Churchill May Cut Wednesdays

5/10/2009 10:13 PM  | courier-journal.com
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Churchill Downs is talking with a horsemen's group about the possibility of eliminating Wednesday racing at the track for the rest of the spring meeting because of problems finding enough horses to fill all the scheduled races.

Trainer Rick Hiles, president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, said tonight that he believes Churchill is heading toward a four-day race week instead of the current five.
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What the Nation is saying about Churchill May Cut Wednesdays...

What a huge mess this industry is in. If the major tracks like Churchill and Hollywood can't make a 5-day week work, then we've just contracted our business by 20%. This is serious. Remember, that every track is also an OTB. So this means that every track, OTB, ADW, whatever... will lose simulcasting business. It shows that this industry is all tied together. Slots and marginal racing states are doing nothing but hurting racing. Slots tracks like Presque Isle and Indiana Downs, that don't need to exist, are doing much more damage than good. And that's not to say that Charles Town and Prairie Meadows need to exist either. All this is serving to do is damage once solid racing centers of Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio and other states. Those that have whined for slots in MD, KY and OH are nothing but greedy tracks and horsemen that want slots, too... but now it is all coming to fruition.