By most accounts, horse racing is on life support with decreasing attendance and tracks closing. In California, two tracks have closed or will be closing. Bay Meadows in San Mateo closed in 2008 and Hollywood Park will be closing in 2014. More will likely follow.
Capacity at Hollywood Park is about 80,000, yet recent attendance peaked at closer to 3,000. Attendance is down at tracks across the country. Many tracks are boosting their returns by becoming racinos, a marriage of racetracks and casinos. The infusion of new revenue has allowed purse money to be paid to even last-place finishers. So far, the introduction of casino-type gambling to prop up California's fading racetracks has been stymied by Indian gaming interests — but for how long?
According to a New York Times investigative report, an average of 24 horses die each week at tracks across the United States, many drugged to increase their performance and mask their pain. California had the highest rate of incidents in racing and training of any state, with 635 horses dying during the three-year study. California is touted as having the best testing for drugs in the United States, yet Dr. Rick Arthur, equine medical director of the California Horse Racing Board, has been quoted as saying, "If the public knew how many medications these horses were administered after entry time, I don't think they would tolerate it."
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