Gilliam, and Don Dean. ITrainers/Owner-Trainers: Clay Brittle, Tim Grams, Eddie Householder, Jeff Runco, and David Walters; Alternates – Ronney Brown, Stephanie Beattie, and John Stahlin.

Mrs. Hilton took office on January 5, 2004. The office was busy with the transition, many calls of congratulations, and meetings being scheduled.

Our first Board of Directors meeting of the new board was held on January 19, 2004. There was much accomplished, including the appointment of various committees that will be needed.

Bad weather did not hinder our first general membership meeting from being well attended. A record 266 horsemen enjoyed a breakfast in the dining room of the Charles Town Races, followed by a business meeting.

New officers were introduced, and awards were given for outstanding achievement in 2003.

Leading jockey Anthony Mawing received a lively engraved clock. Jockeys Oscar Flores and Travis Dunkleburger were also given clocks.

Leading trainers Ronney Brown, Jeff Runco, and Bruce Kravets each received an award of recognition.

Charles Town HBPA Secretary Patti Evans was honored with an engraved plaque in appreciation of the work she does.

Business items discussed included some rule changes and positive directions for the Charles Town horsemen.

Guests in attendance were Dr. Bryan Mitchell from the West Virginia Racing Commission and Danny Wright, Bobby Lotts, and Izzie Trejo of the Charles Town Board of Stewards. Their support is always greatly appreciated by the horsemen in Charles Town.

The Charles Town Races & Slots is planning a $25 million expansion that includes an additional 1,000 parking spaces and room for as many as 600 more slot machines, track President Jim Buchanan said Wednesday. In a presentation to the West Virginia Racing Commission, first stop in the approvals process, Buchanan said the additional parking will nearly double the number of covered spaces at the Eastern Panhandle track to 2,500. The roughly 300,000-square-foot garage will remain the current height and expand laterally.

The track also plans to replace its maintenance building and water tower, and build new office space.

About 30,000 square feet of the new construction would be intended for gambling, though Buchanan could not say when the track might ask the Lottery Commission for approval to add those machines. The track currently has about 135,000 square feet of gambling space.

Charles Town, owned by Penn National Gaming Inc. of Wyomissing, Pa., completed a $54 million expansion last summer and now has 3,500 slot machines in place.

A bank of elevators in the new garage would open onto the Thoroughbred racing area rather than the slot machines, a concept that sat well with commissioner Bryan F. Mitchell.

"As long as racing is treated fairly, I've got no problems" with the proposed expansion, Mitchell said.

Buchanan said track officials are also nearly finished upgrading the second- floor areas above the off-track wagering center.

The expansion project will be funded by Penn National, and construction is projected to begin sometime this year. Track officials must now seek approvals from local planning agencies in Jefferson County.

Copyright © 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

The Charles Town HBPA would like to wish The Horsemen’s Journal<.i> a happy 50th anniversary of production. We also would like to let you know that the Charles Town Races celebrated its 70th Anniversary on November 2, 2003.

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays – from the Best Little Horse House in the Country!

Charles Town Races has again asked for and received dates for year-round racing, January 1 through December 31, 2004.

On October 2, the Jefferson County Health Department set up in the HBPA office and gave 94 backstretch personnel, owners and trainers flu shots. Now there will not be any grooms, etc. taking off this winter due to having flu – right!

Our Congratulations to all the Breeders Classics winners:

Petes Hick Chick – two-year-olds, fillies, 4-1/2 furlongs, $75,000
Earth Power – three-year-olds and up, colts and geldings, 4 1/2-furlongs, $75,000
Ketch a Hello – three-year-olds, fillies, seven furlongs, $75,000
Tori’s Thunder – three-year-olds and up, colts and geldings, seven furlongs, $75,000
Longfield Spud – three-year-olds, colts and geldings, seven furlongs, $75,000
Take the Plunge – two-year-olds, colts and geldings, 6 1/2-furlongs, $75,000
Sweet Annuity – three-year-olds and up, fillies and mares, seven furlongs, $150,000
Cape Power – three-year-olds and up, colts and geldings, 1-1/8 miles, $250,000

Earth Power is the third West Virginia Classic winner out of the outstanding mare Ani Ashby!

By Jeff Gilleas

Friday night, October 10th, horsemen and fans were treated to what conceivably was the finest night of racing this year. The local HBPA sponsored three stakes races on the card, each worth $50,000 added. The Governor’s Cup, City of Ranson, and City of Charles Town Stakes highlighted the evening’s festivities, proving that politics and horse racing can make a good combination.

The fourth race was the 4-1/2 furlong Governor’s Cup Stakes. Favoritism vacillated between the extremely quick Baby Shark and this year’s Charles Town Dash winner, Sea of Green. Baby Shark, coming off two scintillating performances at Calder and Mountaineer Park, had the early lead when he broke down going into the far turn. Jockey Travis Dunkelburger fell heavily to the track, sustaining injuries that would keep him out of action for four to six weeks. Sea of Green took advantage of the tragic occurrence by racing wide and closing resolutely in the middle of the track to take down top honors. Nilo Perez, who was aboard Sea of Green in his July 4th “Dash” win, again was victorious for owner-trainer Janis Gerace. The winner returned his supporters a very handsome $10.60 payoff.

