by Tim Nichols

Beulah Park and River Downs in Ohio may not offer live Thoroughbred racing in 2009.

The two tracks, in Grove City and Cincinnati, respectively, typically combine to run more than 200 live Thoroughbred racing dates each season.

River Downs has applied to the Ohio Racing Commission for 14 days of Quarter Horse racing while Beulah Park has applied for 28 days of Quarter Horse racing. Ohio horsemen suspect the applications eventually will be amended to add Thoroughbred dates.

Beulah made a request for two days of Thoroughbred racing, but track general manager Michael Weiss said that move was made to fulfill an Ohio law that will keep its simulcast operation open.

Currently, wagering on races at River Downs and Beulah Park are not offered by major advance-deposit-wagering providers TVG, HRTV, TwinSpires.com, and Youbet.com because horsemen have not approved the track signals to be sent to ADW outlets. Horsemen are negotiating an increase in the percentage of ADW handle committed to purses.

“We’re a little track and not a big Magna [Entertainment Corp.] or Churchill [Downs Inc.] track,” River Downs general manager Jack Hanessian said. “We’re just a little guy trying to survive and we need every dime, and it’s impacted us very seriously.”

In addition to the ADW issue, Beulah Park general manager Michael Weiss cited the lack of slot machines in Ohio. Racetracks in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia offer slot machines.

“Basically, being surrounded by slots is difficult to deal with when we’re running races for $3,600 purses and they’re offering $12,000 purses,” Weiss said. “It’s the same horses going back and forth to these places. … Our horses can compete at these places and it makes it difficult to keep the fields going when they can drive an hour and a half for triple the money, and I don’t blame them.”

In June 2007, Churchill Downs Inc. purchased AmericaTab from Beulah Park and River Downs as part of a larger $80-million acquisition. AmericaTab had been a successful ADW outlet owned by the two tracks.

Despite the possible cancellation of all Thoroughbred racing at the two Ohio tracks, Ohio Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association executive director Dave Basler said horse racing could return.

Basler said the Ohio State Racing Commissioner is willing to allow tracks to amend date requests.

“It’s definitely not a reason to panic,” Basler said.

The Ohio State Racing Commission will meet in Cincinnati at 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday and is scheduled to discuss the issue of live racing dates.

Tim Nichols is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY assistant editor