SOUTH CAROLINA (Queen City News) - While Churchill Downs gets a lot of attention for hosting the fastest two minutes in the game, there are facilities in North and South Carolina where a lot of young horses cut their teeth.
This is why South Carolina Representative Russell Ott has introduced bipartisan legislation to allow betting on horse racing in the Palmetto State.
“South Carolina has such a rich and diverse history when it comes to horses,” Ott said. "People from all over the country will send their horses to be trained here."
South Carolina's equine industry brings in $2 billion a year, but has seen a steady decline.
"There was a time when the Colonial Cup was dominant here in Camden," said trainer Arch Kingsley. "And that, unfortunately, lost its way because they couldn't support it through ticket sales alone."
“It’s more than just the people handling the horses,” said Queens Cup co-founder Bill Price. "You have the people who make the hay, the farmers who are making the hay, the people who bail the hay, the people who sell the hay, the people who build the hay. Then, you have the food, the barrier. Veterinarians."
Twenty-nine thousand jobs in South Carolina depend on the success of the industry. This is why Ott introduced the law.
“We got to get more horses into the state, and the consistent theme was, ultimately, generating revenue,” he said. "But we wanted to be able to go to the taxpayer and generate revenue without raising taxes."
Ten percent of the revenue generated from advanced deposit bets will be poured back into the industry. The bill is far from getting into the domestic stretch, but Bill Price said he'd like to see the same bill in North Carolina.
"If you expand the game to the equine side, it's a good deal for everyone," Price said.