The distraught connections of Baby Shark can take some solace in the fans’ appreciation of their speedy champion. The powerfully-built gelding always put on a show and never left his admirers feeling cheated. Plans are already in the works by HBPA President Dick Watson to honor Baby Shark by naming a stakes race in his memory next year.

In race six on Friday night, Donald’s Pride validated that he may be the best West Virginia-bred in training. The Patty Burns trainee crushed a solid group of older runners, winning the HBPA City of Ranson Stakes. The $50,000 feature race at seven furlongs included Boston Common, winner of $403,000, and Native Heir, who had amassed $534,000.

Donald’s Pride was not eligible for the October 11th Breeders Classic due to a nomination oversight. He has now won three consecutive stakes races, something none of his fellow West Virginia counterparts have duplicated this year.

Donald’s Pride’s owners had given some consideration to running him in the Maryland Million but stayed at home and were obviously rewarded for their decision. Ridden by leading rider Anthony Mawing, the three-year-old by Deputed Testimony gives all indications that the future is extremely bright. Donald’s Pride may have thought that HBPA stands for “home base provides accuracy.”

The seventh race on the program was arguably the most contentious of the night. Fillies and mares met to do battle in the City of Charles Town Stakes at 1-1/8 miles, with six out of the ten contestants possessing earnings in excess of $100,000. Competing over a surface that had not been particularly kind to frontrunners, Carey Miller’s Ribbon Cane made every pole a winning one under apprentice Richard Monterrey. Making her Charles Town debut in style, the daughter of Allen’s Prospect, trained by Gary Capuano, now has quite an impressive resume of six wins in ten starts. Such notables as Nasty Sabrina, Lets Just Do It, Pass the Virtue, Twinwinwin and Who’s Ya Mama were all left in the four-year-old’s wake. Ribbon Cane paid $6.20 to win and combined with second place Judge’s Appeal for a nifty $139.60 exacta.

The large crowd in attendance surpassed last year’s handle, and horsemen were treated to an enjoyable evening complements of their HBPA. Horse racing struggles for media attention, and incorporating the local governments into this night of racing has been a great vehicle for success.

Charles Town HBPA President Dick Watson was honored to have been the only horseman asked to speak at the World Gaming Conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September. There were 22,000 attendees, and Dick spoke on his interpretation of Racinos and what they have done to racing here at Charles Town.

With Charles Town management sitting in the audience, Dick stated that they needed hoofprints from the parking garage to the horse racing side. Other than that, PNGI has kept the Charles Town horsemen in business and followed through with most of its commitments.

Dick stated that we have one of the best working relationships with management around. It was a very positive speech, and we here at Charles Town should appreciate the respect that Dick receives from all horse entities in regards to the Charles Town Races.

By Janene Watson – Executive Director

Issue number one is our Charles Town HBPA election. Hopefully, it will be over by the time you receive this update.

We have done many positive things for both the horsemen and track over the last few years. Probably the most important was the saving of the West Virginia Racing Commission. Yes, it took two full months with Dick and Cem Martin, our counsel and lobbyist, making a dozen or more trips to Charleston, but it was worth it to know that we had saved live racing by not having racing put under the Gaming Commission.

I am proud to announce that the Backside Pension Fund that Dick legislated, along with Chuck and Lora Bailey, for both Charles Town and Mountaineer, has $1,500,000 each to date in the account and should come to fruition in 2004. We have hired professional people to set up our pension plan.

We originated both the Owners’ Day and HBPA Night programs and plan to establish more of these special days in the future. I don’t know how we can improve on the 2003 Owners Day, highlighted by NTRA Purchasing giving away five John Deere riding lawnmowers, but we will try to come up with something special for 2004.

Issue number two is that we are currently trying to card an 11th race to facilitate a place to run for the 2,000 horses we have stabled here in Charles Town.

Issue number three is that our contract between the Charles Town HBPA and PNGI Charles Town Races came due on September 30, and we extended it by mutual agreement until December 31, 2003. PNGI has eliminated or changed many of the requirements needed to facilitate a good working relationship. The contract we have had in place for the last six years only needed to be rolled over since we had no disagreements with management that required execution of the contract.

Now PNGI Charles Town Races has eliminated the Shenandoah track and barns from the contract. We have 500 horses stabled at Shenandoah today. These 500 horses presently train at Shenandoah and race across the street at Charles Town.

We have plans for a new seven-furlong track, with a six-furlong turf track, to facilitate the training of our 2,000 horses that we have stabled here today. We are presently waiting to receive the actual figures from the engineers as to amount of downtime if only the six furlong track that we have today is completely renovated with the required new base, lighting, banking, irrigation, etc.

We will have no downtime if we build the seven-furlong track with six-furlong turf course because we will race across the street at the Shenandoah track. We are waiting for the engineer’s actual written figures as to the length of time and cost to build. When we receive these figures, we will send all of our Charles Town HBPA members a package of information and a card for you to return with your choice of options.

Note: There would be no new barns built if we keep the six-furlong track because 2,000 horses would not be able to train on that size track.

