For some who’ve long been immersed in the horseracing culture, objectivity has all but vanished. As the Suffolk Downs era draws to an end, Ray Paulick offers this:
“It took the sweat and hard work of more than 4,000 workers to build Suffolk Downs. The audacious project, featuring what at the time was the world’s largest racetrack grandstand with 16,000 seats, was completed in a remarkable 62 days. It took three people – Massachusetts Gaming Commissioners Gayle Cameron, Enrique Zuniga and Bruce Stebbins – to shut it down with a simple vote.”
Mr. Paulick, to lay the blame for Suffolk’s demise at the feet of three racing commissioners is as shameful as it is plain wrong. Suffolk Downs is closing because its product – gambling on animal races – belongs in another time, the monopolistic, less sensitive 20th Century. The younger generations are rejecting your precious game; tracks like Suffolk Downs – which is to say, the majority of American racetracks – survive only through the slots welfare you speciously call a “partnership.”
So as the New England Thoroughbred people spin their tired tale of lost jobs and economic havoc, here’s hoping that region’s legislatures stay strong and let the market be what it will be. This is America: It is not within government’s charter to save obsolete industries.
I Look forward to the day where you write a Post about every racetrack in America being shut down
forever.
I agree, Karhleen. It can’t come soon enough for me. There are so many issues within racing, issues that are detrimental to the horse and one of the most obvious ones is that slaughter is a disposal system for unwanted horses. It is hypocritical of the pro-racing folks to babble about all the “good” people in racing yet, if racing went bye bye, these same people babble about all the horses that would cross our borders on the way to slaughter. Well, racing apologists, if there are so many “good” people in racing, why don’t they step up for the horses that need a soft place to land? The answer is simple. There are very few “good” people in racing…very few. And by the way, racing enthusiasts, why do you support an industry that sends horses on a one way ticket to a horrible death? Racing is filled with liars and hypocrites…yes, filled with them.
Ray speaks the truth.
Ray’s head is in the sand like all those in the business as well as those who make their living based on the racing business. Horses are not the only species with blinkers !
Further, Ray bans anyone from his site who does not go along with this abusive business. I guess he can’t handle the truth ! He just wants to hear all the ” news” about the champs., Wise Dan, Game On Dude, Royal Delta and all the others. God forbid there should be any mention of the poor calimers, and the abuse they are subjected to. These horses are far more numerous than the champs. They are the backbone of this gambling business.
Actually, when there was a piece concerning the illustrious trainer, David Jacobson, he, (Ray P.) took down the article and the barrage of negative comments in a New York minute. Made me wonder if there is any connection re.
the Drawing Away Stable !!
You are correct, Rose. Paulick is like all of the others. He mentions the “sweat and hard work of more than 4,000 workers”, but neglects to mention the bloodied and broken countless horses that without Suffolk Downs would have never existed.
Ray Paulick will always play both sides of the fence. He makes his living on the backs of these horses and he is typical of those immersed in this sinister and corrupt industry. Hey, Ray, why don’t you thank the horses who sign your paycheck?
The govt bailed out all those junky american car companies with our taxes? Where was the outrage, 2008 recession/corporate fraud–was anyone jailed? The citzentry is mostly sheeple and put the emPHasis on the wrong sYlable. Sufferin Downs is easy to attack–BS artists spinng their corporate nonsense, yet it goes on all the time in money addicted america.