The wrong partner for Maryland racing

Maryland's horse industry had reason to worry when the sale of the Maryland Jockey Club — and with it the Laurel Park and Pimlico race tracks — was short-circuited so that MID, a new arm of Frank Stronach's Magna empire, could buy the properties from the bankrupt Magna Entertainment Corp. The pledges of a new vision for making horse racing viable rang hollow after the first incarnation of Magna failed to make good on the same promises. The announcement today that Penn National Gaming is entering a joint venture with MID to run the jockey club shouldn't come as much comfort; although Penn National started nearly 40 years ago as a thoroughbred track outside of Harrisburg, Pa., the company is now all about slots and table games, with horse racing a distinct afterthought.