Note: The 500 horses presently stabled and training at Shenandoah today will have to be integrated into the Charles Town barn area. Charles Town presently has less than 1,200 stalls.

Note: We will not have enough stalls to fill our year-round racing if we do not build the seven-furlong track. This will force us to fill our races with shippers!

Think before you vote!

Charles Town’s fourth annual Owner’s Day celebration, held on July 20, was a mid-summer festival fit for a king and all of the king’s horses. The remarkably replete race day encompassed a 10-contest card totaling $270,000 in purses, four $40,000-added stakes events, a multitude of giveaways that included five John Deere riding lawnmowers, a fabulous feast for the owners, and a most marvelous afternoon of racing and rejoicing in the Mountain State.

Jackyscraftychance enhanced his reputation with a robust finish to record a well-timed three-quarters of a length triumph in the HBPA Jefferson County Stakes. The Kentucky-bred, owned by First Chance Stables, Inc. (M. L. Rife, et al) and trained by venerable veteran Gerald “Barney” Bast, ran past a determined Turbotaxman and a streaking Catlett Comet in late stretch.

“I wasn’t too sure that we were going to make it until we got inside the sixteenth pole,” Bast said. “That’s when I knew we were a winner. I had been looking forward to this day, and I can hardly tell you how happy I am to win this race. With the kind of runners these races draw and all the extra excitement, Owner’s Day here is a special event not to miss.”

Jackyscraftychance, ridden by Anthony Mawing, covered the one and one-eighth mile event for 3-year-olds and upward in 1:54 4/5. It was the third victory in a row for the son of Prospect Bay and the fifth of his career. The crackerjack performance improved the 4-year-old’s lifetime earnings to $104,785.

“Barney did his job to perfection, and that made my job a lot easier,” Mawing said. “I had never ridden the horse before, but Barney told me everything to look for and what to expect from him. We talked about all of the speed in the race and how things would likely develop. And when I had a ton of horse left at the quarter pole, I knew things were going great. Once we changed leads, everything else fell into place.”

Wise Sweep wisely slipped through along the rail and swept past a wall of horses. Then the son of End Sweep, with Al Jawny up, opened up on the field for a five and three-quarters length conquest in the HBPA Opequon Stakes. The 7-year-old gelding, owned and trained by Amy Albright, covered the four and a half furlongs in :51 2/5 while extending his winning streak to five races. The Florida-bred has 15 career victories and has amassed earnings of $338,801. In the event for 3-year-olds and up, Wise Sweep and the third place finisher Rocaco ran as an entry.

“We let Al (Jawny) pick his mount, and he turned out to be right,” Albright said. “I thought Rocaco would run a big race, but Wise Sweep crushed him. I’m certainly not complaining, because you have to be happy with a first and a third in any race. While I hoped to run one-two, being first and third in a stakes race still makes it pretty easy to smile.”

Shesanothergrump got over a case of seconditis with a runaway win in the HBPA West Virginia Oaks. Following three straight near misses, the 4-year-old filly found fifth gear to distance the field of fillies and mares by more than five lengths. Owned by Kenneth Pitta and trained by Karen Duke, Shesanothergrump added another stakes score to Mawing’s race-day resume.

“This looked to be an extremely tough field, but she ran her race and that proved to be much the best,” Mawing said. “When you move to the front on this horse, she will kind of wait for some company if you let her. You have to make a big move and keep going with it. That’s what happened in this race. Before she knew it, we were in front by a lot.”

The West Virginia-bred ran the seven-furlong distance in 1:28 1/5 for career win number six. The 4-year-old daughter of Weshaam raised her lifetime earnings to $158,197.

“She’s a nice filly that really likes to come from out of it,” Duke said. “Our future plans for her center around looking forward to the (West Virginia Breeders) Classics.”

The West Virginia Breeders Association’s champion 3-year-old filly of 2002, Sheasnothergrump won last year’s $75,000 West Virginia Division of Tourism Breeders Classic going away.

In the Almost Heaven Stakes, French Republic proved to have her affairs in order when she shot to the front and never relinquished her advantage during a wonderful winning declaration for owner and trainer Clay Brittle. The 4-year-old daughter of Mutakddim upset a field of fleet footed fillies and mares that included post favorite Double Talkin (15 career wins). The victorious front-running Kentucky-bred, with Vince Cline in the irons, returned $27.80 to win, while covering the four and a half furlongs in :52 4/5.

“We weren’t the favorite, but I knew what kind of horse I had under me, and that gave me more confidence than any numbers on a toteboard could,” Cline said. “The whole key to the race was keeping her from getting too nervous. Keeping her calm and getting a good break was essential. Against a field of horses like these, you can’t spot anybody anything.”

French Republic was the third stakes winner of the day to continue a winning streak (two in a row).

“Our plan was to get in front and make them catch us,” Brittle said. “And I knew getting the lead wasn’t something I needed to worry about. This horse has speed to burn; that’s why I bought her.”

The fleet-footed filly was purchased from an aptly named establishment, Burning Tree Farm in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Throughout this momentous occasion in the Mountain State, trophies and plaques were awarded to all the winning connections after every race.

