22 Comments - Tom - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 10:49 am: The only way they survive is if they get slots at tracks. They can no longer compete with the glitzy casinos. I see no good reason, if you are in favor of expansion, you don’t help those poor horse breeders by placing slots at the race tracks - L.S. - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 10:56 am: Tom is right. California and other states with slots can offer bigger purses, which means better races which equals more revenue. Plus, go to a casino on a Sat. night and you see a lot of young people. Not so much at the track. You need a future base if you are going to have a future. - That's hilarious! - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 10:58 am: The horse breeders should try to get some money from those multi-millionaire track owners. The industry only seems to be in trouble because they always claim to be in order to suck more money from the casinos. Normally an industry that is struggling has some form of job decline yet these tracks have seen relatively no job loss over the last 20 years or so. If you want to wager on horses than go to the tracks. If you want to gamble on cards and machines than go to a casino. End of story. - Walter Sobchak - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:01 am: The owners of the tracks have always had far too much political power. Rather than attempt to broaden the potential base of racing enthusiasts they have spent a generation fighting among themselves for current track goers and using the political system to continue to award them wealth and favors to ’save jobs in Illinois.’ The problem is not the quality of horses and the size of purses but an aging declining population of gamblers who now have many other gambling options for their wagering dollars. Yet, most adults are open to the idea of going to a track and have fun once they are there. The industry should pool its marketing budgets and sell itself as an entertainment option for all. Use OTBs as feeders to the actual tracks. Quit fighting amongst themselves and quit relying on politics to overcome overcomeable (if that is a word) market forces. Giving rich track owners slot machines for free may be a political and economic coup for them but will do little to increase attendance and handle at the actual tracks. And, will affect existing riverboat revenues as it’s the slot not the venue which attracts play. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:03 am: Horses are wonderful animals. They create their own admiration and excitement. As long as we can stay humble enough to admire other creatures, we will celebrate horses by raising them, racing them, and loving them. If dog fighting can rear it’s ugly head from the depravity of the human soul, horse racing which celebrates life will always be with us. The guys who gamble on horses are the only losers in horse racing. - Moderate Repub - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:08 am: Horse racing still involves quite a few VERY influential people, they have quite the clout still under the dome. They lost a gret friend in Pate, but they seem to still get what they need (except slots at tracks). They need a new influx of dollars, but these people are very wealthy, have other financial intrests, and will continue to write of their losses (wink wink), so i wouldnt worry to much about their well being. - ho hum - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:48 am: The biggest problem with horseracing is that it is too complicated compared to other forms of gaming. There are too many variables, jockey, conditions, last race, the other horses, heat, you name it. Then there are the bets, talk about complicated. Playing cards takes some skill, but not like picking horses. Playing slots is just mindless. Picking horses is just too arcane for people who want mindless entertainment. Trackback Where there's a Will, there's a way - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:53 am: Democrat Day at the Fair Yes, I still call it Democrat Day rather than Governor’s Day. I’ve called it Democrat Day for as long as I can remember and I’m not going to change it for this guy. Capitol Fax has a good run down… - downhereforyears - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:58 am: Get rid of Duchossois, he’s been poison for the industry since he bought in. For any of you who spend regular time in Springfield, do you ever recall a year when Duchossois wasn’t down here with his hand out asking for subsidies? - a loyal fan - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 12:00 pm: I agree with the comments about the track owners. They do have an inordinate amount of clout at the Capital. Regrettably, their greed will also be the demise of the industry in Illinois. Illinois has lost a great many talented trainers, drivers, and assistants to the east coast and neighboring states. In the next year or two we will see an even bigger exodus. Horse owners and trainers are not buying Illinois breeds. That is a direct result of the lack of support and the pathetic purses. Unfortunately, this affects thousands of people who depend on Illinois racing to earn a living. - BMC - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 12:49 pm: I think that OTB’s will help racing, and if you look at the “Lucky Magees” Model it will help, Lucky’s is not the old fashioned Smoke pit that you are used to, it’s actually fairly classy - Garym - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 1:03 pm: A lot of people do not realize that the Illinois Horse Racing Industry from the Breeders up to the Trainers and every supplier in-between (Vets, Farriers, Straw and Hay Producers, Grain, Equipment and farm implements are a $ 1.3 Billion tax revenue producing industry. This does not include racetracks in the numbers. In fact excluding racetracks, over 35,000 Illinois residents rely on this industry for their livelihood. If this agribusiness takes a dive due to competition from casinos and riverboats, this will be a huge drain on unemployment, healthcare and local economies. The parties involved throughout the industry will either move to Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana or another state that supports their horseracing with Slots at tracks. Illinois has been the poster child for what not to do regarding gaming, horseracing and funding schools and education for the last six years. It’s time we do something right. - Old Elephant - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 1:43 pm: I don’t want to offend the horse racing supporters, but the industry way overstates their impact and importance to the state economy. Nothing against thoroughbred racing but they represent a tiny fraction in comparison to other equine activities. The bulk of the Horse industry in Illinois (and across the nation) is comprised of recreational breeds (mostly Quarterhorse, but also Paint, POA, and numerous other breeds including yes, even mules and donkeys.) Illinois state government has failed miserably in supporting the non-racing horse industry. Other states get it. Ohio has built the Quarter Horse Congress into a month-long cash cow for the state. While Illinois let a comparable event — The International Livestock Exhibition — whither