Thistledown owner to sell, says lack of slot machines is cause

The Cuyahoga County
racetrack lost $3.5 million last year, its owner said.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The owner of Thistledown racetrack plans to sell and putting blame for the decision on an inability to operate slot machines, which Ohio racing industry leaders say has made it difficult to compete with neighboring states that offer higher purses.

Magna Entertainment Corp. said in a statement that it’s pursued other gambling for Thistledown in suburban North Randall for several years and that the thoroughbred track is losing money without it.

Voters rejected a statewide referendum last November that would have allowed slot machines at racetracks.

Save Ohio Horse Racing, a consortium of race track owners and horse breeders, says Ohio’s seven racetracks have suffered because of the referendum’s failure. Horsemen are taking horses to neighboring West Virginia, Indiana and Pennsylvania where other gambling allows tracks to offer higher purses.

“When Las Vegas came east and we’re not part of it, it makes it very difficult for us to compete,” said John Mossbarger, past president of the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association. “We’re losing our breed stock and good race horses to other states.”

Erie offers bigger purses

Mossbarger, a breeder who owns Midland Acres in Bloomingburg, said he’s lost two stallions to breeders in Pennsylvania, where 90 miles away from Thistledown the newly opened Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., offers purses more than three times as big.

The average daily thoroughbred racing purse paid in 2006 was $62,613 in Ohio, compared with $131,140 in Indiana, $106,848 in Pennsylvania and $182,900 in West Virginia, according to Save Ohio Horse Racing.

Mossbarger believes that the racing industry and the 16,000 people it employs got overlooked when voters vetoed the slots referendum.

“We have to be able to get our message to the legislators and people in the state of Ohio that this is an important agricultural industry,” he said Thursday.

Gov. Ted Strickland is unlikely to be swayed to back any future gambling initiatives.

“Ohio voters spoke very clearly when they voted against any expansion of gambling in Ohio,” said Keith Dailey, spokesman for Strickland. “Gov. Strickland is committed to protecting the will of the voters.”

Major loss

Magna, based in Ontario, Canada, says that Thistledown, which it’s owned since 1999, lost $4.5 million last year, including $3.1 million in costs related to the state referendum.

Magna also plans to sell its interest in Portland Meadows, a thoroughbred track in Portland, Ore. Magna owns 11 racetracks, including Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., which hosts the Preakness, a leg of the Triple Crown.

A message seeking comment was left with Blake Tohana, the company’s chief financial officer.

Dave Basler, executive director of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, believes Thistledown will continue to operate under a new owner.

“We’ve been working with Magna to try to come up with solutions, he said. “I know there are some prospective buyers out there.”