Ocean Downs

A former owner of Ocean Downs decided yesterday to regain control of the harness track on the Eastern Shore, a move that would block Delaware Park owner William Rickman Jr. from expanding his holdings. The board of directors of Cloverleaf Enterprises Inc. voted at 2:30 p.m. yesterday to regain Ocean Downs by exercising a first right of refusal, said John P. Davey. He is the lawyer for Cloverleaf, which owns Rosecroft Raceway, the harness track in Prince George's County. Cloverleaf will borrow $5.1 million from the Maryland Jockey Club to complete the deal.

The Maryland Racing Commission granted approval yesterday to William Rickman Jr., owner of the Ocean Downs harness track, to import simulcast signals from out-of-state thoroughbred tracks without the Maryland Jockey Club's consent. The action means that Rickman no longer must buy out-of-state signals from the operators of Pimlico and Laurel Park, the state's major thoroughbred tracks. He can negotiate his own deals for purposes of simulcast betting at Ocean Downs - but only Ocean Downs.

Some officials on the Eastern Shore would like to see the Ocean Downs harness track move about 40 miles south to Pocomoke City if the state were to legalize slot machines. With many Ocean City business leaders opposed to slots at Ocean Downs, some see Pocomoke, in economically depressed southern Worcester County, as a possible alternative. But track owner William J. Rickman Jr. says he would prefer to stay at Ocean Downs. Rickman, a Montgomery County businessman, said he has had one preliminary discussion about relocating to a 100-acre county-owned parcel in Pocomoke at the intersection of U.S. 13 and U.S. 113. "Obviously, my preference would be to stay at Ocean Downs," said Rickman, who also owns a Delaware track with slots and is building a small track in Western Maryland's Allegany County where he'd like to have the machines.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller said last night that the Ocean Downs harness track will come out of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s proposal to legalize slot machines in Maryland. The announcement came after the governor spent more than an hour meeting with eight senators late last night, arguing - on the eve of a crucial Senate committee vote this afternoon - against allowing expanded gambling near Ocean City. "I think in light of the governor's proposal and the fact it is an administration bill, and he indicated very strongly he would like to keep his commitments, I think the recommendation of the committee will be for Ocean Downs to come out of the bill," Miller said.

Now that Bally's at Ocean Downs has concluded what its president calls a highly successful summer harness meet, track management is preparing for fall and winter duties.They include working to open an off-track betting facility on the Eastern Shore, advancing the concept of telephone wagering and preparing to lobby state legislators for continued help in sustaining purses."We realize the slots issue will rise again," said Dennis Dowd, president of the harness track near Ocean City. "But slots or no, we still have to do something about purses."

A major casino operator hoping gambling is expanded in Maryland is negotiating a deal that would give it control of two strategically located harness tracks -- and a head start on competitors -- should the state ever legalize slot machines at racetracks.If the deal is approved, Bally Entertainment Inc. would buy the money-losing Ocean Downs near Ocean City, and probably would shut down live racing and run it as a training center. It would also have the option of purchasing a controlling share of Rosecroft Raceway in Prince George's County if electronic wagering materializes.

Fireworks at Rosecroft Raceway, the Coasters at Ocean Downs, a jockeys' sack race and stakes worth nearly half a million dollars at Laurel Park -- those and more highlight racing this holiday weekend at three Maryland horse tracks.Ocean Downs opens its 40-night summer harness meet tonight under new ownership. Now owned by Bally's Maryland Inc., the track near Ocean City will race tonight through Sunday, and then Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Sept. 7. Post time is 7: 15 p.m.Racing purses have increased 75 percent -- from $10,000 a day last year to $17,500 this year -- mainly because of a $5,500-a-day infusion from the state lottery.

Revenue at Maryland's three casinos in March reached $58 million, with two that have been opened for at least a year seeing a decrease from a year earlier, the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency reported Friday. Hollywood Casino Perryville in Cecil County generated $9.48 million for the month from slot machines and newly introduced gaming tables - a decrease of $4.24 million, or nearly 35 percent, from a year ago. The Casino at Ocean Downs in Worcester County reported revenue of $3.95 million - a decrease of $130,622, or 3.2 percent, from the year before.

The Maryland racing industry has submitted to Gov.-elect Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. its recommendations on how slot machines should be allocated and slots revenue divided. Tom Bowman, president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association, presented the proposals Wednesday night to representatives of the Ehrlich transition team. The recommendations were the result of nearly one month of intensive meetings among industry leaders trying to reach consensus on key issues involving slot machines. Ehrlich plans on revenue from slots funding a large portion of the state budget.

The Maryland Racing Commission approved yesterday a request by Bally's Maryland Inc., the new owner of Ocean Downs, to operate a 40-day harness meet from July 3 to Sept. 7.The track near Ocean City will race at 7: 30 p.m. Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with three exceptions. Those three: Opening week will be Thursday through Sunday, the track will race on Labor Day, and the final week will be Friday through Sunday.The racing commission also granted the owners permission to simulcast races the rest of the year.