The Colorado horse and dog racing industry is hoping to lure more families to the tracks the summer, facing an aging population of fans and competition from both mountain casinos and online gambling.
I like racetracks, and I feel bad that casinos are killing them off. But taking kids to them? When I used to visit racetracks, I wondered, "How many of these patrons donated blood to pay for the trifecta wager?" It was a rough crowd. One night, my brother and I were attending the races with my girlfriend. She was getting ready and holding us up. My brother said, "Let's go. The place is a dump. If you look good, you get mugged. You smell good, you get raped." He was right. It was a great place for young men to hang out, but not a place for ladies and children.
