Playfair Limps Through Shaky Stretch Friday Marks Racing Director’s Last Day At Spokane Horse Facility

The dismantling of the front office at Playfair Race Course continues Friday, when Director of Racing Ted Martin puts in his last day at the Spokane track that has an uncertain future.

Playfair promotions director Hugh Mellon last week accepted a similar position with Colonial Downs, a track about to go up in Virginia. Mellon said he will start that job April 1. Playfair general manager Dan Hillyard will work through the end of the month, Martin said.

Martin, 61, has run the race office since 1991 after two years as general manager.

Martin’s brother David is a minority partner with outgoing Playfair president Stan Horton in the management group that has decided to step down with another year left on a lease with Playfair owner Jack Pring.

With Pring declining to operate the track, horse racing in Spokane may go dark for the first time since 1943.

Martin said he hopes legislation pending in Olympia will encourage another operater. The legislation would cut the state’s share of the parimutuel takeout, and divert a share of racing proceeds to Playfair, a potential savings of $300,000 per year.

But with Emerald Downs opening its inaugural season in Auburn in mid-June and running through October, the opportunity for exclusive state-wide off-track betting at Playfair in ‘96 was restricted to November and December.

In ‘97, should Emerald Downs receive a more traditional April-September schedule, an operator at Playfair could return to a potentially profitable September- November meet, with the added bonus of a state subsidy, should the legislation pass today.

“A lot hinges on that legislation,” Martin said. “I haven’t given up hope that if it does, somebody might step up for ‘96.”

Martin said he has offers both in and out of racing but his immediate future includes a couple of months off.

“I’d be interested (in staying) if somebody came in here to run the place,” Martin said. “I have to terrorize somebody. “But I’m taking some time off. It’s been a grind. It’s time to smell a few roses.”

With “racing the way it is I might have to change my lifestyle,” Martin added. “I still have something to offer the sport but it may be time to offer something to myself.”

A steward at Playfair from 1978-80, Martin has been involved in racing since 1969, when he started an an owner/trainer. Track officials have praised him for recruiting horsemen and working to fill races in less than ideal late-fall weather, with a shortage of horses affecting tracks nation-wide.

Martin wore a cheerful face to work.

“If you let thing get you down,” he said, “they will.”

Mellon said the Colonial Downs project, under construction, is located in Kent County, Va., between Richmond and Williamsburg. It is to open in July 1997. The first of its 14 off-track betting sites opened two weeks ago, he said.

The includes marketing, advertising and promotions, Mellon said.

, DataTimes