Sal Sinatra, the new general manager of the Maryland Jockey Club, says he will announce a renovation to Pimlico Race Course and other marketing to draw more fans to the track ("Five Questions with new Maryland Jockey Club general manager Sal Sinatra," Feb. 6).
I have long been a fan of Maryland racing, and for much of my life I have lived within several miles of the Triple Crown's second jewel. There simply isn't enough racing, however, if Pimlico sits dormant except for the spring meet and the Preakness.
To stay competitive with tracks in Pennsylvania and New York, Pimlico needs to restore the summer and fall meets. Laurel is too far for many Baltimore residents, and the Timonium meet is just too short.
I was in New York and visited Belmont Park on a weekday in September. The weather was nice and the track had a nice sized crowd. There is no reason Pimlico can't be the same.
Larry Hankin