‘We might have to do a march’ to get the horse track back- Judith E. Vanterpool
Mrs Vanterpool, Chief Operations Officer of One Mart Superstore, made this public plea on Monday, October 27, 2025, during a presentation of several cases of bottled water to Ebenezer Thomas Primary School by former Speaker Julian Willock.
She revealed that her father, Herman Christopher, was a dedicated horse trainer and owner.
As a child, she shared, her father, who worked on St Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), would come home on weekends. “When he would come, we would go to the racetrack right here.”
It hurts my heart
Mrs Vanterpool said it hurts her heart and pains her that there is no racetrack.
“So we might have to do a march, and Sea Cows Bay people would have to say, ‘Racetrack, racetrack, racetrack.’ Because people came from all over, and it was a pleasure to meet up with the whole community and with all my relatives again.”
Negotiations with the Thomas family have not been successful when they have been held, as the issue surrounding the land lease has been over the price and fair market value, and what the government is willing to pay.
The last race held on Ellis Thomas Downs was in August 2022.
In February 2025, Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), confirmed that efforts to resolve the impasse surrounding Ellis Thomas Downs continue to be unsuccessful, even though robust efforts to have discussions on something mutually beneficial were made.
Premier Wheatley also indicated then that with no immediate solution, alternative locations have been explored for a racetrack, with no suitable location having been found yet.
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38 Responses to “‘We might have to do a march’ to get the horse track back- Judith E. Vanterpool”
So much other important things to march for and is that you want to march from! Where iyo does find these ppl from buddy
When we vote out the VIP we will get our racetrack back
Anywho - this ain’t happening anymore. Go find private funds for this. We need roads, schools, adequate healthcare…
Not my money horse owners and supporters need to pay for the track if they want it
We are on the brink of ECONOMIC collapse and that's the best this woman could come up with...GOD help us!!!
the race track gone is why we are on the brick j@#k**s
She is right about the march it's our national sports