Having established that more than $500 million of racing revenue, money generated from betting on live racing at Caymanas Park and races beamed from overseas, was pumped into government coffers for 2022-2023 as fixed percentages of every dollar wagered, it is rather mind-boggling that the various groups clamouring for a purse increase from promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), seemingly, have no interest in what is a perennial drawdown from their equity.

In case this missed some horsemen, for 2022-23, the Jamaica Racing Commission ($191 million), CHASE Fund ($16.4 million), and the BGLC ($57 million) collected millions from the racing industry, plus unclaimed winnings of $105 million.

Even if one wants to separate $174 million in taxes, which went to the Consolidated Fund, what is being done with the US$330,000 that SVREL pays annually to Caymanas Track Limited for lease of the racing plant, which, the same groups will declare from atop the rafters as being in a deplorable state?