Across the bay- saving Pimlico; concerns for Maryland Thoroughbred Racing.

 

 (owner/trainer)“It’s iconic and it’s beautiful, but with online betting, nobody comes to the track anymore.”

(View news article:)

As national attention comes once again to the Preakness, future of Laurel Park is murky - Maryland Matters

 Anonymous said...

This is just so wrong for so many reasons. I am familiar with Pimlico because I was close friends with the groundskeeper, Robbie Mitten, and installed a turf track inside of the dirt track for him back in 2002.

Pimlico is in the worst, most trashy neighborhood in Baltimore and you take your life in your hands when approaching the track. The Clubhouse and ancillary buildings are junk but they just put a fresh coat of paint on things every April just to make things appear normal.

The Maryland "racing industry" benefits only rich horse owners and employs very few average citizens, and then at minimum wage, unskilled jobs. The owners of the track aren't even in or from the United States. The vast majority of horses running at Pimlico are not bred, raised or stabled in Maryland.

The track is only allowed a small number of "racing days" per year, allocated and approved by the legislature. How many days approved is based on how much money is donated to various State officials. I am old enough to remember when Governor Marvin Mandel was convicted of bribery back in the '70s and it was all because of racing days allocated to Marlboro Race Course in Prince Georges County. The Maryland racing industry may sound romantic but the whole thing stinks from top to bottom.

Your friend,
Slim

~Kentucky Derby Day~

For some it's all about the floral dresses,  hats and mint juleps.  For my DAD it was all about the horses.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Another Kentucky Derby, another last-minute change for jockey John Velazquez.

The scratch of Uncle Mo on Friday morning marked the third straight year Velazquez lost a major Derby contender less than a week before the race.

Velazquez had the mounts on Quality Road in 2009 and Eskendereya last year before they were withdrawn with injuries. He scrambled to find last-minute replacements, finishing 15th on 28-1 shot Mr. Hot Stuff in 2009 and 10th last year on the filly Devil May Care.

Once again, Velazquez didn't stay unemployed for long. Trainer H. Graham Motion quickly grabbed him to ride Animal Kingdom, winner of the Spiral Stakes at Turfway Park.

Velazquez replaces Robby Albarado, who suffered a broken nose earlier this week at Churchill Downs when a horse bucked him off during a post parade, and then delivered a kick to the face.

"We made the decision this morning, before the betting opened, so the punters would have full knowledge of what the deal was," said Barry Irwin, whose Team Valor International owns Animal Kingdom.

Velazquez is 0 for 12 in the Derby. His best finish was a second aboard Invisible Ink in 2001.

Motion lost his top Derby contender earlier this week when Wood Memorial winner Toby's Corner was scratched Monday with a left hind leg injury.

"It's been a real emotional roller coaster for everybody," Motion said. "That is the nature of the game, and what you grow used to."

Today, coverage begins at 4 p.m., post time at 6:24 p.m.
TV: NBC

Source; http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20110507/SPORTS/105070338/A-day-Derby?odyssey=nav|head