M.J.C. slashes purses/stakes

[Pedigree Ann]

Originally Posted by somerfrost

possibly! The "Bible Thumpers" have made Maryland a battleground fighting the war about evil slots...unless they can compete with all the surrounding states, I see little hope...it's a shame cause racing in Maryland was once first class. Maybe when faced with the loss of thousands of jobs, the people of Md will come to their senses like they did in Jefferson County WVa!

Maryland racing and breeding were at the top of the heap in Colonial days, still a major force earlier in the 20th Century, producing horses like Challedon and Gallorette. Sagamore Farm's stallions Discovery and Native Dancer were the equal of any in Kentucky. Then Windfields located its US branch in Md, and they had the best stallion in the world, Northern Dancer, and a roster of other top ones.

I went racing at Bowie, a charming little track, never understood why they closed it. Good horses came up from Florida for the Campbell when it was run there. And the name Havre de Grace shows up in the PPs of many a great one of the past. My 1942 AMerican Racing Manual shows 9 tracks in Maryland -Pimlico, Laurel, Bowie, Malrboro, Timonium, Bel Air, Havre de Grace, Hagerstown, and Cumberland. Some were fairs, of course, but racing was more distributed geographically in those days; only the Eastern Shore had no recognized TB track.

[slotdirt]

I don't think it has anything to do with bible thumpers. I think it has everything to do with politics.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by slotdirt

I don't think it has anything to do with bible thumpers. I think it has everything to do with politics.

No..there were a number of articles in local newspapers and on local TV about religious groups from all over the nation targeting Maryland to make a stand against the Devil's toys (slots). Gotta make a stand somewhere against folks going astray...today slots, tomorrow, mass murder or worst yet, sex.

[ddthetide]

it's politics and legislators. the big city counties control the votes. they want to pass slots for the 2 races track only. the other counties vote against it because they want thier cuts and jobs. cumberland and frostburg in far western md, could desperately use the jobs. i'm sure the eastern shore could use the jobs too. the only OTB west of the 2 tracks is frederick they want slots. so on one can agree on who gets slots and who doesn't. there is to much "if i don't get them you don't either".

the counties with the big cities, their legislators don't come to western md so they don't grasp the idea that i can be in pa or wv in 10 minutes.
baltimore county should understand, everyone that lives down there goes to delaware on a regular basis. you just can't make the knuckleheads in annapolis understand.

[Zippy Chippy]

Originally Posted by ddthetide

it's politics and legislators. the big city counties control the votes. they want to pass slots for the 2 races track only. the other counties vote against it because they want thier cuts and jobs. cumberland and frostburg in far western md, could desperately use the jobs. i'm sure the eastern shore could use the jobs too. the only OTB west of the 2 tracks is frederick they want slots. so on one can agree on who gets slots and who doesn't. there is to much "if i don't get them you don't either".

Isn't there a way to bypass the legislature by doing a ballot initiative? If the people of Maryland could get a slots proposal on the ballot, wouldn't it take all the "annapolis knuckleheads" out of the equation?

[cmorioles]

Who really cares if Maryland racing crashes and burns? It can only help the industry to eliminate tracks.

[tanner12oz]

the wv table games bill passed sunday....construction has already begun

[ddthetide]

Originally Posted by Zippy Chippy

Isn't there a way to bypass the legislature by doing a ballot initiative? If the people of Maryland could get a slots proposal on the ballot, wouldn't it take all the "annapolis knuckleheads" out of the equation?

it's just not a big enough issue here until it's gone. no one pays any attention to it until there is some type of vote in annapolis. both tracks are in the baltimore county area and most the big horse farms to the northeast of Baltimore county going towards delaware have been sold off and developed. even carrol county and most of southern md farms are gone. the land is worth just sick amounts of money.
i live 1 minute from the old hagerstown track. it's been turned into a recreation area with softball and soccer fields.