Personally I think the solution to the problem is to close dozens of smaller tracks around the country and prepare for the age of the internet and online gaming.

We only need a handful of tracks around the country. They should all be located in the major markets and active only when live attendence has at least some hope of making the venture make economic sense vs. other potential uses for the property.

For example: NY should have Belmont and Saratoga and no winter racing. Aqueduct's property should be sold. The place and the racing is a horror show. There are at least a million better economic uses for that property.

Only a handful of tracks around the country should be operating at any given time.

Eventually the quality of video via internet and betting online will be so high that anyone that is just into the gambling aspect of horseracing and not the "day out" aspect will have no reason to go to the track. Hell, I don't have a reason now.

The only stumbling block is dividing up the pie, but I'm sure that could be worked out over time.

IMO, this would make the industry so profitable the take could be lowered, the facilities improved, and the jocks and workers taken care of properly.