I want to express my concerns over the apparent efforts by the groups who failed to defeat House Bill 1609 concerning Historical Horse Racing in Virginia in the General Assembly this year by using overly strict regulations after the fact to achieve their desired result.

These groups are using Governor Ralph Northam's directive to use "reasonable limitations on the proliferation of gaming" in Virginia to attempt to hamstring Revolutionary Racing, the new owners of Colonial Downs, from succeeding in bringing live horse racing back to the Commonwealth.

The Governor's own use of the term "proliferation" has a negative connotation that gives these groups a foundation to undermine the rebirth of live racing in Virginia.

There is probably a reasonable number of Historical Horse Racing machines that should be allowed at Colonial Downs and its OTBs, but that number should definitely be fluid as both ventures ramp up. There should be no hard and fast limitations on the number of Historical Horse Racing machines, either at Colonial Downs or the OTBs, until figures indicate how these machines are helping the cash flow towards longer and higher quality Thoroughbred and Standardbred meets at the New Kent track.

The opponents of Historical Horse Racing machines also seem to want to require new referenda in the jurisdictions that previously approved OTBs. This is nothing more than a desire to get a second chance at defeating a process already approved by the voters in those localities.

It seems odd that the same groups that oppose Historical Horse Racing machines on moral, religious, and paternalistic grounds are basically silent on the huge expansion of the State Lottery, from a small operation to multi-state lotteries and $30.00 dollar scratch-off tickets.

I ask that the Virginia Racing Commission will find a happy median point that will help finance the recovery of live horse racing in Virginia while not negatively affecting the quality of life in any of the communities Revolutionary Racing will serve.