Lesmore Smith, the President of the Virgin Islands Horse Owners' Association called in on a local sports talk show, for help for horse owners to feed their horses to keep the sport alive. However, he said it was not always a government issue as currently the horse owners do not pay any water or light bill at Ellis Thomas Downs. Photo: VINO/File

Ellis Thomas Downs is a government owned facility, and Lesmore Smith said lack of cooperation and limited horses are affecting the sport. He encouraged persons to get involved by purchasing horses to keep the sport alive. Smith also said all the horses do not have to be class 'A' horses. He told the radio listeners that he purchased his prize horse Good Prospecting for only five thousand dollars and has won over sixty thousand dollars off the horse. Photo:VINO/File

Mr. Smith was at the time a caller to the weekly show ‘sports talk’ hosted by Roy ‘Pico’ Pickering aired Saturday, September 15, 2012 on a local radio station. 

The President was at the time also responding to an earlier caller about the next date for horse races at Ellis Thomas Downs, in Sea Cows Bay. Mr. Smith said he was hoping to have a race on September 30, 2012, however, because of the limited horses and cooperation by some horse owners this has affected those plans.

Smith however did not elaborate on the areas of lack of cooperation, but said he will not give up on the sport and will do all he can to keep it alive and prevent it from going to nought.

Help for Horse Owners not always a government issue

In an unusual move, President Smith said on the radio sports show that while he is calling for creative ways to help the horse owners to feed their horses, everything cannot be a government issue. 

Mr. Smith also said that besides the help for the horse owners it’s important for them to love the sport, and “have a self interest in it”...they have to “want it” he told the radio listeners.

He announced that currently, the horse owners using the stables at Ellis Thomas Downs, “do not pay any water, or light bills…and when the horse owners win their purse they do not give government any money out of it”.   It remains unclear the point Mr. Smith was trying to make after calling for help for the horse owners to keep the sports alive.

Mr. Smith called again for pari-mutuel wagering which is a legalised form of betting and also for a Horse Racing Commission. He said currently, the horse owners must depend on the gate to pay the purses. Both Mr. Smith and the sports talk show radio host Mr. Pickering asked after over 14 years “where do we go from here?.” 

Good Prospecting loves Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack

Mr. Smith told the talk show, that he called on interested persons to purchase race horses to help keep the sport alive.  He said, “you all do not have to purchase a class ‘A’ horse, for me I purchased Good Prospecting for five thousand dollars ($5000.00) and have made over sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) off him” he said bluntly!

When asked, if he had found out what was the problem with Good Prospecting in terms of his poor performances at times, Mr. Smith said, “yes”  and that he had found a good supplement for the horse. 

Mr. Smith also admitted that Good Prospecting loves the Clinton E. Phipps Racetrack in St. Thomas because it’s bigger and he can stretch himself out on that race track.   Good Prospecting won the last feature race in St. Thomas on September 9, 2012.