The remaining winners and recipients were as follows: Advancewithcaution’s owner James Doody, trainer Marshall Campbell and rider Carlos Castro; Supernatural Storm’s owner Winfred Hess, trainer Ernest Haynes and Carlos Garcia aboard; Glides Emigrant’s owners K. L. & L. W. Anderson, trainer James Starkey and reinsman Richard Cornwell; Graceful Devil’s owner Thomas Terry, trainer Jeff Runco and apprentice jockey Luis Garcia; Power Power’s owner and trainer Alfred Scott and jockey Gary Richards; and Willing Consort’s owners B. T. Frazee & E. F. Willis, conditioner Ronald Ahalt and Jesus Sanchez in the saddle.

Earl Lucas also realized a victorious ride on Owner’s Day, but he’s not a member of the jockey colony. While all of the other John Deere winners (Charles Boyer, John Casey, John Blackford, Steve Holiskey and Cindi McCraken) were elated, Lucas was truly moved the most by the experience as he drove his mower home immediately. A smiling Lucas and his peachy prize delivered a perfect performance during their impromptu parade to neighboring Peach Street. The NTRA and the HBPA collaborated on the vast array of promotional prizes.

As always, family, friends, the finest food, fun and good fortune were at the forefront of the event established to reward Charles Town’s Thoroughbred owners for their dedication to the sport. The best festival and feast in the east, founded by HBPA President Dick Watson, has become a model for the industry.

“Owners are the most unsung heroes in our sport today,” Watson said. “Week after week after week, they pay the bills that help keep everyone else in business.”

The aggregate efforts of the Charles Town Races and the HBPA resulted in a day of racing, rejoicing and recreation second to none. The four stakes, along with one of the highest priced sets of allowance and claiming contests ever embraced at the historic Jefferson County oval, resulted in the highest on-track handle of any Sunday this year.

With the stage set for stars, a multitude of smiling faces signaled the event’s shining success.

The last six years have seen the “Gem of the Blue Ridge” grow and prosper like never before. The number of owners registered with the Charles Town HBPA has increased from 1,200 to almost 3,000. The purses have increased from $40,000 to over $135,000. The number of race days has increased from 159 in 1997 to 254 in 2002. The July and August condition books each contain a five percent (5%) purse increase. A substantial purse underpayment promises more increases to come.

The Charles Town HBPA benevolence limits have been increased to: vision - $600, prescriptions - $500, dental - $1,000, and total medical - $5,000 per eligible owner/trainer, including spouse-family-employees.

When I was elected president in 1997, the Charles Town HBPA did not have ANY assets and was $50,000 in debt. Today, I am proud to say the Charles Town HBPA does not owe ANYBODY, and we have well over $1,000,000 in assets.

Our relationship with PNGI/Charles Town Races is so good we are negotiating to see if we can find a way to enlarge the racetrack without suffering ANY DOWN TIME.

Being the president of the Charles Town HBPA makes me an easy target for my detractors. I am a man who sees issues as black or white. Love me or hate me, I come to work every day with the best interest of all the horsemen in mind. The future of racing in Jefferson County, West Virginia, is my paramount concern. There are thousands of horsemen who want their respective piece of the pie, and balancing their issues and desires is a never-ending task, but one I enjoy.

Dick

A long-awaited proposal for the expansion of the racing surface at Charles Town Races & Slots in West Virginia will be circulated to horsemen, some of which have expressed concerns over the plan.

After more than a year of discussion, Penn National Gaming Inc., which owns the track, and the Charles Town Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association reached an agreement on how to proceed with the expansion. The six-furlong racing surface would be expanded to seven furlongs, and live racing moved across the street to dormant Shenandoah Downs, which now serves as a training center.

Some members of the HBPA are concerned about the relocation plan, expansion of the surface, and the cost. A seven-furlong track with more forgiving turns could lure more out-of-town stock to Charles Town.

Charles Town HBPA president Dick Watson said the total project would cost $7.6 million, which PNGI and the HBPA would split 50-50. The HBPA agreed to pick up the cost--about $1 million--of getting Shenandoah ready for limited racing in the spring of 2004.

(Through mid-August, the purse account at Charles Town, which has gaming machines that return revenue to racing, had a $6.8 million underpayment. Purses have been raised twice so far this year.)

Shenandoah has a five-furlong track that has been used for training since the last live meet was held there in 1978. Because the grandstand is in a state of disrepair, temporary facilities for officials would have to be constructed. The public would not be allowed access but would instead view the races via television at neighboring Charles Town.

Because racing would be held in the afternoon rather than in the evening, it is believed simulcasting revenue would suffer. Proponents argue any losses would be more than compensated for when Charles Town reopens with a bigger racing surface.

PNGI wants to develop the Shenandoah property but has a deal with horsemen to provide for stabling when the Shenandoah barns are no longer in use. Watson said a bigger track is needed to alleviate training-hour pressures at Charles Town.

"The way it is now, you shut your eyes and hope nothing happens," Watson said. "If you added another 600 horses (from Shenandoah), it would be absolute chaos."

An informational packet containing details of the proposed expansion will be made available to all Charles Town HBPA members, some of whom believe repair of the base of the racing surface and an upgrade of drainage systems would suffice.

