Noted: March 28
– Never mind the nearly one million immigrant workers that make up two thirds of tiny, oil-rich Dubai’s population and “live in a Dickensian world of cramped labor camps, low pay and increasing desperation,” for racing fans like Vic Zast, Dubai is an oasis, a place where “life is effortless for the visitors who, at the wave of a hand, will get what they desire” and the lavish entertainment provided by its ruler is just “a reminder that horse racing is a reason for people to gather. It is not some drab accommodation for sitting through a dreary simulcast.”
– The impressive performances of Japanese thoroughbreds in the World Cup is just the latest sign that the Japanese breeding industry has come of age, writes Andrew Beyer. Now, it’s time to let go of the protectionist policies that have kept foreigners out of Japanese racing: “As Japanese horses continue to compete so successfully against the world’s best, it is hard to make the old argument that they are weaklings deserving protection from outside competition.”
– Do you have enough style for the Kentucky Derby? The Lexington Herald-Leader wants to know.
