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Smarty Jones Good for Gambling Industry

31 May 2004

UNITED STATES -- As reported by the (Biloxi) Sun Herald: "Whenever there's a popular horse like Smarty Jones making a run for the Triple Crown, it's good news for the gambling industry. But Smarty could shake things up beyond the off-track betting parlors and sports books.

"…Democrats in Pennsylvania hope to parlay Smarty's popularity into legalizing slot machines at the state's racetracks.

"…The Legislature couldn't pass a racino bill last year. Now that Smarty has renewed interest in horse racing, the bill may have an easier time, because racetrack slots are seen as crucial to keeping the sport of kings alive.

"…If Pennsylvania allows racinos, Penn National Gaming is poised to be one of the big winners. The company owns two racetracks in the state and already operates a racetrack/casino in neighboring West Virginia.

"Good news for Penn National could also be good news for Mississippi. The company owns Boomtown Casino Biloxi and Casino Magic Bay St. Louis, and Penn National CEO Peter Carlino has said he would like to own more casinos in the state. Getting a new source of revenue in heavily populated Pennsylvania could lead to improvements at the two Coast casinos or more Penn National casinos in Mississippi.

"…If Smarty Jones wins the Belmont on Saturday and becomes the first Triple Crown winner since 1978, that would boost the sport's profile even more

"…It's a long shot, but a Smarty win could even lead to OTBs inside Mississippi casinos…"

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