Family Foundation wants historic horse racing gambling struck down

Kentucky’s Family Foundation is asking the State Supreme Court to decide whether betting on historical horse racing is legal at racetracks in the Commonwealth—including one slated to be constructed next year in Oak Grove.

Martin Cothran of the Family Foundation says in a news release, “The unelected Horse Racing Commission has facilitated an unprecedented expansion of gambling in Kentucky without a law change — not a single vote from the people or from their duly-elected representatives. This surely demonstrates the lengths to which the gambling industry will go to manipulate and corrupt government to have their way.”

He contends previous court decisions would not have been in favor of historic race gambling, had they been fully aware that the historic racing would operate much like casino gaming at places like Kentucky Downs in Franklin.

Cothran says, “The continuing institutional, societal, moral and cultural damage caused by an unelected Kentucky Horse Racing Commission working in common interest with the race tracks must be stopped now.”