Slots May Join Juleps And Hats And Ky. Race Tracks

BRUCE SCHREINER

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Splurging on a hunch, Kerry Chapman put down $20 across-the-board on Market At Midday, a sleek thoroughbred running in the day's final race at Churchill Downs.

The high school teacher felt exhilarated when his pick thundered across the finish line as a winner — a feeling he's never had playing slot machines, a game he shrugs off as boring.

Yet count Chapman among those who support a push by lawmakers to add the glitzy contraptions to the historic home of the Kentucky Derby. Although showy celebrities and cigar-chomping fans swarm on the first Saturday in May, only sparse crowds show up many other days.

Many racing advocates believe slots could reinvigorate a struggling sport. The financial windfall would enrich race purses — which would lure more horsemen looking for hefty paydays. The final decision lies with the Kentucky Senate — where it's proving to be a tough sell.

"If slots are the answer, then they need to do it," Chapman said shortly before the small crowd headed for the exits after a day of racing on a sun-splashed Thursday afternoon.