Copyright © 2003 The Blood-Horse, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Thanks to Patti, our secretary, and Connie from Spay Today, and the Charles Town HBPA for financing this much needed Barn Project. Our first sign-up day had 79 applicants, and we will try to have all surgeries done within 30 days.

Many thanks to all Charles Town horsemen, owners, trainers, grooms, agents, jockeys, platers and Valley Vet for your generous contributions to the Community Ministries project. We collected 332 items, which included canned goods, soups, peanut butter, jam, toiletries, etc. Special thanks to our Charles Town HBPA Secretary Patti Evans for coordinating this project.

John Stahlin has been searching for a super horse for some time. But even if the veteran owner and trainer never secures that sacred specimen of speed, he will have utterly enjoyed a lifetime of looking.

“By the age of nine, I was in love with the allure and mystery of racing,” Stalin explained. “That’s still how I get my kicks.”

The New York native’s introduction to the sport did not come in the normal fashion. Instead of viewing the four-legged creatures in the flesh or on television, the 9-year-old became fascinated by the numerical facts and figures he found in his father’s newspapers.

“I followed horse racing from the World Telegram in the morning and the New York Times in the evening,” Stahlin said. “I would make my selections and check out the results. During the summer I was nine, there was a three-month period where I was regularly picking five and six winners on eight-race cards. I was on the kind of roll where you could have gotten rich had you been betting, but I was just a kid having fun.

“I was a nut about horse racing then, and I have been lucky enough not to outgrow that feeling yet.”

Stahlin was just a teenager when he ventured to the sales in Saratoga and bought his first Thoroughbred, which he named Crobeau. As a talented 2-year-old in 1969, the son of Crozier won such stakes as the Marlboro Nursery.

“The winner’s share of that purse was nearly $12,000 ($11,925),” Stahlin said. “Back then, a lot of people didn’t make that kind of money in a year. I was really hooked on racing for sure after that race.”

The career winner of 11 races was rated one of the top juvenile runners on the East Coast, and in 1970, he was a prospective starter in the Kentucky Derby. But just before that “Run For the Roses,” his date with destiny would be dashed.

“He bled bad and had to be scratched ten days before the big race,” Stahlin said. “It was the kind of disappointment that could last a lifetime, but I didn’t know enough about racing or the real world then to take it as hard as I might have later on.

“I find it kind of odd that the first horse I ever owned is also the best horse I have ever owned. But, of course, that’s always subject to change. I have been lucky enough to have some very good horses like Santo Domingo (eight wins from 15 starts) and Torch the Halls, but I would love to have another horse that had half as much potential as Grobeau had. And you can bet I’m always looking for that history-making horse. Who knows, if I stay at this long enough, another big horse might just find me.”

While Stahlin has not saddled any more speedsters like Grobeau, he has seen solid success in five different decades. A list of his most recent winners at Charles Town would include Waltzing Home, No Shades, Master Executive, Sir Whinesalot, Senate Caucus, Jealous Mistress, Plantation Girl and Afternoon Tea.

“With the draw of purse money, the quality of horses at Charles Town continues on the upswing,” Stahlin said. “And the claiming game has definitely been a part of my plans here. There’s so much to keep up with, when a horse sticks out to you, there must be a good reason you remembered it.

“I claimed Afternoon Tea because she beat a nice filly I had back when they were 2-year-olds,” Stahlin said. “My filly was in front of the rest of the field (maiden special weight) by seven lengths, but Afternoon Tea was another 14 lengths in front of us. I think I will always remember and want a horse that has kicked my butt by that much.

Stahlin currently has 17 horses in training.

“The basic lunacy of wanting to race horses as a way of life can be pretty hard for some people to understand,” Stahlin said. “But I know this is the only way of life that seems normal to me.”

The California college grad did take a brief break from the world of racing in 1996.

“Racing was at a low ebb at Charles Town, and I put on a suit and tie and tried to be happy as an editor,” Stahlin said.

That was a longshot that wasn’t coming in, as Stahlin didn’t stand a chance of being halfway happy without the help of horses.

“The kid in me came back to the track,” Stahlin said. “It felt so good to be back in the business, I didn’t even miss not having days off again.

“I don’t know how much a big horse would mean to me now, but I would like to find out. And while I’m waiting for my record breaker, it’s good to know racing can have its rewards at all levels.”

I just received your letter, and now I know the answer to the question I asked on why the racetracks did not try to support the West Virginia Racing Commission. For those horsemen that received Mr. Buchanan’s letter, I want to clarify a couple of things. I appreciated Jim putting a copy of my article in the letters he sent. Where were there any threats to the racetrack? My article was meant to explain to all Charles Town horsemen what legislated rules pertain to simulcasts and live racing. My article was FACTUAL!

Jim stated that Richard Orbann, the general manager of racing for Penn, said he would love to have Charles Town run at Penn. WRONG! Dickie Moore, the general manager of racing at Charles Town Races, and Dick Watson, our HBPA President, called Mr. Orbann from Dickie Moore’s office, and he said NO. Right, Dickie!

