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• May 17, 2008 7:11 am US/Eastern
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  Slots & Racing Hard To Separate

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Slots & Racing Hard To Separate

BALTIMORE (WJZ) ― The Preakness Stakes is just hours away, and the future of Maryland's racing industry is now in the national spotlight.

Until November, the future of thoroughbred racing in Maryland and slots will be hard to separate.

But as Dennis Edwards reports, a recent change in the way the owner of Pimlico is approaching the issue may influence the outcome.

Parties were underway just after crews rushed to maintain a rain-drenched track to accommodate Black-Eyed Susan races Friday. The celebrations were in full effect.

But in the background there's a distant rumble in the air, the echo of November's vote on a constitutional amendment allowing slots at selected tracks.

That amendment is drawing less attention now that Pimlico owner Magna Entertainment appears to have stopped threatening to relocate Preakness.

"They're coming across as community oriented, Maryland oriented. The Preakness is gonna stay. We're not trying to leverage anybody," said Jim Smith, Baltimore County Executive.

More than 120,000 people will ascend on Pimlico this weekend. Pre-race parties, like one at Camden Yards, created a lighter, more joyful atmosphere throughout the night, but will the absence of a threat improve the referendum's chances?

"I think it will take an edge that was kind of a negative in the slots discussion, out of the picture," said Smith.

Although Magna is changing its approach, slots opponents say this will still be a tough contest in the fall.

Opponents of slots have noticed a more relaxed approach to an amendment that could pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the horse racing industry.

"It could go any way because it's about 35 percent of the people who are opposed to slots for any reason. And then you have the constitutional issue where people are learning about that more and more, and they are beginning to oppose the process," said Del. Pat McDonough.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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