Kentucky governor Steve Beshear’s hopes for slots at Kentucky tracks -- and those of the tracks themselves -- were not helped yesterday.

Republican Jimmy Higdon yesterday won a special senate election over former democratic state representative Jodie Haydon to maintain republican’s 21-17 vote control of the senate.

Haydon had financial support from the state’s tracks and was a proponent of expanded gaming, while Higdon, who supports a referendum on a constitutional amendment on the issue, swept every county in his central Kentucky district except Haydon’s home county.

(Harness Tracks of America)