After three months, commission finally issues dates

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From the first application to the final allocation, it has taken more than three months to finalize all the 1999 harness racing dates for Maine’s agricultural fairs and extended meets. But on Monday in Augusta, the Maine Harness Racing Commission allocated 234 live race dates for 1999.

No commission hearing is complete without a couple of surprises and Monday’s meeting was no exception.

Bangor Raceway, doing business as Bangor Historic Track, requested, and was granted 28 extended meet racing days with a start date of Sunday, May 16, and ending on Sunday, July 25. Also, as expected, Bangor Historic Track withdrew its request for full-card simulcasting by the Bangor investor group at its Bass Park location. In addition, BHT also withdrew its request for additional race dates in March and April and amended its date application listing the actual dates it will race.

Scarborough Downs also withdrew its request to the commission for reconsideration of the MHRC’s action regarding its decision on Davric Maine Corporation’s 1999 racing license. Commissioner Richard Crabtree outlined the conditions imposed by the commission – first, to provide documentation to satisfy the commission that Scarborough had operated in a responsible financial manner regarding the horsemen’s purse trust account.

And second, that Scarborough Downs honor the commission’s decision that was affirmed at its April 2, 1998 meeting, recognizing the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association as the exclusive bargaining agent for the horsemen/women at Scarborough Downs and that the track shall adhere to the statutes, Henry Jackson, executive director of the MHRC, said Thursday.

In withdrawing its request, Scarborough agreed to abide by the commission’s conditions but requested a clarification on what the conditions imposed by the commission meant. Scarborough was granted 128 racing days in 1999. Scarborough also withdrew its request for additional race dates in August and indicated it would not race during January or February. Scarborough Downs was granted a start date of Saturday, March 6.

Northern Maine Fair has always raced against Topsham Fair, but won’t this year. Because of NMF’s inability to secure a midway operator for its original 1999 race/fair dates and because NMF would be operating head-to-head against Old Home Week in Woodstock, New Brunswick, the racing commission granted NMF race dates a week earlier than Topsham Fair.

However, the new fair/race dates now place NMF on the same dates as Bangor State Fair and Skowhegan’s extended race meet. No one was at the meeting from Skowhegan or Bangor, so there were no objections lodged over the switch.

Probably the meeting’s biggest surprise was the curve thrown by former state senator, Robert Tardy of Palmyra. Tardy told commissioners there is currently an existing law that states if a population of 300,000 exists within a 50-mile area of Bangor, then the Bangor track must race at least a 150-day extended meet.

Surprised by Tardy’s statement, commissioners assured him they would research the law and seek a legal opinion and guidance from the attorney general’s office before making or enforcing any additional rulings at a future meeting.

The race dates are listed in the accompanying box.

Agricultural fairs, extended race meets

Harness racing dates

Dates for agricultural fair and extended race meets in 1999, including non-parimutuel fairs that are members of the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs and two unlicensed fairs.

All parimutuel and racing fairs have an asterisk.

Acton, Aug. 26-29; Athens, Aug. 6-8

*Bangor State Fair, July 30-Aug. 8 (race one day); *Bangor Historic Track (Bangor Raceway) May 16-July 25

*Blue Hill, Sept. 2-6 (non-parimutuel); Clinton Lions, Sept. 9-12

Common Ground, Sept. 24-26; *County Raceway, June 11-July 23, (7 Fridays)

*Cumberland Fair and Extended, Sept. 26-Oct. 3; *Farmington Fair and Extended, Sept. 18-25

*Fryeburg, Oct. 3-10, (racing Oct. 5-10); Houlton, July 2-5

Litchfield, Sept. 10-12; Monmouth, Aug. 4-7

New Portland, Sept. 16-19; *Northern Maine, July, 30-Aug. 7

Ossipee Valley, July 8-11 and Oxford County, Sept. 12-18

Piscataquis County, Aug. 26-29; Pittston, July 15-18

Scarborough Downs, March 6-Dec. 26 (138 dates)

*Skowhegan, Aug. 12-21 (racing 15-21); *Skowhegan Extended Race Meet, July 30-Aug.4

Springfield, Sept. 3-6; *Topsham, Aug. 8-14

Twelve Oaks, June 24-27; *Union, Aug. 22-28

*Windsor, Aug. 29-Sept. 6; World’s Fair, July 23-25

Non-licensed fairs: Cornish Fairgrounds, Sept. 10-12 and Harmony Free Fair, Sept. 4-6

Pacing bits: The Maine racing community and fair circuit was truly saddened this week by the death of Faye Nichols of Chelsea. Nichols, and her late husband, John, were officials at Maine fairs and racetracks for almost four decades. She personified what is best about this sport – good people. A clerk of course and charter, Nichols was knowledgeable, kind to everyone and had a good sense of humor. She was a lady. Our condolences to her children.

With the race dates finalized, Tom Kole, executive director of the Harness Racing Promotion Board, says the board’s four-color harness racing calendars, will be headed for the printing press next week. The calendar, packed with horse-related information, will run from February, 1999 to February, 2000.

Don’t forget, this is the weekend of the Maine Association of Agricultural Fairs at the Holiday Inn, downtown, Portland. General membership meeting at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, with awards banquet at 7:15 p.m.