It’s the time of year when all eyes are on horse racing. The Kentucky Derby kicks off the Triple Crown on Saturday. Thousands gather in Louisville or in front of their TV to see the “greatest two minutes in racing.” Faithful followers of the sport will stay focused until the Belmont Stakes last race on June 8th.
Throughout the year there are many exciting races across America. There are large and small tracks entertaining race fans while creating jobs and contributing to the local economy.
Despite this there are elements of industry and others who would like to put an end to racing. The Stronach Group is a good example of one who owns Gulfstream Park in Florida. Their objective is to close the track and build a hotel and casino/nightclub. In Florida you cannot have a casino without a racetrack. To accomplish their goal Stronach wants to “decouple” the two.
This should alert the racing industry everywhere. Many racing jurisdictions have the same requirement. Decoupling would have an adverse economic impact on small towns like Charles Town, WV or Farmington, New Mexico.
Let’s hope racing advocates fight to save horse racing across the country.