Wednesday, November 15, 2006

'Clock is Ticking'

Maryland Racing Official Says 'Clock is Ticking' on Racing.

Maryland's Thoroughbred industry is likely to be downsized considerably beginning in 2008 unless racetracks are allowed more gambling options such as slot machines, a racetrack executive said Nov. 14.

"We can hold our own through 2007," said Lou Raffetto Jr., president and chief operating officer of the Maryland Jockey Club. "But I can make no assurances about racing past that. The clock is ticking."

In the past I would have said that this is just part of the game to help increase purses by approving slots. Unfortunately, I now see that they are serious. Next year Maryland will have 20 fewer racing dates, and only about six weeks of racing at Pimlico. The Maryland Jockey Club (owned by Magna Entertainment) has not sunk a dime into the dilapidated Pimlico Race Course since they bought it, and the barns and grandstands are about to fall over. Unfortunately, the people of Maryland may not realize how dire the situation is until The Preakness is moved down to Gulfstream.

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