Commission approves Maine-only races

AUGUSTA – Talk about getting on the fast track.

A measure that was first proposed in March may be enacted as soon as the first full week of July when Bangor Raceway schedules exclusive harness races for Maine-bred and/or Maine-owned horses.

At their monthly meeting Tuesday, members of the Maine State Harness Racing Commission voted 4-0 in favor of a proposed rules change to allow Maine tracks to schedule Maine-only races this season.

The specific number or percentage of Maine-only races was not mandated by the commission. That will be left up to the race secretary at each of Maine’s 11 racing venues.

“Well, we’ve already agreed contractually to host those types of races in our three-year contract with the [Maine Harness] Horsemen’s Association as soon as they were officially allowed,” said Fred Nichols, Bangor Raceway’s general manager. “Sometime in early July, we’ll begin putting these on the condition sheets and we’ll sort of be the guinea pig for it.”

Bangor’s contract terms call for a proposed minimum of three Maine-only races per race date, which translates roughly to three out of 10 to 12 races.

The commission, which voted on the proposal after a 30-day public comment period expired, heard from very few people who were against the measure. It’s justification for the rule change was rooted in six main goals:

. Encourage more Maine residents to own horses.

. Encourage the production of a Maine-grown product.

. Encourage the use of a locally-grown product.

. Encourage the growth of breeding farms in Maine.

. Preserve open space and farmland in Maine.

. Increase the number of Maine-registered stallions.

“I think there are a lot of different factors, but the people here in Maine and the harness industry have got to be able to race to stay in the industry, and with the larger purses, they’re getting more competition from horses being brought in from out of state,” said commission member James Tracy Farmingdale.

“This is a way of giving them a means to continue to make money within the sport,” he added, “especially now that the money is there. I mean, they were there when the money wasn’t there.”

Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association president Butch MacKenzie was an early proponent of the change and is understandably excited.

“I think it’s something we definitely need, especially as the [racing] purses get higher,” MacKenzie said. “This year, when we started racing at Bangor two days a week, it had a big effect on Maine horse owners because they couldn’t get their horses in. These are the people who did the work to get Question 2 [slots casino referendum] passed and they’re the ones who should benefit.”

The only negative response to the proposal came from Bangor resident Douglas Hollingsworth, who argued in an e-mail to the commission that “there is no problem with Maine harness horse owners being shut out at Bangor Raceway” based on an informal survey he did on the number of horses raced in Bangor June 13 and 18. He stated that only eight percent had not raced in the previous 14 days and 48 percent had raced exactly one week earlier.

That survey was generated after Hollingsworth read a recent BDN article about the concerns of Maine harness owners over the increased number of Canadian racers at Bangor Raceway this season.

“We’re not trying to exclude people from coming here and participating in our races,” said Hollis resident and Maine State Representative Don Marean, who has been a horseman for 22 years. “We want them to come, but we want to have some special races for Maine-bred and Maine-owned horses.

“I think this is the right thing to do, absolutely,” he added. “The Maine people who worked hard to get the slots in Bangor – which are paying us handsomely, I’m happy to say – get protected and get a piece of that.”

Marean pointed out most other harness racing states have similar rules. This change was modeled after rules in Delaware and New Jersey.

Proponents point out the change benefits Maine drivers, owners, trainers and breeders alike.

“These classes will insure that Maine people have first option in these races, but it doesn’t keep anybody out,” said MacKenzie. “It does create a market for Maine-bred horses because no matter where you live, you can buy Maine-bred horses to race. A lot of people from Canada and other states who’ve been coming here for years already have Maine-bred horses.”

Nichols pointed out nonMaine horses may still race in those “Maine-only” races if not enough Maine horses qualify to have a full field.

“The way it’s worded, if there aren’t at least six or seven Maine-breds fitting the conditions of the race, then it can be opened up to those that aren’t Maine-bred,” he said.

Outgoing commission member Norman Trask of Presque Isle did not attend Tuesday’s meeting.