DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — The greyhounds are racing again in Dubuque, Iowa, but after a shortened season ends in May, there will be only three tracks left in the country. The last day of greyhound racing in the Midwest will be at Iowa's Greyhound Park on May 15.
Later this year only two greyhound racing tracks will still operate, both in West Virginia. Council Bluffs' own 30-year-old Bluffs Run racetrack closed in 2015 after the Iowa legislature allowed for its closure. It’s been a long slide for greyhound racing, which reached its peak in the 1980s when there were more than 50 tracks scattered across 19 states.
Since then, increased concerns about how the dogs are treated along with an explosion of gambling options have nearly killed the sport. Steve Sarras, president of the West Virginia Kennel Owners Association, says he's confident racing will continue in that state thanks to support from legislators.
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