As I have stated in past postings, the thoroughbred industry in Maryland is in bad shape. Today the Baltimore Sun ran an article explaining how Maryland is losing the great trainers, jockeys, and breeders to our surrounding states. Why are these great horseman leaving......WE DON'T HAVE SLOTS. The legislature of Maryland feels that slot machine would lead to crime and problems. For those of you who don't already know this....Baltimore has one of the highest murder rates in the country, we also fall into the top 10 in drug use, STD's, and teen pregnancy. Will slot machines make things worse? Wake up and smell the opportunity. Slot Machines will not only help save the horse racing industry, but will help fund additional state programs, create jobs, and increase tax revenue. I don't know what these people are thinking about.
In last weeks print addition of the Bloodhorse, they had a multi page article about how many trainers, and farms have moved to Pennsylvania since they announced the approval of slots. Not a single one armed bandit has been plugged in yet, and already people are buying land for breeding farms. Some of the finest names in the bluegrass have even set up agreements to stand stalions in the keystone state.
I hope these jackasses wake up before it is too late.
4 comments:
Baloo, if your boys in Annapolis don't wake up, you will be racing jackasses in Maryland as a sport. I can see it now, the first Jackass Derby, one circumference of the state house.
Good luck
Well put John!
Any Idea where I can get a get a good donkey stallion?
Just to throw an alternative view into the mix - you saw the spectacle in Dubai yesterday. They don't have slots there. They can't even bet on the races. It just proves that there can be other types of motivation to stimulate economic activity in horse racing.
Baseball has had great success with new ballparks. Maybe if the tracks were updated and family-friendly, people would come and spend money. As we also have discussed, NASCAR markets the hell out of the drivers and the teams. I doubt the guy with the Jeff Gordon leather jacket is going to trade it in on a new Edgar Prado jacket, but the major sports generate tons of revenue on licensing and marketing. If Orange County Choppers can follow the blueprint, I bet Pletcher can do it too.
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