Maine Harness Racing is a Joke

[Kirby's Ace]

somehow Shane Bacon was involved

they were dreaming for a new track but that's all it was-a dream

First Tracks should make an effort to put up the signal for the fairs

"they were dreaming for a new track but that's all it was-a dream"


Are they relatives of MLK Jr?

[Wawajones]

When Joe Ricci died, Scarboro went downhill.  The next generation just sucked what money they could out of it.  Charlie Day closing Lewiston also hurt.  There are just fair tracks now.  Bangor and Cumberland have commercial licenses, but really only fair tracks.  A new track with a full casino would be nice.  They could build it at Oxford, which is owned by Churchill Downs.  It all seems unlikely.

[bello]

When Joe Ricci died, Scarboro went downhill.  The next generation just sucked what money they could out of it.  Charlie Day closing Lewiston also hurt.  There are just fair tracks now.  Bangor and Cumberland have commercial licenses, but really only fair tracks.  A new track with a full casino would be nice.  They could build it at Oxford, which is owned by Churchill Downs.  It all seems unlikely.

Joe Ricci been dead a long time. When I used to vacation at OOB I was at Scarboro every night as well as Sunday Matinees. Place was packed. Good food. Just the mosquitos were a downer.

Joe would always be in the Grandstand talking with the patrons.

You;re right. really went downhill fast, A shame

[chief yogi]

joe had his problems but he did ok running the track.  now cumberlands management takes every penny to the bank. nothing gets put into cumberland. no new track will ever get built. last i heard was an excuse of not finding land. first tracks got its name from the first track development. they have land to build everything.   except the track the horsemen were promised. only 1 year at cumberland was the deal.

[gurals casino]

it has been mentioned on here that First Tracks is a California entity and they were part of the Cal Expo operation

[chief yogi]

first tracks owned by m.chinchette.  chinbro family.   the management team is from cal. they are doing the same to maine as they did to cal expo. cut dates. keep paying the management team the same. fly and put the anouncer up for the meet. its a really great deal for them. maine harness racing not so much. only handle comes from off track. signal sold for less than the standard 3 percent. as a previous poster said. maine harness horsemens ass really screwed themself.

[dougie]

Since "The Downs" closed, we have heard all sorts of rumors about the "brand new track" coming to southern Maine. First rumor was they were thinking about opening up a smaller new track off the Saco Exit of the Maine Turnpike. Easy on. easy off. Then we heard that they were looking at opening a small track in the town of Sanford. On the Sanford/Shapleigh line. A lot of land out there, but 15 miles from the Maine Turnpike. Then we heard neat the Oxford Casino. A pretty rural area. But in the end. it will never happen. Maine is now a "Fair Racing" state. 

[G]

I know a lot of people in Maine nothings happening there forget the new track.

[chief yogi]

maine also has no interest from any public now. same 30 people at both bangor and cumberland. nothing at either track to encourage new patrons. bangor slightly nicer. neither has any real customer comforts. both have this idea that dragging the card out forever attracts handle. its really  boring the people to death. they are no people at the track or otbs. people bet on their phone. no lines. acess to every track.  other tracks are not the problem. racing competition is casinos, lottery, sports gambling. all have fast action. run races faster. 18 mins apart tops. we might get some new interest. right now a new customer might have fun but its a long day for 12 chances to wager.with nothing at the track to keep anyone excited why would anyone come back a second time. fairs are coming up. faster pace. most fairs have some attendence. handle more ontrack. only chance to attract new fans. topsam starts sunday at 4.

[chief yogi]

well, i was wrong about topsham moving races faster than bangor/cumberland.
          the fairs where we might have a chance at new fans. wrong again.
lets see. toteboard. not working. uncle fester moving at a snails pace to fix.
        mutuel machines. no self serves, first teller machine does not cut tickets and half did not print. moved to the 2nd teller ok there. lucky as only one more for a total of 3.
       lets get odds on the tv. well had to find one first. hired sherlock holmes. found one. no odds. no payoffs. looked like a 5 year old on camera. went to cash my tickets and tote machine has no display.
have to bet blind, cash blind and hope the teller didnt screw me.
      jack ass judges. spend more time seeing if the 6th place finisher went inside pilons. multiple times today. simple soultion put in hub rail. no pilon problems saves half hour on race card.
 complete jackass judges. dragging races. there were 50 people there. no offtrack handle. great job. only 20 left at the end. even most of the usual degenerates left.
   so good job. i guess state paying the pj and steward by the hour gives them a good reason to take all day.
     a big congrad to shane bacon and the state for considering this shit to be called a race meet. between today and our other tracks so far this year we kept the trend of making harness racing irrevelent. im glad im here thru fryeburg. feels like a last horrah for maine racing.
   never in my life seen no toteboard, no tv odds/payoffs and not even prices being announced. a new low.

[dougie]

well, i was wrong about topsham moving races faster than bangor/cumberland.
          the fairs where we might have a chance at new fans. wrong again.
lets see. toteboard. not working. uncle fester moving at a snails pace to fix.
        mutuel machines. no self serves, first teller machine does not cut tickets and half did not print. moved to the 2nd teller ok there. lucky as only one more for a total of 3.
       lets get odds on the tv. well had to find one first. hired sherlock holmes. found one. no odds. no payoffs. looked like a 5 year old on camera. went to cash my tickets and tote machine has no display.
have to bet blind, cash blind and hope the teller didnt screw me.
      jack ass judges. spend more time seeing if the 6th place finisher went inside pilons. multiple times today. simple soultion put in hub rail. no pilon problems saves half hour on race card.
 complete jackass judges. dragging races. there were 50 people there. no offtrack handle. great job. only 20 left at the end. even most of the usual degenerates left.
   so good job. i guess state paying the pj and steward by the hour gives them a good reason to take all day.
     a big congrad to shane bacon and the state for considering this shit to be called a race meet. between today and our other tracks so far this year we kept the trend of making harness racing irrevelent. im glad im here thru fryeburg. feels like a last horrah for maine racing.
   never in my life seen no toteboard, no tv odds/payoffs and not even prices being announced. a new low.

I was heading there Tuesday.....but you changed my mind.

[Racetime]

Good thing your not got Tuesday cause there's no racing 

[chief yogi]

yes no races tuesday.  a former maine judge reminded me this morning, of a past event.  years ago a track got into trouble just for not posting the double possible payoffs.  there were so many things wrong yesterday that it was jjust a illegal race meet. as i said before shame on all the state/comission members for letting this happen. a whole week and just 1 race evening at bangor, yet no one cared to test their equipment before the opening day.

      maybe im just old but my complaint is we, as an industry are destroying any hope for a future. i love racing. fairs were always my favorite yet every track in maine is really a joke. take the welfare from casino and put in pocket. act like its 1950 and everyone will bet because we are the only legal form of wagering.

   time to replace everyone at the state level. get new judges that care. i swear the focus on pilons is so much their thing, the drivers could line up every race and the judges would have zero clue, as long as you dont go inside a pilon.

[dougie]

Good thing your not got Tuesday cause there's no racing 

Cool. I'm glad you let me know. I'll be heading to Fryeburg when they open.

[Racetime]

Good thing your not going Tuesday cause there's no racing