Saratoga Backstretch Article
 

How does this compare for the backstretch workers at other tracks?

Imagine that. An anti-horse racing piece from The Daily News.

Not really the point. If it's a problem, it's a problem.

I agree that conditions should be improved, but recongize that there's an agenda behind the piece and it has nothing to do with improved backstretch conditions.

Oh so there isn't a money-saving agenda from the other side?

So since there is an agenda should they just ignore it?

Lets not make this a black white thing.

Apparently, you missed the part where I agreed that backstretch conditions should be improved.

In this case, the message, however, is obscured by the messenger.

1. expose agenda
2. worry about conditions

You're a saint!

PopFly is an agenda thief...can't be trusted.

"Newspapers have agendas. They want bad news"

OMG!!

Well lets just disregard that article because those god-damned liberal newspapers have an agenda. We've got to keep the facade up that we're the greatest race track on earth and when you come here the fountain in the infield will make you at least two years younger.

OMG! Poor people have bad living conditions! This is shocking, thank you NY's Hometown Paper. Where would we be without these hard hitting articles. Please.

Yes, backstretch workers deserve cages don't they. This is a horse racing board. This has nothing to do about being poor.

Not at all where I was going, of course they don't. No more than anyone else does. That said, my comments were more about the revelation this article provides (none). This might not be common knowledge to anyone outside the sport but by the same token; landscapers in NJ, fruit pickers in CA and restaurant workers in Manhattan share very similar conditions. Hopefully this will not always be the case.

Publicizing these types of issues has done very little for inner city projects throughout the years. This is a similar type of circumstance, no? These are, in effect, public housing, which I am not sure if you have lived there but they are not well known for upkeep.

This is why it makes sense to do something about it. These are hard working good people.
I do agree, the issue is that history has shown that it is unlikely to happen as long as the state gov't is in charge. Not well known for sharing with the less fortunate under any circumstances, despite news coverage. I have never worked a backstretch, but did know a guy at MTH who said it was "OK", didn't get much into details honestly but he had no specific complaints.