Like many of you, I was disappointed in the content and tone of the guest essay on horse racing published in the New York Times two weeks ago. And while it was an opinion piece, the author presented a very one-sided view with facts selected to back up his preconceived narrative.

In response, I sent a letter to the editor which was published this past Saturday online and Sunday in the print edition. You can find a copy of my letter below:

To the Editor:

Mr. Shachtman’s essay about horse racing gave short shrift to the sport’s upside, including its positive economic impact. Thoroughbred racing in the United States, according to 2023 data collected by the American Horse Council, has an annual economic impact of $37 billion.

It supports 491,000 jobs, thousands of farms and related businesses. Protecting those jobs and reinvesting in racing is no different than measures that states take to support other sports and businesses that are important to local economies and cultures.

New York State’s relationship with the New York Racing Association allowed the state to take ownership of 900 acres of valuable property and for the expansion of the Resorts World casino at Aqueduct, the state’s largest taxpayer, generating more than $4 billion in revenue for the state’s public education fund, a fact that Mr. Shachtman did not mention.

His essay also discounted racing’s safety record and its popularity. The sport has never been safer, with 2024 producing the lowest rate of fatal injury since the data have been kept. And, while the sport may not have the standing it did in the days of Seabiscuit, when the gates open for the 2025 Kentucky Derby, that event will attract 150,000 attendees and more television viewers than any single game of the World Series, the N.B.A. finals or the Stanley Cup.

Tom Rooney
Washington

My original version was about twice as long with additional content on the virtues of our sport and the hard-working people who are its primary stakeholders, but the Times requires letters to be less than 250 words.

Many state capitols have recognized racing’s value to their cultures and economies, as have many members of Congress. We will continue to work to ensure that they continue to appreciate our sport’s many contributions.

Thank you,

Tom