The Year Full of Possibilities
by Aaron J. Young

    Happy New Year!  2010 will be a year full of possibility, questions, and uncertainty for Kentucky and horse
    racing.  Here are some thoughts for the New Year.

    The Kentucky General Assembly will have their hands full again this year, trying to balance a budget with a
    projected shortfall of over $1 billion for the next two years. I wonder how far expanded gaming will go.
    Gov. Beshear seems to think if a bill gets to the floor it will be passed, but with gaming already operating in the
    neighboring states except Tennessee and Ohio, which has passed a referendum to allow casinos;

    I wonder if Kentucky can catch the boat that left years ago.

    If expanded gaming is not passed in 2010, what will that mean for the future of horse racing in KY?  Keeneland
    will still have their short racing meets and multiple sales.  Churchill will have the derby and host the Breeder’s
    Cup. The rest of thoroughbred racing will start to mirror the harness program.  Less racing dates, less purse
    money and less quality horses leading to less quality in the racing product and less significant breeding
    operations.  

    In harness, can Bluegrass Downs and Thunder Ridge continue to operate after this year without expanded
    gaming?  The number of harness race days for 2010 are down five days from 2009, which had been the same
    since 2007, with Bluegrass taking three less days. The Red Mile has knocked two days off the grand circuit meet
    and will be starting two weeks later to accommodate for The World Equestrian Games coming to Lexington,
    Kentucky this fall.  

    The Red Mile’s plans for development have had little opposition in The Urban County Council and the Planning
    Commission with both unanimously voting to recommend the plan’s approval.  We will see where this leads
    Kentucky's historic track in 2010.

    The fair program has possibly gotten some cash from the breed development fund with a request that the fairs
    be limited to KY sired horses only. That will not be in effect this year and to be honest, I’m not sure if this change
    will be made in 2011.  The only problem I have with this rule change is that there are not enough KY sired horses
    available. Think of the late Wildcat Series, which was discontinued due to a lack of entries. The numbers for the
    fairs have been down dramatically since the rule change that took effect on February 2, 2007. (this rule change
    eliminated Kentucky ownership as an eligibility)

    On a lighter note, I must ask why people in the media keep referring to 2009 as the end of a decade. I know I
    walked out on college, so correct me if I’m wrong, but a decade is ten years and you generally start counting
    with one not zero. By my count 2010 will be the final year of this decade.

    On a personal note, I want to congratulate my father, Bill Young, on saddling his first thoroughbred winner on
    New Year’s Day at Sam Houston Race Park in Texas. The grey colt Stonewall Cowboy was the second part of an
    entry and won the five furlong race with Jeremy Collier aboard. My father got his trainers license for
    thoroughbreds in November and currently conditions a small stable. He had previously trained harness horses
    beginning in the 80’s and had last worked in Kentucky for Randy Jerrell before moving to Louisiana a couple of
    years ago.  And finally, I would like to wish everyone the best for 2010.  Now lets get to racing.