Can Saint Lucia’s New Track Outrace Caribbean Competition?

Pearl of the Caribbean is being built in the south of Saint Lucia. It is a project championed by the Chastanet government. The modern era of horse racing in Barbados began in 1982. Jamaica's racing industry has known some turbulence through its history. It was alleged that the Caymanas Park track was a hub of organised crime activity. Dennis Barth was shot dead at the park in 1978. He was killed in a shootout with police. St. Lucia's business community hopes the new track will boost tourism. Caribbean family’s experience with horse races has not been uniform.

The new race track in Saint Lucia is a new addition to the horse racing scene in the Caribbean. Martinique, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands have all had race tracks. The new track has a lot of momentum behind it.