Commentary

DAYTON–Our Fair City’s signature event for decades–Dayton Days–was scuttled by a number of circumstances beyond the control of local organizers following the 2010 meet, after running for 92 years.

A number of factors combined to pull funding for small “bush” tracks, as the local tracks in Dayton, Waitsburg and Walla Walla are known. Two of the biggest factors were insurance for jockeys and competition from other gambling sources.

For decades, Dayton Days and the other local race meets were not only the crown jewel in the community’s annual calendar, they were also one of the few places one could gamble without making the long drive or flight to the Land of Milk and Honey, Las Vegas, (or Lost Wages, as it is wryly known).

In the decades before the 1980s and 1990s, wagering on horse racing was about 40% of all gambling in the state. Then along came the lottery: scratch tickets and Lotto. Remember the first million dollar winner of the scratch tickets?

Over the years, the handle for Dayton Days and our neighbor, Days of Real Sport in Waitsburg, slowly eroded. Now its around 1 percent and around 80-90% is counted at casinos.

What the state giveth, it can also taketh away.

There is a bill in the House of Representatives currently that, if passed, would have the state givething again.

It is patterned after a similar measure passed in Texas. There, a percentage of all sales tax on horse-related things…horses, saddles, tack, feed, boarding, etc….was set aside to support equine organizations and programs in Texas. It’s a success.

The same idea is being considered by the Legislature here. The Washington State Horse Racing Commissioner (WSHRC) is asking for $6 million of the estimated $50 million in sales tax collected across Washington’s 39 counties, to revitalize the horse-racing industry.

A portion would go to the WSHRC for operations, another 7½% would benefit the Thoroughbred Breeders. The remainder would essentially go back to those who choose to raise and race Thoroughbreds and Quarterhorses.

Estimates from the WSHRC indicate that Dayton Days could realize financial underpinnings around $55,000 a day to help put on horse racing again. Wouldn’t that be grand?

Thankfully, there’s enough equestrian activity in this community that the track and rail hasn’t been torn out, so Dayton is in a prime position to benefit, if this bill is passed and signed into law. (Fortunately, it has bipartisan support.)

Late word is that the bill may be heard in the Appropriations Committee, of which 16th District Representative Skyler Rude (R-Walla Walla) is a member. Lobbiests representing tribal interests are also active on the bill.

If racing comes back to eastern Washington’s “farm-club” tracks in Dayton, Waitsburg, Walla Walla and Tri-Cities, the horse-racing industry should prosper, be more competitive and draw more horses to the state’s top track, Emerald Downs, owned and operated by the Muckleshoot Tribe, with more horses in the “pipeline.” And that’s the general idea.