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Originally Posted by RaceTrackDaddy
Back in the early 2000’s we were promised a savior to horse racing in Pa. I can only reflect the effects or rather negative effects of slot legislation that changed racing into a corporation instead of small business operations.
I worked at the Meadows from 1971 to about 1994 and Adios Week was six days of racing with stake races on five of the six days of racing. Seven or more stake races were the norm back then on days that had stake racing.
We were promised that slot revenue would support the sport and breeding will produced more and better horses.
The results are that Adios WEEK has become Adios WEEKEND with six stake races on this Friday and I assume 14 or more stake races on Saturday.
The mom and pop stables can’t compete with the corporate stables that have hundreds of horses racing against other corporate stables across the country. It is this racing that I abhor where one stable enters half of the 12 entries into the Adios 50.
The decline of harness racing in Western Pa is on display this week at the Meadows. With that property being worth more in value in development, it will soon be history once the state legislators bleed the last amount of profit from racing’s revenue stream (slots profits). Enjoy it while you can.
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I was at Penn National, I believe in 2004, when the track announcer let it be known that slots at the track were officially approved. The place broke out with enthusiasm.
I BOOOOOOOOOOOOOED like a child who just saw his favorite baseball player beaned.
Couple of the locals asked why I boooooooed. I told them, the game will go to shit. Races will suck, drop downs will be juiced and win at 1/2. Field sizes will shrink and eventually the slot money will be gone. They need to preserve the sport and grow the sport.
They looked at me like I had 14 heads.
Wish I could see those same people now and 10 years from now when their track is completely gone.
Sad.....
