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How does wagering support
Ohio horse racing?
Revenue for Ohio horse racing comes from parimutuel betting
– French for “mutual betting” – approved by the Ohio
legislature in 1933. The wagering pool is the primary source
of money for Ohio horse race track purses, with some money
for Ohio stakes series races coming from state breed funds
supported by wagering taxes.
States with expanding gaming usually put money back into
purses making them dramatically higher. Since Ohio is mostly
surrounded by these states, its purses can’t compete.
Ohio voters have already said
‘no’ to expanded gaming. Why does Ohio horse racing still
want it?
Ohioans already gamble, both through existing legal wagers
in Ohio and by leaving the state to participate in regional
gaming and at destination meccas such as Las Vegas. Expanded
gaming in Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and
Ontario is not going away and continues to hurt Ohio horse
racing. Kentucky is poised to seal the southern border with
the likely election of a pro-gaming expansion governor this
fall. Expanded gaming is a necessity for Ohio horse racing
and its advocates will continue to pursue it.
How do taxes on Ohio horse
race wagering support state programs?
Wagering at Ohio horse race tracks has declined from $628.8
million in 1998 to $430.3 million in 2006. That means:
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Wagering revenue to
PASSPORT – Ohio’s Medicaid waiver program for home-based
senior living assistance - has dropped from $5.1 million
in 1998 to $3.6 million in 2006.
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Wagering revenue to the
Ohio Fairs Fund – which provides funding for Ohio fair
operations including direct funding to the 94
agricultural societies hosting fairs – has dropped from
$2.5 million in 1998 to $1.9 million in 2006.
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Wagering revenue to the
Thoroughbred and Standardbred breed funds – which
promote breeding and racing as well as contribute to
Ohio race purses – have dropped from:
$3.8 million in 1998 to $2.7 million in 2006 for
Thoroughbreds
$2.3 million in 1998 to $1.6 million in 2006 for
Standardbreds
What types of horse racing take
place in Ohio?
Ohio hosts two primary forms of racing:
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Thoroughbred racing at
tracks in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Grove City
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Standardbred racing at
tracks in Columbus, Lebanon, Northfield and Toledo
Thoroughbreds are pedigreed
horses originating from a cross between imported Turkish and
Arabian and domestic English lines. They are the fastest of
all horses.
Standardbreds, or trotters, are an American breed of light
horse of Thoroughbred ancestry developed for harness, or
“sulky,” racing, pulling the jockey in a lightweight cart.
With their shorter legs, Standardbreds are known for their
ability to trot or pace at top speeds without breaking into
a gallop.
Ohio is the No. 1 state for Standardbred production and
hosts the middle leg of the Triple Crown of Harness Racing
for Pacers at the Delaware County Fair in Delaware, Ohio –
one of the top two races for Standardbreds. Harness horses
race at the majority of Ohio fairs.
Quarter horses also race in Ohio including at special stakes
events at Ohio’s commercial race tracks. Columbus is home to
the All American Quarter Horse Congress, the premiere
showing event for the breed.
Where are Ohio’s horse race
tracks?
Beulah Park, Grove City
Thoroughbred racing Jan. 6-May 5/Oct. 5-Dec. 22
Lebanon Raceway, Lebanon
Standardbred racing Feb. 3-May 5/Sept. 28-Dec. 29
Northfield Park, Northfield
Standardbred racing Jan. 1-Dec. 29
Raceway Park, Toledo
Standardbred racing Mar. 24-Nov. 11
River Downs, Cincinnati
Thoroughbred racing April 6-Sept. 3
Scioto Downs, Columbus
Standardbred racing May 5-Sept. 16
Thistledown, Cleveland
Thoroughbred racing April 12-Nov. 26
What are the key competitors
to Ohio horse race tracks?
Indiana
Hoosier Park, Anderson,
Ind. - 145 miles from Cincinnati and Lebanon/160 miles from
Columbus
Standardbred racing April 6-June 30/Throughbred racing Sept.
1-Nov. 24
Indiana Downs, Shelbyville, Ind. - 86 miles from
Cincinnati/107 miles from Lebanon/183 miles from Columbus
Thoroughbred racing April 27-July 3/Standardbred racing July
13-Nov. 3
Pennsylvania
Presque Isle Downs, Erie, Pa. - 99 miles from
Cleveland
Inaugural Thoroughbred racing season begins Sept. 1 for a
month of racing
2008 season will run May-September
West Virginia
Mountaineer Race Track, Chester, W.Va. - 109 miles
from Cleveland/172 miles from Columbus
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