At Large

News Editor Tom LaMarra's commentary on issues and trends in Thoroughbred racing.

Blood in Corpse Still Pretty Warm

If you hang around industry conferences, you may think horse racing is on a death watch. A lot of people, however, including prospective fans, don't feel that way. So when is the industry going to get out of its own way?... Read More

Keep Safety in Perspective

Making Thoroughbred racing as safe as it can be is critical. But it's important to realize much is being done already; to make sure the safety accreditation process doesn't start and stop like other industry initiatives in the past; and to accept that, well, stuff happens.... Read More

A Local's View of Mine That Bird

The racing surface at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Gaming Resort, normally closed for training on Wednesdays, was opened for Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird and the other grade II West Virginia Derby entrants, including Canadian invader Awesome Rhythm.... Read More

Racing Needs to Rethink Slots Revenue Strategy

It comes as no surprise that legislators around the country are looking at racing's share of gaming revenue to balance budgets. The latest developments are in Pennsylvania, where breeders and horsemen have issued a call to action to protect the Race Horse Development Fund they say could be raided to support other programs in the state. West Virginia has been through it, and so has Delaware. The list... Read More

Hey, Kentucky--New Jersey's Not That Far Away

As a native of New Jersey, I had the displeasure of witnessing a once-proud horse racing industry deteriorate. The third-biggest circuit in the country in terms of quality and pari-mutuel handle didn't go away overnight; it took about 25 years.... Read More

Does the KY Legislature Really Understand Racing?

It was a cringe moment, and not the first. During his June 22 presentation before the Kentucky Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, David Edmunds of the Family Foundation, in an attempt to show how bad gaming is, discussed how casino owner Louis DeNaples lost his license in Pennsylvania. ... Read More

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