Just a Few Saratoga Summers Ago (885 Views)

On a spectacular afternoon in Uncle Bill's backyard spot, FrankD and TGAB (Alan) started a conversation about how in 10 to 15 years it was possible there would be no more horse racing in the US. I told them they were crazy and nuts. Granted there was probably about 17 Bud Light cans scattered around my chair by that point. But Still I told them that there would always be Saratoga, and Keeneland, and the Derby.

This was before the SA problems with deaths and PETA. This was before Covid and field size took another huge drop. This was about 4 to 5 years ago. Certainly racing at the time was stagnant in year to year handle and field size and foal crops were declining but it didn't seem possible there could be no racing.

. . .

Fast forward to today's entries at Santa Anita and one has to wonder how long before racing in California is long gone. I never would have thought the game could be in such trouble especially out there. But this is where we are. The woke folks, PETA, this younger generation, and the direction of our world, one has to wonder.... I hope I am right still and those two were wrong, but I'm beginning to wonder if they had it figured out that our Saratoga backyard days, trips to the Keeneland and the Derby and the like would just be memories for all of us.