Jim, you also said that Peter Carlino, CEO and Chairman of Penn National Gaming, said we couldn’t race at Shenandoah while we are building our new track. WRONG! You must have left the meeting that we had with Peter in early October where, as I quoted, Peter said that we could run down Flowing Springs Road if we can work it out. Ask Mr Carlino!

Your comment about nobody wanting to watch simulcasting … WRONG! In fact, 88% of racing revenue comes from simulcasting nationwide. And did you forget whose idea it was to have jumbotrons on the apron? It was your own idea!

Jim, I am sorry that you had to go to this means to let everybody know you apparently don’t want the West Virginia Racing Commission or the HBPA. Both organizations have been legislated to support the horsemen and ensure live racing so you can run your gaming machines.

Jim, remember that from this side, there is no adversarial relationship between PNGI and the HBPA. And as you said to the Chamber of Commerce, we have the best working relationship between track and horsemen around and, with the help of Peter Carlino and the West Virginia Racing Commission, along with the Charles Town HBPA, we will continue to work together to have “The Best Little Horse House in the Country.”

Janene Watson
Executive Director

I want to follow up on the spring issue article on our 2003 legislation. West Virginia Governor Bob Wise drafted a bill to incorporate the West Virginia Racing Commission (WVRC) and the West Virginia Lottery into a Gaming Commission. This reorganization would have been devastating to live horse and dog racing in West Virginia.

Well, to make a long story short, we won the battle, but probably not the war. We expect it to raise its ugly head again - as long as Wise is in office.

Remember, Wise was the governor in 2001 that legislated taxation that took 6% of our 14% of the video lottery money, while he only took 5% of the racetracks’ 47%. He did not tax any of the rest of the recipients of the video lottery money. This has cost the Charles Town horsemen $2.3 million in 2002 and already $2.8 million in 11 weeks of 2003 in purse money. We will have a projected loss of $5 million in 2003 (if Wise would give us back the $8 million he took over the last two years, we could pay for our own new racetrack that is so urgently needed).

Note: Governor Wise comes up for re-election in 2004.

The 2003 legislation was a solid two-month fight to keep from losing the Racing Commission’s authority. First, they took out pari-mutuel and put it under gaming. They wrote the bill to place Musgrave, the Lottery Director, as the new director of a Gaming Commission. They had the Racing Commission under the authority of the Gaming Commission. Dick Watson, our HBPA president, and “CEM” Martin, our joint lobbyist with the Mountaineer HBPA, finally convinced Brian Kastick, the West Virginia Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Tax and Revenue, that pari-mutuel IS horse and dog racing. Brian Kastick tried to change the bill to put pari-mutuel back under the WVRC.

Chuck and Lora Bailey, the Mountaineer HBPA president and executive secretary, along with Cem and Dick, made several trips to Charleston. In fact, Cem lived at Charleston for the duration of legislation.

Dick came home from Charleston one night about at 9:30 p.m. with a big smile on his face, thinking they had it squashed, and I told him to call Cem. Dick was back in Charleston the next morning.

The next iteration of the bill took the handling of audit, security and finances away from the West Virginia Racing Commission. Of course, both HBPAs came down strong against this. We can’t have horse and dog racing without the WVRC having control of security, money and finances. The WVRC has to have the authority to make rules, hold hearings, set fines, etc., and be the final authority of all licensing of racetracks, employees, etc. The WVRC has the authority to maintain a cohesive working environment between racetrack management, horse and dog owners and trainers, etc.

What kind of facilities would we have without the Racing Commission overseeing horse and dog racing? You know and I know that with the Lottery (Gaming Commission) in charge, it would only be a matter of time before racing would be a thing of the past.

In my view, there is no legitimate reason to put the WVRC under Gaming. It is my understanding that the state has a big, unoccupied building in Hurricane, West Virginia, where it wanted to move the new Gaming Commission (secretaries, etc.). I feel that they can make this move by leaving the WVRC in control with all powers.

I guess the Governor doesn’t realize that the state wouldn’t have all that video lottery money if the horses don’t run.

PS - There was NO racetrack support to maintain the authority of the WVRC - I wonder WHY!

What do Sylvia Bishop, Barbara Jo Rubin and Kathy Sullivan have in common?
(a) They are leading ladies in their respective fields.
(b) They all add new meaning to the phrase first lady.
(c) They each took a path less traveled in life.
(d) Their career accomplishments and contributions could be called “out of this world.”
(e) They could have been naturals for nicknames.
(f) They took their gender’s first steps through uncharted courses, creating new horizons for all.
(g) All the above.

Having an answer right away is not important, but these ladies sure are.

Sylvia Bishop, our country’s first female trainer of color, made the most of her rounds at Charles Town Races for more than 60 years. The courageous pioneer earned success throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. And there’s no mistaking the legacy she left for the ladies – today’s non-stop celebration by women conditioners in the winner’s circle.

“When I began training back in 1938, men were definitely shocked and surprised to see me,” Bishop said. “The fact that I was a woman, and on top of that a black woman, was almost too much for some of the fellows. But I loved horses and horse racing far too much to let my dream go. I knew from the beginning I would have to take the bitter with the sweet.”

