The latest craze on the horizon of racing is arguing about money. There are discussions about simulcast signals and slot machine money that hasn’t been spent. The old song title of “Nothin’ from nothin’ leaves nothin” keeps coming to mind.

All players in the game that are horsemen should realize that tracks are a business just as they are. It only works in the best interest of the track to offer competitive purses that will attract more horses, and ultimately equate to more gambling. See how the trend works? Both parties have got to let go of the past and embrace the future. It does not matter about a deal that was cut twenty years ago. We are here now, and if we want to see the next day, we better get our game together.

As far as revenue from VLT’s, etc, once again, both have to come to the table with open hands. The tracks cannot offer small to nothing incentives, and the horsemen cannot ask for the entire pie. Both have to find middle ground where all benefit. I think a mediator is needed, who will bang the gavel, and a decision is made. Sometimes when parties cannot agree, there has to be an impartial party who gives an honest judgment.

So, before we split the invisible pie any further, we need to come together and get on the same team. Funny thing, what did we do years ago when there weren’t these issues to contend with?