Subsidize or Downsize?

[rrbauer]

Good column/blog by Robert Laurence in BH.

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/finalturn/archive/2008/06/24/Subsidize-or-Downsize.aspx

[Kelso]

Good column/blog by Robert Laurence in BH.

http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/finalturn/archive/2008/06/24/Subsidize-or-Downsize.aspx

From the column:
"So, a subsidy, or we downsize to about five or six tracks, nationwide, and maybe a thousand new foals a year. I have nothing against subsidies. Lots of industries get them, directly or indirectly. But let’s be honest enough to admit that that’s what we’re doing—getting money that, if the market were left free and unregulated, would be going elsewhere. Let’s drop the smugness and sense of entitlement. We aren’t owed a cut of the slot machine take. We’ll turn the clubhouses into casinos, and run races that will barely be noticed by the players. We’ll take some of the money poured into the slots in order to keep our industry going. And we’ll hope that it will be enough.

"It would help to say “please” in advance, and “thanks” at the end."


The foals consequence might be the best thing for the breed since Secretariat. And the "entitlement" comment sums up nicely what the horse owners and industry managers need to learn ... "it ain't your money 'til you EARN it."