It is hard to imagine that there are 200 jobs in a place that simulcasts racing. Just a political football. Big call to save harness racing----they haven't raced there in two years!!!!!! Slot might have helped----dems wouldn't do it under rep gov.

If you do not market or advertise, you will not get custumers, I don't care how much appeal your product has. Could it be that outside parties are hired by gaming interests to run down the track, gain control of horsemen board members, then buy the tracks cheaply, without those pesky horsemen around? Our marketing was cut off extremely sudden, while the board looked silently on. The horses at Rosecroft have been evicted as of the 28th, next week. This done incredibly by a track owned by a horsemen's organization! We will see if my conspiracy theory holds water when someone like Mr Peterson of National Harbor owns the track.

When Delaware got slots it killed Rosecroft. Many moved to Delaware for a more lucrative business. Higher purses equal a quality product. Rosecroft could race and has all of the provisions to race, but it needs a substantial decrease in fees demanded from simulcasting and alternative gaming.to enhance purses.
If the Orioles are winners the stadium is full,now that they are losers the stadium is empty. Better players bring in better crowds. Horse racing and Baseball have many similarities.

I am the President of the Cloverleaf Standardbred Owners Association (CSOA). I believe that I speak for a majority of the hard working horsemen and women in Maryland that have asked me to do everything I can to restore live racing to Rosecroft. I am truly sorry that there is a SMALL group of people living and some training at Rosecroft that have had their expenses subsidized by the majory for a long time. That time has ended ... they have signed a Consent Order to leave on June 28 BUT before they go some of them (a smaller group) want to bring Rosecroft to its knees. They have done a very good job so far BUT they are a minority - fringe group and do not under a any circumstances speak for the majority of hard working and loyal CSOA and non-CSOA members.
Thank you for the opportunity to present another side to a long story.
I will be available to answer any questions anyone has 202-549-7477.

Tom Cooke
18 June 2010
3:40 PM

With all respect, Mr Cooke is calling the entire horse racing community in the Washington DC area a "fringe group", when we are the heart and soul of Rosecroft Raceway. Several in this group have parents who actually raced with the original owner and builder of this facility, Mr William E Miller. Many have been forced to temporarily move their horses of economic necessity, but many remain and would buy more horses if they had somewhere to train them. Feel free to call me for the local horsemen's side of the story. Nancy Lisi 703 531 9945
member of Preserve Harness Racing at Rosecroft Raceway

I have been training at Rosecroft for 34 years, and I stand for the continued existence of the barn area, We are small, true, but very important to keep the sport alive in this area.

Nancy you have successfully closed the track. It was your stated goal. So be happy. Again sorry your free 20 year ride is over. Your fringe group gets whackier every day. That Dr. Cooke even gives you the time of day is something. Anyone reading this believe me she is not in the mainstream. You going to believe someone who has argued in front of the Supreme court or someone who cares only about their personal gain? These squattors on the backstretch have done everything they could to close the track. I am tired of it. You win. Tomorrow is the last day of operations.

The problem with Rosecroft started with the ex CEO Tom Chuckas who is now President of the Maryland Jockey Club. The board there now inherited 10 years of mismanagement and bad marketing. l really can't believe this track has survived this long. Now, we will see if the Governor really cares and if we will save it like he did the Preakness.

That backstretch of Rosecroft is a disgrace as are most of the people there. All they want is a free ride and to contribute nothing. The place and the state are better of without them. Most of them have broken down 3 claimers and 5 year old maidens and then want to cry because they can't make any money. What a joke!

I hope the Governor is successful.

What exactly has the group in favor of delaying the closing of the backstretch done to close the track and main facility. It seems to me that two million dollars in legal fees for frivolous lawsuits and legal maneuvers that went nowhere that had nothing to do with the backstretch; banquets at expensive banquet halls at a time when the track was not even conducting live racing, redskins boxed seats at $20,000 a pop did much more to Rosecroft demise than the grossly inflated figure of the cost to operate the backstretch. The grossly inflated cost of $35,000 a month to maintain the backstretch is absurd.
Racing facilities with no backstretch are the wave of the future and legitimately so but those tracks are RACING. If the goal is to have nothing but a simulcasting parlor then state that and stop blaming the backstretch for the demise of Rosecroft. It appears management succeeded in that.

I would like to thank you Jay for being one of twelve dozen people who came out to Rosecroft last summer in 2009 to support Maryland harness racing in the Washington DC area.

Unfortunately the odds have been stacked against Rosecroft for quite sometime. The finger pointing had begun long before this election year.

Our family has been involved with Maryland harness racing for over forty years. We love the sport and will continue to support it in any way we can. We also have horses on the backstretch and will be moving our horses at the end of the month.

My mom always said there are three sides to a story, yours, his and the truth. If you have time, please read Judge Mannes ( the bankruptcy judge) decision about the denial of the sale to Mr. Vogel, it speaks the facts.

