Breeding boom: Casino gaming has helped reverse decline in Nebraska-bred horses

Nebraska Thoroughbred Hall of Fame member David C. Anderson has been talking about retirement for years. The longtime trainer and breeder was looking forward to cutting back on his farm near Ashland, enjoying the grandkids and doing all the things retired people do.

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But when Nebraska voters legalized casino gambling in 2020, his outlook changed in a hurry.

“All of a sudden my phone started ringing,” Anderson recalled in 2021, “and I have a hard time saying no.”

After falling to an unsustainable low, the number of Nebraska-bred foals has rebounded in the years following voter approval of casinos at licensed race tracks.