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Jackson said it is too early to determine what the purses will be because the state's racetracks, including Bangor Raceway and Scarborough Downs, have been authorised to run more races in 2006. The Sires Stakes, which will get a 3 percent cut, will see the same number of races. The Sires Stakes is limited to Maine-bred horses as a way to encourage in-state breeding. The average purse last year was $5,000, he said. If Hollywood Slots' earning trend continues, he said, purses will increase by "half as much again," or by 50 percent. As it stands, about 300 mares are "exposed" or inseminated, each year, Jackson said. "I didn't see any elevated interest this year, but I would anticipate an increased number in 2006," he said. "I also would anticipate an increased value for yearlings" sold in the fall.
He also said the continuing threat of a repeal of the law that authorised slots has been a black cloud on the horizon. Despite claims by gambling foes that slots "snuck in under the radar" because the public's focus was on the larger tribal casino proposal that went before voters the same year, Jackson thought voters knew what they were doing. "I sincerely believe that the people of Maine knew what they were approving when they voted [to authorise] slots," he said, adding that many voters "saw it as an opportunity to restore an amazing economic industry." Another beneficiary is Bangor, Hollywood Slots' host city. "When we did our early projections, we tried to be conservative," City Manager Edward Barrett said Friday.
