Congratulations

[Flighted Iron]

To any and all  Marylanders,

   58% for,41% against.Even with the 10 unofficial
the smart ones believe yes.
  I can only hope this will help bolster the region.
Love having N.Y. shippers coming in for big $ and
most certainly vice versa.
  Cool october air,turf and DIRT so the Essence said
should stay so.

With Respect and Joy,
 mjs

[TGJB]

The slots bill passing is the first good news for Maryland racing (and Magna) for a very long time.

[Flighted Iron]

TGJB,

 So true.
The previous passed you say with the late Mr. Defrancis.
Looking back,he rarely suffered fools,Humbled I was then
and inspired today.We hope to rekindle his special commitment.



Respectfully,
mjs

[miff]

Saving Maryland racing via slots just keeps it on life support in that state.There is zero potential for growth in that venue. Consolidation of some kind is the only long term hope/solution to a terminal racing industry.

38 States doing their own thing, politicians bleeding the game dry and empty suits,lacking in overall business acumen, calling the shots. Only the players,who are slowly becoming extinct, keep the game alive as we now know it.


Mike

[marcus]

Ironically imo it seemed MD was at one time not to long ago way ahead of the curve with \"sam type machines\" in local stores with their express use for betting the races - I wonder what really happened down there  ...

[Flighted Iron]

Miff,

 Haven\'t gone from the \"cradle\" to the grave yet.I suppose Mr Ogle
had his skeptics as well.


With Respect,
mjs

[docicu3]

The decline of Maryland racing has been accelerated by recent economic realities. These have crippled all fringe financial enterprises without the possibility of recovery due to a simple paucity of customers.

The amazing indifference to, and continued mistreatment of, the few long standing on site customers that frequent Laurel as simulcast investors will soon be fewer as the ADW quarrel is eventually solved.

The 5 slot licenses (10K machines each) the voters supported in my home state earlier this month no longer have salvageable racing venues to house them.  The failure of MAGNA\'s other slots venture at Gulf Stream ruined winter racing in Florida recently as reduced purses and a new horrendous architectural design sent   disgruntled horsemen packing as fans were given a lesson in MAGNA economics which proves that losing money with slot machines is possible.

The good conservative                                                                   voters in Maryland said \"YES\" to building new schools (K-12) in all 5 counties in MD that are using funding from these slot licenses seemingly believing that these funds are the product of a recession proof industry.

Thinking that these slot licenses will rescue horse racing in Maryland is like believing a condom is useful the morning after.....

[TGJB]

Some analogy. Borderline call on leaving it up.

The only point I would make in opposition is that these days 85% of handles is bet off-site and Magna owns its own ADW. The theory here is that better purses will make for better racing, and better racing will lead to more betting off site.

The stands at Delaware aren\'t exactly jammed. I was there on Del Cap day a couple of years ago, they gave away more than 1.5 million in purses. Can\'t have been more than 2,500 people in the stands, and that\'s being extremely generous. And that\'s with free admission.

[docicu3]

I agree with what your saying using the Delaware analogy however Delaware Park never had the place in stakes racing that these Maryland tracks have had so the fact that (DP\'s) beautiful simulcast facility is better attended than their track is speaks more a sign of the times (or support for your previous point about the handle of the big circuits at small tracks) and likely will be the beginning of the end of the competitive small circuits when players play New York, Southern California and Ky 5 days a week much more than their local track with smaller handle and larger takeout in many circumstances like Philly which is the most egregious.  

The combination of current events, tardy favorable legislation and poor track management are what is sealing the coffin for Maryland racing.  The timing of the economy\'s current state will unfortunately negate any good the recent vote produced.

Thanks for leaving it up as I rarely post anything off color.  In this case as a Maryland racing fan who frequents both Delaware and Maryland racing venues it has become heartbreaking to watch what MAGNA has done to these tracks and how poorly they treat regular customers who are not whales but probably play 5 figures in handle a month.  Maybe I expect too much....

[Flighted Iron]

The amazing indifference to, and continued mistreatment of, the few long standing on site customers that frequent Laurel as simulcast investors will soon be fewer as the ADW quarrel is eventually solved.


  I\'m sorry you feel uncomfortable patronizing maryland racing.

Re:Slots

Like anything else in business,it\'s all speculation.
I was amazed and still at the attitude of a defeatist.
 
 Horse racing in America was born in Maryland.Undeniable
fact.I choose to speculate that it will continue and also improve.

Respectfully,
mjs

[BenevolentDictator]

In regards to Delaware Parks beautiful simulcast facility this facility  actually has little to do with horse racing but more for some form of sports betting that will be there within the year. Straight sports betting  as we have in Vegas is a different story.  It will need to pass through two consecutive terms of the State Senate.  It is rumored to be brought up at the end of this term and then again as early as next spring.