The owner of a western Kentucky racetrack says he was counting on revenue from online and phone account wagering to make it through the track's summer racing season.



Ellis Park owner Ron Geary says a dispute with horsemen that has denied him that revenue has forced him to close the track for good. It was supposed to open its season on Friday. Instead Geary held a news conference at the Henderson track Thursday to explain his reasons for closing.

He blames the track's closure on the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association. He says the track lost at least $15 million when the horsemen's group blocked the track from offering its races to national account wagering outlets that take bets by phone and online.

The president of the horesmen's group calls Geary's decision "rash." KHBPA president Rick Hiles told The Courier-Journal he hoped negotiations could continue.

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