Jimmie Says … Jamaica must note racing’s new global playbook

Within days of last week’s column, ‘More big-day racemeets necessary’, which highlighted the return of the Diamond Mile sponsored by the Jamaica Racing Commission, three major developments emerged in the United States — all aimed at transforming North American horse racing. Though not openly admitted, these moves are designed to shift racing from a niche pastime — ranked 44th among America’s top 50 sporting events — towards the mainstream appeal it enjoys in the United Kingdom, where horse racing sits eighth among the top 10 sports.