Saturday, June 26, 1999
Turfway head knows horses
Bank executive job traded for a chance at the reins
BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FLORENCE — As a boy in central Kentucky, Bob Elliston grew up around horses. He learned the lingo early, knew some young trainers and eventually became the proud part owner of one horse, then another and another.
It would be going way too far, though, to say he always dreamed of being president of a racetrack. But he is. He's been the head honcho at Turfway Park for a whole week. And he thinks it's the coolest job around.
“I just can't wait to get to the next meeting to talk about the next thing,” he said Friday. “This is as good as it gets.”
Mr. Elliston, 35, traded his Firstar Bank vice presidency in commercial lending to become president of the Florence thoroughbred track. He takes over the place at a time when its new owners — Keeneland race track, casino giant Harrah's and gaming company Dreamport — are trying to make the track more competitive against the increasing popularity of riverboat casinos.
His new association with the track started as almost a lark. When he heard about the trio's purchase of Turfway this past winter, he decided to dial up Keeneland's president, a man he didn't know.
“I said, "What the heck? I'm going to drop a line to Bill Greeley.'”
Mr. Greeley explained that the partnership had no plans to make any immediate changes. Mr. Elliston forgot about the call until early last month when Keeneland returned it. What was a pie-in-the-sky idea soon gave him goosebumps.
“So here I am working for three companies that are as good as anybody in their industries,” he said. “It's pretty humbling.”
It's too soon, he said, for specifics on what the track might do to change its look, image and financial bottom line. But he does promise noticeable changes when the track's meet opens Sept. 8.
“I think you'll see some new and different things in promotions,” he said. “There will be some improvements, a renewed sense of customer service. There'll be a new Turfway Park.”
He plans to register as a lobbyist for the General Assembly when its session begins in January — not necessarily to lobby for casino gambling or any other kind of gambling, he said, but because of a host of track-related regulatory issues the legislature handles.
People should not assume, he said, that because he managed the campaign of Boone County Judge-executive Gary Moore that he shares all of Mr. Moore's conservative ideas.
Though the Turfway partnership has not yet formulated its casino stance, Mr. Elliston said he doesn't see the negative effects of gambling that opponents say can come to communities with casinos. In his banking job, he saw the opposite. Firstar lent money for improved sewers in Lawrenceburg, money eventually paid back by revenue from the Argosy casino.
Kentucky is “the world's leader in thoroughbred horses,” he said. “I think the governor, rightfully, has elevated the discussion to say, "We've got an industry that's being hurt and we need to do something about it.'”
He'll probably get out of the horse-owning business. He doesn't want Turfway's horsemen to feel as if he's a competitor.
“We were living our high school athletics through the horses, I think,” he said, laughing. “But I'll live vicariously through these other horses.”
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