away. Again, nothing against the tracks, but if you take an objective view,the best return on investment for the state would be to put more emphasis on breed and open show events. Horse racing is a shrinking niche market. There is a place for it and it needs reasonable support, but from an economic standpoint, the better investment is in other equine events. - plutocrat03 - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 1:49 pm: The problem of subsidising horse racing is that government should not be getting into entertainment’s winners and losers. Horse racing is filled with wealthy owners, both horse and track. Let them figure out how to make the spectacle become appealing to the younger set. (I would also like to see some reform on the workers who work at the track and barns tending to these fancy animals… minimum wage, betterworking condition etc…..) However it we are to use public dollars to save declining industries, I have a few suggestions…Whale oil lamp suppliers. the US domestic auto industry, most every live theater performance. The list of deserving elements goes on. If we want to benefit from capitalsm, then lets act like capitalsists. Othewise who is going to pay those pesky taxes? - Mike - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 2:03 pm: The sport and the industy which funds thousands of Illinois residents and companies is in serious trouble without help. Racing is a highly state regulated industry that has had its hands tied while other forms of gambling in Illinois and neighboring Indiana have been taking Millions away. Several other stats have already realized this and have help the racing industry by giving them slots, wake up Illinois Legislature and take care of your residents. - Capitol Bill - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 3:23 pm: Horse racing is one of this countries greatest family events. It is very rich in history and needs to be preserved. This industry needs help from Springfield to survive. Many many families have been forced to move to one of many states that have recognized the importance of this industry and have supported it via slots at the racetracks or percentages from other forms of gaming. Hopefully, our leaders in Springfield will help this industry before thousands more end up leaving. - Jockey Club - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 3:48 pm: Get CDI to purchase Hawthorne or the rights to the Illinois Derby and move it to Arlington making it a meaningful Derby Prep Race instead of a prep on a sub par course for would-be Derby also-rans…War Emblem (2002) notwithstanding. It’s pretty simple, get bigger name horses get bigger coverage, more people, more dollars. - downhereforyears - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 6:01 pm: On second thought, let it die. I’ll bet it has absolutely no impact on the Illinois economy. Let me see, johnston, Carey, Duchossois and Stiritz. All multi-millionaires, the last thing we need to do is give them subsidies. There’s a 180′ yacht that docks at Navy pier every once in a while named the “Blue Moon”. It’s estimated to have cost over 70 million, owned by Dick Duchossois. Yea, I want to give him another subsidy. By the way he throws nice political fundraisers on the Blue Moon. - dis-connected - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 8:49 pm: Horseracing and the horse industry have a long storied history in Illinois, its part of the agri-business, a staple not be cast aside. The unfortunate reality is there are to many tracks across the country, compare it to the NASCAR cicuit, lessen the amount of tracks, increase the purses, increase the demand, more crowds at available venues, less attempt to depend on the legislature….end of story - Avy Meyers - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 9:58 pm: I have been a major harness racing fan since the early 70’s, before I could legally make a bet, but did. Went to many state fairs before there was betting, I am more of fan than a gambler. I love being able to watch the races on the web and I was cheering for you yesterday Rich, though the announcer, sounded like Kurt Becker, didn’t get the call right. My buddies and I drove to Duquoin for the Hambo in the early 70’s from Chicago where we saw Superbowl and Flirth break world records. 400 miles each way and no bets. We are real fans. Racing did well in Chicago in the 70’s based on no other gambling venues, the size of the race tracks, and the midwestern and country roots of harness racing. In the mid 70’s, Sportsmans Park held arguably, the preeminent meet in North America. Often the best horses were stabled here and ran here regularly. The fact that both major New York Tracks were half mile ovals limited them, despite the fact that their purse structure was higher than ours. Half mile tracks emphasizes speed on the turns, not the straightaways, a different kind of racing. Most horses prefer straightaways. When the Meadowlands, a mile track opened in 1976 in New Jersey, the beginning of the end of first class racing in Chicago began. While in New Jersey, it was minutes from Manhatten and the mile configuration made for times that rivaled Springfield and Duquoin who together with the Red Mile in Lexington were the three fastest tracks in the world. It took about a decade, but serious horseflesh moved east and the gap in quality by the early 90’s started to become insurmountable and to my mind embarrassing. Even under so called racing friendly Jim Edgar, who does own serious horses, the racing board has been overly political and tilted toward track owners over the horseman. Quality racing can bring out extra fans, but the racing here which was arguably as good as there was, would have to improve to become 2nd rate. Illinois bred horses do quite well in major venues, but many almost never run here. On yesterday’s webcast, Kurt Becker asked State Rep. Lou Lang to stand and take a bow and said that no one works more tirelessly for horse racing than Lang. Unfortunately that is probably true. I like in his district and there are years when we rank last in the Northern half of Illinois in state funding. If he is the true horse racing champ, that same ineffectiveness is surely not helping their industry. Thanks for the harness racing question Rich. It is my favorite sport but it is pretty much down the toilet here. The better drivers that were, Tetrick, Morgan, Andy Miller and more are gone. The same with the stables. I could go and on, but that is more than enough. - Smelly Cat - Thursday, Aug 16, 07 @ 11:40 pm: Slots at the track? What is the big deal? Illinois can use all the attractions it can get. We have a first class track and if slots will keep it viable then lets quit screwing around and do it. While we are at it give Chicago a casino. We are competing with 49 other states and the world. Let’s quit worrying about who is going to get richer. A rising tide floats all boats. - Reddbyrd - Friday, Aug 17, 07 @ 7:20 am: How is it that Fairmount seems to survive without a lot of whining. Some people like to see horses go around the turn…the horses do not need to be Secretariat. Maybe there should be more live racing at SPI and DuQuoi too. Folks from the region with n the most at stake could see more live racing. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.