To the editor:
Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, owner of the now-closed Suffolk Downs racetrack in Boston, would like to re-establish horse racing at the Great Barrington Fairgrounds. Senate bill S.101 and House bill H.13 would allow a license issued over 20 years ago to operate as permission for the return of racing to GBF. These bills favor industry in that they would eliminate opportunities for citizens or town officials to vote on whether re-establishment of horse racing is in the best interest of the Great Barrington community. Under S.101, the voice of the public would be heard at hearings only.
Issues of concern include traffic increases and environmental concerns as well as animal welfare neglect and abuse.
SSR was penalized by the EPA in 2012 for violating the Clean Water Act at the Boston racetrack. The Fairgrounds borders the Housatonic River and is in a floodplain. Waste and runoff from the proposed racetrack would threaten wetland areas as well as the floodplain.
Each year in the U.S., approximately 2,000 racehorses die each year. The Santa Anita deaths in California have recently been well-publicized in the news, but this is only one example out of many U.S. racetracks where deaths occur.
Unfortunately, training for racehorses usually begins at age 18 months, and they start racing at age 2, before their bones and joints are fully developed, often resulting in injuries and death.
Tragically, thousands of young but spent horses are shipped to Canadian and Mexican slaughterhouses to be consumed by people in countries where this is legal.
Please contact your legislators to let them know that bringing horse racing back to the Berkshires is a bad idea.
Wendy Hollis
Agawam
