A small minority of tracks in this country (Saratoga, Keeneland, Santa Anita, et al.) are profitable – profitable meaning they survive on their product alone. The rest are being wholly propped up by corporate welfare. If there was any doubt (though there shouldn’t be), witness the latest from Oregon, where billionaire Travis Boersma has been trying to get slot machines (he calls them something else, but that’s what they are) installed at the state’s lone remaining track, Grants Pass (some history here). That effort, at least for now, has failed. And yesterday, Travis released this:
“As a result of the Oregon Racing Commission’s vote to deny an operating license to The Flying Lark, Grants Pass Downs has lost its economic engine. While we remained hopeful we would be able to host a viable race meet, the uncertainty here and across the industry has resulted in a drastic reduction of racehorses at Grants Pass Downs. At this point, it’s clear running the meet isn’t feasible.”
Excellent, indeed.
If this is an official statement; that is FANTASTIC!!!
Fredjoan mentioned this in one of their comments in a previous post. Thank you for confirming this fantastically good news!!!
I can only hope that the owners of the horses do not sell their racehorses to the killbuyers.
At least, there won’t be a “demand” for Oregon-bred Thoroughbreds to race in Oregon.
FANTASTIC.
FANTASTIC NEWS ANOHER ONE BITS THE DUST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!