People’s reaction to Bishop at Charles Town and tracks in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio and elsewhere was not the only thing that took some getting used to.

“Back in the late 1930s and 1940s, it could really get cold during winter racing at Charles Town,” Bishop said. “The grandstand had some barrels for burning wood, but that was about it. It was a demanding job just dealing with the elements, but I loved what I was doing.

“I had to retire five years ago (at age 78) because of my arthritis, and not a day goes by that I don’t miss it.”

The major triumphs in the sporting world of 1969 were not accomplished by your average Joe, either. In January of 1969, Joe Namath helped change the face of professional football when he guided the 17 point underdog New York Jets to victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. That event remains one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports, but another Jo had an even bigger impact on her sport that same year and beat even bigger odds to do it.

When jockey Barbara Jo Rubin guided home the winner of Charles Town’s ninth race on February 22, 1969, the future of Thoroughbred racing was changed forever. As the first female rider to win a pari-mutuel race, Rubin’s racy result rated national headlines, as well as international exposure.

“I had been waiting a long time for that barrier to be broken,” Bishop said. “The importance of that race was really big then, but as the days went by, it became even bigger. Soon there were more women everywhere. It was certainly an exciting time to be a woman at the track.”

Namath and Rubin jolted their individual sports and the world with joyous victories in 1969. But while Broadway Joe was born for the big lights, Barbara Jo could have done without the added attention.

“There was a lot of press, a lot of TV interviews and a lot of radio interviews that I had to attend,” the 19-year-old Rubin said at the time. “They wouldn’t let me just be a regular jock, like one of the guys.”

Rubin’s defining win did bring a media frenzy and a multitude of well-wishers, but her road to the races was marked by outrage and repression. The concept or notion that females could or should be jockeys was not a widely accepted belief at that time. There was even the threat of a boycott by the jockeys if track management ever allowed a female to mount up for a race. Such sentiment was universal throughout racing in North America. Rubin’s trailblazing ride was a triumph over the ugly odds of discrimination.

As you may know, Kathy Sullivan, the first woman to walk in space (October 11, 1984), did not have anything to do with Charles Town. But who is to say Charles Town did not have anything to do with her ultimate opportunity and conquest.

Every barrier broken lends support and strength for the next challenge. Had women not already proven themselves in such demanding athletic endeavors as Thoroughbred racing, mankind might have harbored the mistaken belief that a space walk would be too physically taxing for a member of the “weaker sex.”

Yes, before Sullivan could slip the surly bonds of earth and reach for the stars, there had to be many other courageous steps taken by womankind. Some of those very special strides were made by extraordinary individuals at Charles Town and, as a result of their brave journeys, the realm of human experience has been improved and expanded for all.

The fact that these leading ladies are not as well known nationally as, say, Broadway Joe, could have a little something to do with the magic of monikers (example - the Triple Crown took on far greater importance after it was named).

And now, for amusement only, a gamy gamut of names for your approval: Bishop could have pulled a chess-like changeup to become the “Queen of the Sport of Kings.” Rubin’s recognition should have surely risen with the stage name Sally Rider; someone might have even written a song for her (“Ride Sally Ride”). And Sullivan’s high stepping would certainly come to mind with the title Sky Walker. But with or without catchy names, you’ve all come a long way baby. Thanks!

The five-year-old Confucius Say was selected as a unanimous choice for Charles Town Horse of the Year again in 2002. His season included a victory in the $250,000 West Virginia Breeders Classics at 1 1/8 miles, which brought his lifetime earnings to $527,897. Confucius Say is by Eastover Court out of the impeccably bred mare Mo Chun. He is owned by O’Sullivan Farms (Ruth Funkhouser and son, Randy) and is trained by George Yetsook.

Although lightly raced in 2003, Confucious Say was meticulously placed. He earned $243,540 in 2002, including five wins, two seconds and a third from eight starts.

Confucius Say was honored on Presidents’ Day, February 17, 2003, by handing out tote bags in his honor and parading him between races for all of his fans to see.

We congratulate you and look forward to your continuing success in 2003.

Our West Virginia governor, Bob Wise, legislated a taxation in 2001 and taxed us 6% of our 14% of the Video Lottery money, while he only took 5% of the racetrack’s 47%. He did not tax any of the rest of the recipients of the Video Lottery money. This has cost the horsemen $2.3 million in potential purse money.

Now in 2003, we are fighting to save the West Virginia Racing Commission. Governor Wise drafted a bill that is in both the House and the Senate at this time to incorporate the West Virginia Racing Commission into a Gaming Commission under the direction of the West Virginia Lottery. To quote the Mountaineer HBPA, “Any commission whose primary interest is gaming ‘video lottery’ will have little or no interest in racing. The operating corporations have vast influence with the Lottery Commission and would be glad to see racing days substantially reduced or eliminated. (Example) Under 29-22A-10c of the Grey Machine legislation passed in 2001, four cents of every dollar in recoupement was to be spent on capital improvements and upgrades in the barn area or other areas at the track approved by the HBPA. The (Mountaineer) HBPA requested its share of $69,000.00 to be used to fund a medical clinic for backside horsemen. Management informed us (Mountaineer HBPA) that they already had used our share for other projects not approved by the HBPA. We were informed that the Lottery Commission had interpreted the law to give management that right.”

