Prelude to a Funeral

It’s a big enough disgrace to merit the immediate removal of the state of Maryland from the union.

Saturday, at a little past 6:00 p.m., Pimlico Racecourse allowed Barbaro to race after he broke through the gate without even glancing at him to see if he were all right solely to protect millions of dollars invested in this race that would have to be refunded if Barbaro was scratched. If this were any other race, they would have made sure the horse was still fit to run. But in order to save their business, they cleared the horse without examination.And I will not stand for it.

Pimlico has been strapped for cash for years now. When Delaware and later West Virginia and more recently Pennsylvania added slot machines, owners and breeders took their business out of state to more lucrative tracks nearby. The tracks changed hands multiple times and Pimlico became capable of being called a national disaster area.

Then more horsemen left until now where Maryland racing loses money 363 days a year, breaking even on Christmas when there is no racing or simulcasting, and making enough to cover costs on Preakness day.

In order to try to compete with the once obviously inferior competition that has equaled and surpassed Maryland in barely a decade, Governor Robert Ehrlich has dedicated his term to trying to get slot machines placed at the existing and new race tracks in the state, which would also provide a great revenue source for the state.

And considering what Pimlico did today, I think that the he should stop.

First, millions of people watched and wagered on the Preakness expecting their bet to have a fair chance of winning. They expect that if the horse is obviously injured, the stewards or the trainer will scratch the horse. They expect that in the event that their horse runs through a gate that requires nearly a ton of force to open, he or she will be sufficiently examined before being placed back in the gates. They expect to be refunded if the horse bangs its knee and ankle and is hobbling back to the gate.

Now, I’m no expert, but the second the horses left the gate I said, “This horse isn’t gonna win.” At the furlong poll the first time through I said, “They need to pull him up.”

If a horse makes no contact with another horse and has to be pulled up that quickly, something is wrong and should have been noticed before.

This should have.

But Pimlico cannot afford to lose money from refunded bets, so they’d rather screw over their customers.

Second, this could have been disastrous. Had Barbaro fallen, Jeremy Rose could have been paralyzed. Had Barbaro jerked around, he could have hurt other horses, not to mention other jockeys. Had Barbaro not been pulled up, we’d be talking tragedy.

Pimlico got lucky that the only thing that happened is that Barbaro had to be rushed to the equine hospital for a chance at saving his life. Pimlico should thank its lucky stars.

But as far as I’m concerned, Robert Ehrlich needs to look at what he’s doing and decide if there should even be a Pimlico.

In the past few years, there have been talks of moving the Preakness out of Maryland, a once unthinkable idea, and to a more suitable track. After today, I wouldn’t object.

Pimlico, on the third biggest day of the entire sport, has made a mockery of racing. Once the sport of kings, it has made it the sport of jokers. But deuces are never wild. Pimlico took a gamble by letting Barbaro race without any examination and it will pay for it.

Sure, it may have come out financially safe for another year, but now it has a tarnished image.

When I think of the Preakness, I will no longer think of Native Dancer vindicating his Derby performance by a head or Afleet Alex surviving unavoidable disaster; I will think of Barbaro being allowed to run when he shouldn’t have been. I’ll think about how lucky the track is and how unlucky investors are. Not because they’re investment didn’t win, but because there investment was fraudulent.

Pimlico should be ashamed; I hope someone else is smart enough to see that.