'Body Is Willing But The Brain Is Dead'

Toby Gorman, part of the family which built and operated Quebec's now-defunct Connaught Park, has penned an opinion piece in which he explains why a day at the races is one of the best experiences going, and why that experience may soon be a thing of the past

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With tracks across Canada closing their doors or taking in a slight fraction of the subsidy-aided purses they offer their horsemen, Gorman states that today's punter wants quick action, something that the typical North America racetrack, he states, just doesn't offer at the current time.

"Nobody wants to hear those five words that get your heart pounding, hands sweating and voice cheering," Gorman wrote.

“'Down the stretch they come!'

"Best five words in sports as far as I’m concerned."

Gorman concludes his piece by saying, "Horse racing, standardbred or thoroughbred, is on life support, a victim of its own unwillingness or inability to adapt. The body is willing but the brain is dead.

"It’s only alive because of slot revenue."

To read the opinion piece in its entirety, click here.