Regardless of who owns the racetracks, the competitive forces in the region make it impossible if the playing field is not level, ... The problem for horsemen and breeders is that we're held hostage. Magna can cut expenses, but we can't.

We're not going to get everything we want and the track will not get everything it wants. There's going to be compromise.

It's very technical, but I think it is an argument over nothing. There are more important issues out there. But we know what was discussed and what was intended when we made the agreement. And what can't be debated is that Magna is proposing stopping racing here on Preakness day, and the agreement says racing must run through Belmont day 2006. That's three weeks out of the calendar. You can't argue with that fact.

In the first place, the chairman shouldn't be weighing in,

Maryland horsemen and breeders to pay for all of Magna's (business) failures, not only in Maryland but everywhere else. And they have been emboldened to do it here because they believe they have a compliant racing commission that will rubber stamp their plans.

We cannot allow Magna to dictate to this industry how racing should run in this state, ... This plan has set us back in Annapolis. It has not been well received, make no mistake about it.