Soccer Dad

Horses fleeing maryland

Two years ago The Washingtonn Post recently ran a story "Making Hay in a Horse-Based Economy." At the time I observed that the subtext of the article was that slots were not essential to the survival of Maryland's horse industry (the Washington Post editorially opposes slots) and that it ignored the possibility that once purses in other states grew, it would draw all horse breeders out of the state.

Yesterday the Baltimore Sun reported that Md. not holding its race horses

It's been a lonely year for the studs on Maryland horse farms.

The state's breeding operations, which have traditionally helped keep Maryland racing in a class above its neighbors, have seen a rapid drop-off since Pennsylvania began heavily subsidizing its racing industry through slot machine proceeds this year.

As higher purses lure better horses to neighboring states, Maryland breeders worry that one of the financial underpinnings of the horse industry - as well as a distinctive feature of the state's identity - may be on shaky ground.

Some Maryland breeders are even considering moving north.

I am uncertain how I feel about slots. But this news story confirms my suspicions and then-Governor Ehrlich's fears. He argued that the horse farms would suffer and leave unless Maryland could compete with the purses offered at racing venues in neighboring states.

While the Sun article differentiates between racing and recreational riding, I doubt that the difference is significant. If there's money in raising horses in Maryland horse breeders will stay, if not they'll move on. Recreational riding is almost certainly an outgrowth of the racing industry.

horse racing, maryland.

Posted by SoccerDad at September 18, 2007 7:32 AM