Caymanas needs a champion

Having pointed to a surge of developments in North American racing, including the formation of two super racing ‘leagues’ set to debut in 2027, as the United States seeks to “bring fans to a historic sport in a modern way through storytelling and social media … dramatic rivalries, high-stakes betting, and a championship that builds race-by-race”, the sudden allegiance of once-competing interests should be noted.

With the formation of the Thoroughbred Championship Series (TCS) for three-year-olds, featuring the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, Matt Winn Stakes, Jim Dandy Stakes, Travers Stakes and a Championship Race at Churchill Downs, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) have effectively circled the wagons against the state of Maryland. Maryland exercised first rights to the Preakness Stakes for US$85 million, matching an acquisition offer originally made by CDI.

Almost simultaneously, it was announced on Wednesday, July 29, that CDI would repurchase a 49 per cent stake in United Tote Company from NYRA Content Management Solutions, LLC, an NYRA subsidiary, restoring full ownership of United Tote to CDI.

According to horse-racing source Paulick Report, “CDI had originally sold the same 49 per cent interest to NYRA in April, 2024. Per the agreement, NYRA will continue to utilise United Tote for their racetrack and gaming-related pari-mutuel wagering systems through 2035.”

United Tote manufactures and operates pari-mutuel wagering systems, including totalisator services, for racetracks, off-track betting facilities (OTBs), and other wagering operators. The transaction was expected to close last Wednesday, August 5.

It should be noted that Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes, uses rival AmTote. However, both systems are compatible at an “industry level”, supporting the Inter Tote System Protocol (ITSP), a standard that allows “competing totalisator systems to commingle bets, share data feeds, and cross-cash pari-mutuel wagering pools across different tracks and networks”.

The Preakness Stakes, traditionally run in late May as the second leg of the United States Triple Crown after the Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May and before the Belmont Stakes in early June, has been squeezed out of the new six-race series. Strikingly, the new championship bears the acronym TCS, replacing the (T)riple (C)rown (S)eries of races.

How did Maryland find itself on the wrong side of North American racing’s two powerhouses, Kentucky-based CDI and New York state-owned NYRA?

Maryland Governor Wes Moore cited, among the reasons for acquiring rights to the Preakness Stakes and the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for US$85 million, the state’s determination to keep those races out of the hands of CDI, owner of the Kentucky Derby.

Among Maryland’s fears was that the races could have been moved out of state after it spent US$400 million on a complete teardown and rebuild of Pimlico, in addition to purchasing the shuttered Laurel Park for US$48.5 million to serve as a training centre.

Moore’s defence is anchored in “safeguarding an iconic event generating 10s of millions in annual tourism and economic activity for Baltimore and the wider state”, a defiant stance despite the Preakness being railroaded by CDI and NYRA, which will use their respective relationships with NBC and FOX television networks to help make the six-race TCS the next Formula 1.

Let’s swing over to Caymanas Park, which sits in the heart of Portmore, the Caribbean’s largest residential community. It is represented by three members of parliament: Fitz Jackson, Andrew Wheatley, and Alando Terrelonge. The latter two belong to the governing party, while Jackson sits on the Opposition benches.

When was the last time any of the three stood in Parliament and advocated for the socioeconomic importance of Caymanas Park to the wider Portmore area, particularly how some of the more than $750 million collected annually by the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Commission and the Jamaica Racing Commission could be returned to the industry, generating additional revenue for the Government?

Why has none of the three waded into the public debate surrounding Supreme Ventures Limited’s proposal to purchase the 196-acre plant from the Jamaican Government, alongside a 10-year, US$100-million (J$16-billion) upgrade programme?

Is it that the horse-racing industry, on which a large swathe of Portmore depends, is not worth taking to Parliament, especially in the interests of communities such as Independence City, Waterford, Portsmouth, Passage Fort, Old Passage Fort, Gregory Park, Christian Pen, Newland, Old Braeton, and the Bernard Lodge areas?

I guess Portmore needs a Wes Moore who, though his best intentions incurred the wrath of the racing ‘gods’ over the Preakness, will at least go down in history as having stood up for his state.