This reorganization would be a first for the horse and dog racing (pari-mutuel) industry. This would be devastating to live racing. Just say no!

Have you heard the facts, the reasons, and the dreams? Charles Town opened in 1933. It has gone from a five-furlong track that is now stretched out to six furlongs. It is 60 feet wide with hairpin turns. Across the street is the old Shenandoah Downs racetrack that is five furlongs and 80 feet wide and has been closed since 1977. Shenandoah is now our training track, with about 500 horses stabled there. A pool area off grounds, with about 250 horses, is situated so they can use both tracks.

Herein lies the major problem. Penn National feels that the Shenandoah property is too valuable to house and train racehorses.

There had always been an attachment to the Charles Town license, which stated that Shenandoah must be maintained for our horses until appropriate stabling and training facilities were made available for the horses stabled there. When Penn National bought the Charles Town track properties from Wagner and Associates, this attachment was eliminated. Randy Funkhouser, the president of the HBPA, and Dick Watson, a director of the board at that time who is now our HBPA president, spent hours and hours writing a new horsemen’s contract. The Charles Town contract is probably one of the best contracts consummated between a racetrack and its horsemen. Knowing that the Shenandoah protection had been eliminated, they included the wording in our horsemen’s contract at that time. So our contract now states that Shenandoah must be maintained for the horses stabled there until appropriate stabling and training facilities are made available.

Penn National asked for Shenandoah back and drug its feet on renewing the horsemen’s contract until the very last minute (note: the horsemen’s contract must be signed before Penn National receives its racing license for the year).

Penn National offered to extend the Charles Town track from six to six-and-a-half furlongs, bank the turns, but only make the track 70 feet wide, with the radius of the turns being the same hairpin turns. They stated we would be shut down from two to four months.

Our HBPA President, Dick Watson, put out a memo that he would try to find an alternative for any down time. He proceeded by talking to Penn National about Charles Town racing at Penn National on Mondays and Tuesdays (its dark days) during our down time. Penn National, on the corporate level, met this with disapproval. Dick then talked to Colonial Downs in Virginia; they appeared to be very receptive. We invited them up to dinner in the clubhouse to discuss it. They then wanted a five-year commitment which, of course, was out of the question.

Then, the light bulb went off, and the answer to our down time was right in our own backyard. We can train and race at Shenandoah Downs. We will have to fix the inside rail, the outside fence, bring in some portable trailers for jockeys, officials, etc. We would need to rent portable lights, portapots, etc., and then simulcast the races back to Charles Town. We will set up a couple of jumbo screens, and the fans and customers can watch and wager in comfort. Where there is a will, there is a way, and that means no down time!

Our HBPA Board of Directors hired a professional engineer to draw up our own plans. The plan that your Board of Directors unanimously endorses is for a seven-furlong track, 80 feet wide, with a six-furlong turf track in the infield. Members of our board met with Peter Carlino, CEO of Penn National, and presented our plan to him. We discussed all parameters of the new track. We got a commitment from Peter to build enough new barns to house the horses; we eventually got him to say we could run down Flowing Springs Road if we thought we could do it (so the racing at Shenandoah Downs is okay if we can accomplish everything). Now to the final acceptance to our seven-furlong track, Peter Carlino said okay if we could come up with the additional financing. We agreed during this meeting to work together (both track management, Penn National, horsemen and legislators) to find funding for the additional money needed for the seven-furlong track.

We have had several meetings with legislators and are presently pursuing every available avenue for funding.

Note: An individual wrote to Peter Carlino and did not want any changes made to the Charles Town track. That individual did not realize that Penn National was taking Shenandoah Downs in exchange for re-doing the Charles Town track.

The West Virginia Breeders Association also wrote to Peter Carlino and did not want any changes made to the Charles Town track. They also sent letters to their members saying they did not want any changes made to the Charles Town track. Additionally, they made a totally inaccurate statement in that letter that needs to be corrected: “Once the track is closed for alterations, according to the law, it does not have to be reopened for live racing.”

Note: The video lottery machines can only operate on days that have live racing or on days of simulcast racing. Dick Watson, your elected HBPA president, as the representative of the majority of horsemen racing at Charles Town, receives, reads, dissects and signs off on all simulcast signals, both import and export, on a monthly basis. The West Virginia Racing Commission will not let Charles Town simulcast without Dick’s approval. So as long as Dick is your HBPA president, they will not operate the machines without live racing or simulcasts. This is our ace in the hole!

You horsemen that are racing at Charles Town in 2003 know that we lost six days in January due to weather conditions. These conditions were sometimes just rain, as the cancellations in September, December, etc of 2002. We need a whole new base on our Charles Town track and a complete new drainage system. We need to upgrade our lighting system to make our export a first class signal. We need a wider radius and more banking of our turns to make racing safer for our horses. We need at least an 80-foot track to afford 2,000 horses to be able to train in a safe environment.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at the Charles Town HBPA office at (304) 725-1535 or cthbpa@intrepid.net. We need your support!