Isle Of Capri Pompano Park showcasing the horse

We often complain that today’s racetracks, many now owned and managed by casino companies, ignore racing altogether.

 

They appear to view racing as simply the ticket to alternative gaming, the price of admission. Recently we were in the audience at a card of live racing at Florida’s Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park.

 

The place was packed with enthusiastic racing fans outside, on a balmy South Florida evening, and also inside in the simulcasting and gaming areas. The track seemingly understands the dynamic, and is willing to say so. See the examples of permanent and live racing night signage on the property, via billboards on heavily trafficked I95, atop taxi cabs throughout Broward County and with new television commericals dedicated to horse racing.

 

Also of note to me is the use of the word “Horse” to describe the action. Absent thankfully is the word harness, for after all we race live horses, not harnesses (perhaps electrical) or sulkies.

 

Whether Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, French trotteur, Russian Orlov or Norwegian coldbloods it’s the horse that makes the sport go, it’s the horse that we breed, raise, develop, generate revenue with and honor for their accomplishments. It’s the horse that earns whatever media coverage exists and the best of them set the standard that all involved seek to duplicate and/or advance.