Prince George's County lawmakers are considering legislation that would force Pimlico Race Course, home of the Preakness Stakes, to forfeit revenue from slot machines if it fails to return simulcast signals to bankrupt Rosecroft Raceway.

Maryland's horse racing tracks are set to receive millions of dollars in subsidies from slots revenue, once the state's five parlors are up and running.

The Prince George's County delegation is considering a bill that instead would divide that revenue among Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore. The proposition comes after Rosecroft closed July 1 because falling revenues the standardbred track blames on the thoroughbred industry.

"Right now [Del. Veronica Turner, D-Prince George's] intends to talk to other members of the Prince George's delegation -- all of them have expressed support -- to get them to use their influence with the governor," said Clyde White, spokesman for Turner, who represents Rosecroft's district.

Prince George's lawmakers have tossed up a number of ideas to support Rosecroft's revival -- and using their weight in the State House is just one.

"The decision makers [from the thoroughbred industry] tend to forget that Prince George's has 23 members in the House and seven in the Senate, and that's a considerable number," White said. "They don't see that as a threat."

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Calvert and Prince George's, said he hopes the Prince George's County delegation will focus more on legalizing card games for Rosecroft in the upcoming session.

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