everything decent should move out of bloodymore and let the rest fend for themselves.
Preakness leaving Pimlico?
- Thread starter 54rndball
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- Dec 22, 2009
- 4,759
If they ended all the taxpayer subsidies to the industry and let the free market rule, horse racing would have went the way of the covered wagon a long time ago........having been to both, I do not find the experience at either Laurel or Pimlico very enjoyable...........
Second Amendment
Ultimate Member
- May 11, 2011
- 8,665
I've never gotten it. What a thrill it is to watch a pack of horse meat with midgets mounted on them run around a dirt track. Then after it's over you get to cry about losing your bet.
Horse racing, the horse farms in Baltimore County and Pimlico are all intertwined. The big horse farms are mostly out of state now, having started their exodus way back in the 70's. Folks sold their horse farms to developers.
Timonium racing was a place for average Joe's with a hope and a dream to bring their not-quite-thoroughbreds to compete. Timonium was a training ground for jockeys, trainers and horse owners. As interest in the sport declined, so did Timonium.
Pimlico is still considered the only "real" racetrack in Maryland. Unfortunately, the value of horses that race there exceed the value of the track itself. It is not unusual for breeders and trainers to hire their own horsemen (euphemism for security personnel) when they bring a horse at a Maryland race track. I think that Belmont has similar problems.
Kentucky is where folks serious about racing have moved. The talent (trainers, jockeys, real horsemen and women) have long since moved to Kentucky.
Timonium racing was a place for average Joe's with a hope and a dream to bring their not-quite-thoroughbreds to compete. Timonium was a training ground for jockeys, trainers and horse owners. As interest in the sport declined, so did Timonium.
Pimlico is still considered the only "real" racetrack in Maryland. Unfortunately, the value of horses that race there exceed the value of the track itself. It is not unusual for breeders and trainers to hire their own horsemen (euphemism for security personnel) when they bring a horse at a Maryland race track. I think that Belmont has similar problems.
Kentucky is where folks serious about racing have moved. The talent (trainers, jockeys, real horsemen and women) have long since moved to Kentucky.
- Dec 22, 2009
- 4,759
All it takes is for the owners of Pimlico to decide it is time to pull the plug and put the shutters on it....GA would be forced to act.....land could be developed into some flammable retail space for future looting excursions........
aquaman
Ultimate Member
I think its time to pull the plug on Baltimore. 2/3rds of the city is a wasteland.
Second Amendment
Ultimate Member
- May 11, 2011
- 8,665
HarCo2ANewb
Subibro
This sounds like a ploy to get the city to pay for improvements just like an NFL team that wants a new stadium.
- Dec 22, 2009
- 4,759
Well why not.....if the taxpayers can foot the bill for something that gets used 8 times a year why not force the taxpayers to toss money at something that gets used once a year.......
Maryland State Gov't pumped hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies to update facilities and increase the purse at Pimlico and Laurel during the 90's and until about 10 years ago when they stopped.
The race tracks don't employ enough folks or bring in enough business to Maryland to justify these subsidies. Go to the track at Laurel or Pimlico on any weekday when they are racing. The grandstands and betting areas are empty. Folks just don't go to the track to gamble anymore.
If the tracks could bring in Preakness crowds 6 to 8 times a year, the subsidies would return.
- Dec 22, 2009
- 4,759
The problem is that the time between races it is boring as hell. When I used to go to the track I pretty much had my races handicapped that morning, just needing the late scratches...the 3-4 minutes of a race are pretty exciting....the rest of the time not so much....
The Baltimore Jewish community would love for the Preakness to be moved to Laurel. The Preakness is infamous for spawning drunk drivers, and that's never a good thing with a whole bunch of Orthodox Jews walking about to/from shul on Saturday/Shabbos, and driving back Saturday night.
But I tend to agree with cantstop: horse racing is dying as a sport, and the race tracks are taking up a lot of room that could be put to far more productive use.
But I tend to agree with cantstop: horse racing is dying as a sport, and the race tracks are taking up a lot of room that could be put to far more productive use.
I believe it was in the Washington comPost last week in Andrew Beyer's column (he's pretty much the only one there who writes about horse racing) where he stated that structural engineers had determined a few years ago that all of the buildings at Pimlico were too old and frail to withstand any sort of refurbishing and that a total tear-down and rebuild would be needed. Also, if you look at the available land for future expansion, Laurel has way more acreage to build upon. And the transportation issue, Laurel is by far easier to get to and from for those not local.
In my opinion it's only a matter of time before the Preakness is moved. Tradition and the "old boy network" are what's keeping it in Baltimore.
I'd love to provide a link to the column but I'm posting from my phone right now.
In my opinion it's only a matter of time before the Preakness is moved. Tradition and the "old boy network" are what's keeping it in Baltimore.
I'd love to provide a link to the column but I'm posting from my phone right now.
Rapture
Total Loser
I've owned racehorses for many years and attend the races often. Never used to run much on the MD circuit, except for the Stakes races (only a few times have I ever had a horse good enough to compete in those) since the purses were never good enough to justify it. Things have changed for the better over the past few years or so, slowly more breeders are coming back into the area. Things are much better than they were a few years ago, that's for sure. Pimlico is an historic track, the second oldest in the Country. In my opinion, the Preakness will never be moved. Because if the Preakness is ever moved, the Triple Crown would no longer be the Triple Crown. The most coveted prize and honor in horse racing, even moreso than the Breeders Cup.
Half-cocked
Senior Meatbag
- Mar 14, 2006
- 23,937
Maybe horse racing alone just isn't interesting enough.
What if we brought back jousting? It is supposed to be Maryland's official state sport, after all...
jtb81100
Ultimate Member
The chain I work for had me a mile or so from the track for almost a year. The demographics of the area vs the demographics of who goes to Preakness was hilarious. One of my coworkers put it best "None of you belong down here. Only a matter of time before one of ya gets hurt." That was a decade ago.
Half-cocked;3825990[B said:
Maybe, thoroughbreds are boring.........harness/chariot racing is more fun IMO. Awesome wrecks, they should be required to carry plastic explosives and 5 gal of gas.
Oh my. Have you ever watched the sport of competitive jousting? Folks on horseback spearing increasingly smaller circular rings for points. It's as boring as it sounds.
Well yeah, it is. I prefer the other form of jousting where they are trying to knock each other off of a horse with a blunted lance. THAT is one helluva show.
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