Yes, there has been a positive vibe so far this week at the Lexington Sale, particularly after the first night, which somehow managed to top what was a phenomenally good opening night in 2014. But all they really did was put a band-aid on a hemorrhaging, gaping wound.

This is a sport that is swimming in money thanks to the bounty from slot machine gaming that is now far more important to harness racing’s health than pari-mutuel betting handle. Yet somehow the industry has decided to spend this money in a manner that makes no sense, has created a critical horse shortage and has left a very important segment of the industry, the breeders, fighting for survival.