The article, drawing from Jeffrey Mordecai’s “No Teamwork,” critiques the Jamaican horse-racing industry’s long-standing mismanagement under government control, which led to financial instability and declining viability. Despite a flourishing period from 1960 to 1992 marked by increased race meetings, horse populations, and profitability aided by digital betting platforms and a government levy scheme, the 1993 introduction of a complex claiming system—modeled after a failed U.S. approach—fractured the industry. This system created smaller, less competitive fields and guaranteed financial losses for promoters, contributing to the industry’s decline, a fate mirrored in Trinidad & Tobago’s similar experience.

Mordecai and the article’s author argue that the transition to private management under SVL/SVREL, emphasizing fiscal prudence and profitability without government bailouts, is necessary for survival. However, they stress that true recovery requires collective teamwork and a fundamental restructuring of the racing product, particularly through proper classification of horses, rather than reliance on flawed claiming conditions. Without such reforms, the industry risks further decline despite Jamaica’s economic growth and historical success in horse racing.