Embrace the change

No one is denying the track has been in San Mateo for as long as we can remember. Most of us have attended at one time or another. Many can still remember the crowds it attracted 15, 20, 25 years ago. But we don't see those crowds now. It is unlikely we ever will again.

Racing is a fading sport in California, and the aging track is no longer what it once was. There may be a day or two when the stands are full, but those days are few and far between; the heyday of the 30s and 40s are long gone. Unless we bring in casinos and slot machines, purses will continue to shrink, jockeys will continue taking their horses elsewhere, and attendance will continue to decline. The draw simply isn't here anymore. It is time to make a change.

The Bay Meadows of yesterday will never be again; change is inevitable. We need to leave the past behind us and look forward to the future.

Geri Sullivan

San Mateo