‘I was not even asked to use the racetrack gate’- Ms Lake
Ms. Lake, who used her own money to purchase the racetrack starting gate in 2016, told Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) in an exclusive interview that she first got a call from a horseman in St. Thomas and was told “the rumour is, I was not allowing the organizers for the boxing day races to use the starting gate, therefore they will have to send up the St. Thomas gate,” she said.
Not true - Ms Lake
Ms Lake further revealed that up to now, “no one has requested or approached me on the use of the gate for the December 26, 2018 races, so the allegations are false and political.”
Ms Lake said the gate may have been damaged, as they were flipped on the side during Hurricane Irma and Maria. And she revealed that it was moved from the adjacent to the running surface and placed closer to the stables for safe keeping.
The Businesswomen also mentioned that if “I was asked to use the gate, I would have granted permission, as all it would have taken was the respect for them to ask.”
Ms Lake committed to horse racing
Ms Lake noted that the untruthful information circulating on social media is just that, “misleading and not true, while others involved in its dissemination have political motives”, she told VINO today December 25, 2018.
Ms Lake said she has always supported horse races in the Territory for years.
Current President of the BVI Horse Owners Association, Lesmore Smith, said he is "not aware of any controversy over the gate."
The Boxing Day races are scheduled for Wednesday, December 26, 2018, at Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay, with post time of 2:00 PM.
There are five races with a purse of $5000.00 for each race.
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22 Responses to “‘I was not even asked to use the racetrack gate’- Ms Lake”
My thoughts exactly. Was it donated or was it not? And if it was donated, then it belongs to the track. If it wasn’t donated, then what was the arrangement with the sweet little petty old lady? If it’s hers she needs to haul it One Stop Mall and use it there.
So you bought the starting gates to hold the association hostage so they must 'ask your permission' each race, or you 'donated' the gates to the association for their use during horse race events? Which is it?
The 5th district candidate I know, he has served the people well in his role over traffic with integrity and innovation, so it isn’t a hard question whether or not it’s her over us. He is his own man. I applaud him for trying to continue to serve on a higher level. What patsy and her gate got to do with him?