We also supported one of our fellow horsemen in a legal action to delay the closing of the backstretch. The main core of the small group working to keep the backstretch open are not squatters, do not own cheap horses, as a matter of fact in the past three years have swept a division of the Maryland Sire Stakes and on the day that you were there last year, won a division of the Maryland Standardbred Race Fund by ten lengths. Most are able to pay their share of stall rent and whatever legitimate costs of maintaining the backstretch.

I hope the Governor is sucessful!

Here are the facts about the backstretch people who are now forever known as the SQUATTERS:

These people have mooched off of the real horsemen for 10 years. They never paid a dime in rent just mooch, mooch, mooch with nothing in return.

Fact2 these people paid less than half of the expenses back there for the past year. Their checks bounced, their payments were late and they caused a lot of trouble (even one of them took to urinating in public). Why Rogers and Cooke even let them stay for the past year is beyond me.

Fact 3 these Squatters will be there this week before they have to leave and continue to suck the blood out of Rosecroft right up to the last day when the track closes July 1.

These are the facts. I hope if the track ever does open up that managment does not allow any of these squatters to come back and race at Rosecroft!!!

Why does Rosecroft management want the local hrsemen to disappear. They not only want is to disappear, they want us to leave quietly and go far away. They insult us and call us squatters. The barn area inclued some of the most prominent names in Maryland harness racing: Gerald Kelly, Basil Sapienza, Donnie Russell, John Wagner. The propoganda put out by our management makes one wonder what they are really up to.

These trainers Lisi mentions have farms of their own. The Squatters were just using them to try to remain at the track to continue to suck the life out of the place like they have for 10 years.

The backstretch people are not horsemen they are Squatters and that is a fact. Only 5 more days until the giant toilet is flushed at Rosecroft and the squatters are gone.

Personally, I hope they are gone forever, I hope whomever buys the place can see all the trouble these squatterrs have caused and bans them from Rosecroft. All the legitimate horsemen would support this.

Rosecroft discontinued simulcast racing on Saturday, June 19th and is now closed as a harness facility.

Saturday was Fan Appreciation Day with 1/2 price food, $2.50 beer and a table of free trinkets left over from past years' promotions - got a t-shirt from 1998 and a beer koozie.

We were there in the early afternoon, not sure exactly how many other nostalgic harness racing fans would turn out to bid Rosecroft adieu. At 2:00pm 25 people had already arrived, and by 3:00pm the crowd had swollen to 29.

It was very depressing, very sad, very empty.

A track died and an indifferent public failed to either notice or care.

Your article on June 22nd had many valid points. But there is one thing about Rosecrofts problems I don't understand. What would it have looked like if Laurel had asked all it's horsemen to leave their barn area. Thats what the local horsemen at RcR have been asked to do. We would have hung on (even with no racing) a long time and weathered the storm. What is our management up to?

The issue has always been the positioning of slots. Mgt at both the TB and SB's decided long ago to make themselves look poor and desperate in the hope slots legislation would fail. How long do quality people come to a facility that does not welcome or even clean the carpets. You should take a trip to Northfield Park. They have survived for years and have significant handle. Why? Because they value their patrons. Defrancis Sr, brought Freestate back from the grave long before slots. How? by making the place a gem. Mgt for years made Rosecroft a rat hole !!

The 22th july article is very informative and contain many valid points.Just hope now that the governer is suuceesful.Keep updating.You are doing a pretty nice job.

On June 28th, 2010, every horse and horseman and woman was evicted from the barn area at Rosecroft Raceway.

I have not looked at this blog for a long time, and am astonished at the ferocity that was aimed at the fine horsemen and women who questioned the eviction at Rosecroft. Mr Cooke himself availed himself of of our "fringe group" trainers at times, keeping his horse with Gerald Kelly, a true gentleman who stood up in court with us. --Paul N states that the four trainers mentioned owned farms, when in reality only one, Johnny Wagner does. Two reside in homes in the area without acreage, and the other has only some fields for turn out. Rosecroft was described in court as a place "uniquely suited" for harness horses. Many of the board members until recently had rooms in the dormitory for their use, and stabled at Rosecroft for months during the year. Some board members had trailers for their use at the rv campsite. I guess they are also "free loaders"? (There were monthly fees charged for both trailers, dormitory rooms, and Stall rent per horse)

I am proud of the restraint that our Preserve Harness Racing members use in the face of such horrible insults and accusations (not to mention misinformation) We are all a class act and I believe the truth will previal.

We have court documents to show anyone who would like to see the judge's statements, and motions in the bankruptcy court. The motions to appoint a trustee were granted on October 7th. In these motions two parties citied mismanagment by Cloverleaf. November 29th is a scheduled hearing to look into CEI's objection to Mr Murphy, as he had TB ties which he has now let go. On the 30th is a hearing to lift the stay, upon which Mr Vogel and his partner can foreclose on the note. Talk about close timing! I believe after 30 days (from the 7th) the creditors can elect a trustee, The main creditors are The Jockey Club and The company that Mr Vogel created that owns the note to the property
Nancy Lisi
Preserve Harness Racing Group LLC
nancy_lisi@yahoo.com