Angelos prepared to save Preakness..

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by phystech

Are you familiar with Pete's attempt to buy Rosecroft Raceway in an attempt to save harness racing?

To be more precise, since Pete is prohibited from owning a gambling enterprise since he's a MLB team owner, the attempted Rosecroft purchase was done through his son.

Yes.

Why is this relevent.....and what was wrong with that anyway?

[phystech]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

Yes.

Why is this relevent.....and what was wrong with that anyway?

If you are familiar with it then you answered your own question.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by phystech

If you are familiar with it then you answered your own question.

I am extraordinarily familiar with it. What I would like is you to explain, since you seem to have a problem with Peter Angelos, yet every time I ask you to elaborate you refuse to.

It's only fair.

In my opinion, it would be great for Maryland racing if the Angelos family was involved.

[phystech]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I am extraordinarily familiar with it. What I would like is you to explain, since you seem to have a problem with Peter Angelos, yet every time I ask you to elaborate you refuse to.

It's only fair.

In my opinion, it would be great for Maryland racing if the Angelos family was involved.

In what way are you so familiar with it?

Most of my knowledge comes from the media, with a sprinkling of info from a member of Rosecroft's racing community.

Essentially, my understanding is that "the family" made pronouncements that they wanted the track regardless of getting slots. Then when it became more obvious that the PG pols didn't want Rosecroft included as a slots site, there was a very quick withdrawal.

If that's wrong, please correct my bad information.

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by phystech

In what way are you so familiar with it?

Most of my knowledge comes from the media, with a sprinkling of info from a member of Rosecroft's racing community.

Essentially, my understanding is that "the family" made pronouncements that they wanted the track regardless of getting slots. Then when it became more obvious that the PG pols didn't want Rosecroft included as a slots site, there was a very quick withdrawal.

If that's wrong, please correct my bad information.

I don't remember the public announcements so I can't comment.

To be fair, they are close friends of mine. But, I wouldn't defend their involvement unless I also felt it was a very positive thing.

[phystech]

Do you think they will become involved in MD racing if they can't get slots at the tracks?

[blackthroatedwind]

Originally Posted by phystech

Do you think they will become involved in MD racing if they can't get slots at the tracks?

I wouldn't want my personal opinions to be misconstrued as something other than that.

I think you and I are different in that you said you are a conspiracy theorist and I'm not.

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I am extraordinarily familiar with it. What I would like is you to explain, since you seem to have a problem with Peter Angelos, yet every time I ask you to elaborate you refuse to.

It's only fair.

In my opinion, it would be great for Maryland racing if the Angelos family was involved.

Anyone who is willing to involve themselves in MD racing is a positive IMO. The fact is, no one can run it much worse than Magna has, and the circumstances may not be as trying as they have been the last decade or so if slot money becomes involved. A smart, focused group or owner can do things right down there with better competitive circumstances coming in to play.

[phystech]

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

I think you and I are different in that you said you are a conspiracy theorist and I'm not.

Only for the sake of opinions and discussion....

Any chance that you can get some O's tix in one of the suites for me?

[phystech]

Originally Posted by Suffolk Shippers

Anyone who is willing to involve themselves in MD racing is a positive IMO. The fact is, no one can run it much worse than Magna has, and the circumstances may not be as trying as they have been the last decade or so if slot money becomes involved. A smart, focused group or owner can do things right down there with better competitive circumstances coming in to play.

It wasn't too long ago that most of us owning horses in Maryland said the exact same thing when we heard Magna was buying out Joe.

"Geez, no one can screw things up worse than Joe has." Well, we were wrong.

IMO, it's is going to take a true lover of horse racing and a person with real deep pockets to get involved. If their goal is to make their money by using racing as a tool to get slots, then we'll remain in big trouble.

If, and that's a big if, slots in MD ever get up and running, a racetrack owner who knows how to run the business can prosper from racing in MD. Slots revenue will help the purses. Grants from slots revenue will be in place to help fund facility renewals.

It is also going to take some willingness on behalf of the horsemen to work with the track owner on developing a new business plan so that we all can prosper.

So, you are smack dead on that the pieces of the puzzle are sitting there and it is going to take a smart and focused individual or group to put those pieces together. It can work!!

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by phystech

Only for the sake of opinions and discussion....

Any chance that you can get some O's tix in one of the suites for me?

Please he doesn't even get free parking..

[Suffolk Shippers]

Originally Posted by phystech

It wasn't too long ago that most of us owning horses in Maryland said the exact same thing when we heard Magna was buying out Joe.

"Geez, no one can screw things up worse than Joe has." Well, we were wrong.

IMO, it's is going to take a true lover of horse racing and a person with real deep pockets to get involved. If their goal is to make their money by using racing as a tool to get slots, then we'll remain in big trouble.

If, and that's a big if, slots in MD ever get up and running, a racetrack owner who knows how to run the business can prosper from racing in MD. Slots revenue will help the purses. Grants from slots revenue will be in place to help fund facility renewals.

It is also going to take some willingness on behalf of the horsemen to work with the track owner on developing a new business plan so that we all can prosper.

So, you are smack dead on that the pieces of the puzzle are sitting there and it is going to take a smart and focused individual or group to put those pieces together. It can work!!

I hope it does work. I usually am down there for a week or so a year and always a make a point to get over to whatever track is open. I was at Pimlico last May (post Preakness) and it's tough to see how far back PIM has slid back and how the overall attitude on track was pretty depressed.

Personally, I had a decent day at the windows, spent the afternoon out on the apron boxes drinking cold ones, but you could tell the overall attitude was damp across the board. Hard to blame folks.