Reinventing Pennsylvania’s Racing Image Plan Out of the Gates

Horse racing — like any sport — can only thrive when its spectators believe that the action and results unfolding before them are pure and free of corruption. That hasn’t always been the case for Pennsylvania, but if a series of new measures designed to restore integrity and public faith in the Commonwealth’s horse racing industry are any indication, Pennsylvania could soon be a national case study in how to reinvent oneself and win over a new generation of racing fans.

That’s a big deal for a state whose equine industry creates 22,000-plus jobs and contributes more than $2 billion annually to the state’s economy.

“In any industry — and any company, for that matter — there are going to be people who don’t always play by the rules, but they are by no means the norm,” said Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association (PHRA) president Pete Peterson, referring to a series of scandals that unfolded within the state prior to 2017.