Alberta and new track ? Anyone heard anything?

haleyg · Postby **haleyg** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:11 pm

Does anyone know what is going on with this ? Maybe mor then the HRA tells us ? Does anyone know the current opening date?

Dave C · Postby **Dave C** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 11:40 am

I've heard that it's under construction. I've also heard that it has been officially cancelled. The HBPA director that I know says he can't get any information one way or the other. The government still hasn't granted the water license, and until the government says yes or no on the water I don't think we'll get any real news on the track.

Opening day for StP is I believe Mar. 23 or there abouts.

Saddlestretcher · Postby **Saddlestretcher** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:53 pm

Are either of you in Alberta?

Dave C · Postby **Dave C** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:08 am

haleyg · Postby **haleyg** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:49 am

Saddlestretcher · Postby **Saddlestretcher** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 12:50 pm

Don't suppose either of you would remember a trainer by the name of Bill Bell? (a few years ago)

haleyg · Postby **haleyg** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:35 am

Can't say it rings a bell, but I have been harness side of things since I married a harness horseman.

Jean · Postby **Jean** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:35 am

Why do you ask about Bill Bell? He has not been around for a while.

Maureen · Postby **Maureen** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 7:11 am

There was an article in this month's 'The Game', an Ontario based racing/breeding paper. I don't have it in front of me right now, but maybe you can find it on-line.

Saddlestretcher · Postby **Saddlestretcher** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 4:45 pm

I was wondering if he was still alive...

George William Smith · Postby **George William Smith** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:54 pm

I liked Billy a lot. Hasn't been around Northlands in at least two years. I try to help him solve a skin rash problem with a horse by Abaginone a few years before that. He only had one horse at that time.

George

Saddlestretcher · Postby **Saddlestretcher** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:47 am

I met him around '85. I lost touch over the years, and have tried to track him down. I used to work at Northlands back then.

Dave C · Postby **Dave C** » Wed Feb 21, 2007 12:50 pm

haleyg;

Just checked HRA's website www.thehorses.com, Peter Watts talks a fair bit about what is happening with the new track in his article.

haleyg · Postby **haleyg** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:12 pm

Well ,
I am glad it talks about the new track , but unfortunately nothing new. ugh. I am hoping to see some break through with the water issues. I want to have reason be excited to have my yearling , and that she will have a place to race near home. I really feel the HRA kinda screwed us or screwed giving a place dates that did not even exist.

What does everyone think here. DO you think this track is really gonna go , or is this just something that is gonna be flushed down the tubes?

Dave C · Postby **Dave C** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 4:22 pm

I don't know if the track will go or not, but I do know that the horsemen are better off with StP out of the picture. They've been saying they want out of horseracing for 15 years, and using that to squeeze concessions out of HRA and the horsemen while offering crappy barns and poor track maintenance. I don't think HRA had any choice. Nobody was going to build a new track without a guarantee of the gaming license for the Calgary market before they started building.

I don't think HRA is screwing anyone, I do think that Dr. Reid is grossly overpaid for a part time job when he has no job experience in public management. Given that he is maintaining his surgical practice he can not commit full time to HRA. Perhaps that is why he has failed to live up to my expectations of what he should have accomplished.