By BROCK VERGAKIS
Associated Press
NEW KENT, Va. (AP) – In the state where famed Triple Crown winner Secretariat was born, off-track betting parlors in Virginia that would ordinarily be packed with gamblers watching California Chrome try to match Secretariat’s feat Saturday will likely be closed or almost empty.
A dispute between horsemen and the state’s only thoroughbred race track over the future of horse racing in Virginia has closed betting on thoroughbred racing across the state.
The only way to bet on California Chrome in Virginia is online, a process many of the industry’s predominantly older fans don’t feel comfortable embracing.
The problem at Colonial Downs are mirrored at race tracks around the country, where the costs of running live races often exceed the amount made by the wagering that takes place on them.
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