Is Belmont Stakes Being Canceled?
The
state of New York might be
rethinking their plan to offer the New York Racing Association
the ability to keep running the state’s tracks. The NYRA was
having massive monetary problems and the state decided to allow
them to continue running the industry instead of bringing
someone else in. However, now they are threatening cancelling
the Belmont Stakes if they don’t get slot machines.
They say
that they are having a difficult time getting the slot machines
in at Aqueduct, one of the tracks that they run. They say that
if they are unable to get slot machines that they might have to
cancel the race as they won’t be able to financially afford it.
Many see this as what it really is, which is simply blackmail to
get what they want.
According to Charles Hayward, the race may not be able to go on
as planned as they cannot compete with the tracks that already
have slot machines, thus making it impossible for them to offer
the race – which is the third leg of the Triple Crown and has
been for the past 104 years.
But then Hayward backed off saying that they had every
intention of offering the race with or without slot machines,
but said it in a way that let people know that they could really
be facing a shortfall of races if they don’t get their slot
machines. Experts say that the race brings in so much money for
the track that with or without slot machines they will run it
just for the revenue that it will bring in.
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