Jackpot!

That’s what the operation of a slot machine and video poker casino in Bangor have been for state officials, especially those connected with Maine’s harness racing industry.

The latest numbers are in and they left attendees at Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the Maine State Harness Racing Commission smiling like the owner of a Triple Crown winner.

With the last eight months’ total net revenue at $8,701,903 and harness racing-related businesses getting a little more than 64 percent of that take, Maine’s harness industry is $5,578,173.26 richer this year.

“It tells me that the slots is doing a lot better than it was projected to do by anybody,” said Henry Jackson, MSHRC executive director. “It’s certainly outpacing what was anticipated.”

What was anticipated was a total “handle” of around $400 million, according to Jackson.

“We’ve already done about $360 million and I think when you extrapolate it out, it will be about $200M more before the year’s done,” he said. “I’m looking at us being right around $530 million, but there may be a little more than that.”

MSHRC chairman George McHale is understandably enthused about the latest numbers.

“What it tells me is that harness racing is very alive and well in the state of Maine,” McHale said.

The higher-than-expected revenue means Maine’s purse fund which disburses money to all of Maine’s tracks for prize money will benefit mightily.

“When it comes to the amount of purse fund money, I initially looked at possibly 1.6 million coming out, but through August we have about 2.04 million dollars and we’ll probably be right around three million by the end of the year,” Jackson explained.

The purse fund receives roughly 25.6 percent of the total net revenue generated by Penn National Gaming’s Hollywood Slots casino in Bangor. Other harness beneficiaries are the state’s agricultural fairs and tracks (7.7 percent), the Maine Standardbred Stakes race series (7.7 percent), the MSHRC’s general fund (7.7 percent), Maine commercial tracks Bangor Raceway and Scarborough Downs (10.3 percent), and off-track betting parlors (5.1 percent).

Jackson said the continuing influx of money into an industry that was on life support a few years ago has renewed enthusiasm for involvement in harness racing.

“The most common thread I hear is they finally see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Those who were breaking even are now making money and those who were losing money are now breaking even.”

The news isn’t all good for horsemen, especially those looking at the OTB business figures submitted this week. Almost across the board, the total money bet at OTB’s is down from a year ago when it comes to interstate betting (amount wagered on races aired via closed-circuit TV and run outside the state).

Scarborough is down 5.28 percent, Winners Circle OTB at Lewiston saw a 7.74 percent drop, Martin’s in Waterville is down 11.86, Step Two OTB in Sanford is down 2.21 percent, and Sports Grill in Brunswick is down 8.78. Bangor’s numbers are also slightly down (.975 percent).

“What I’m concerned about is if you look at the amount of wagers not being made at the OTB’s, that’s less money going into the industry,” Jackson said. “Scarborough is our largest interstate facility and their numbers are down five percent, which concerns me. That’s less for the breeders’ fund, the general fund and the agricultural fairs.”

Jackson chalks the decrease up to a decrease in people’s disposable income. He doesn’t think the casino is siphoning off OTB clientele.

“I don’t think it’s because of the slots only because those who go to OTB’s aren’t usually the same clientele who go to a casino,” said Jackson. “I’m sure that some people go to both, but it’s not the same group.”

Day gets fine, suspension

Daniel Day of Scarborough will be taking a break from harness racing after agreeing to a fine and suspension imposed on him as part of a consent agreement with the Maine State Harness Racing Commission Tuesday.

Day owns and trains a horse named Chapri, whose urine sample tested positive for a class II drug (caffeine) after the second race at Scarborough Downs on April 28. Caffeine is considered a Class 2 drug, a stimulant, and a performance-enhancing substance which is banned at Maine tracks.

Day agreed to pay a $750 fine with all but $500 of it suspended, return the purse money Chapri won in the race within 30 days, and serve a six-month suspension as owner and trainer, retroactive to June 23.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or at aneff@bangordailynews.net