This month's Trot magazine the "State of the Industry" issue, which I received today, is as good an issue on racing you will find anywhere. One section focused on questions asked to industry people: trainers, track owners, horse owners, horseplayers. I was astounded at a the differences in perspectives in these groups, and it in large part displays a good deal of why (imo) we never get anything done.
The first question: "What do you see as the state of harness racing today?", the driver and trainer comments for the most part are rosy. "We are in good shape", said many. However, track execs, horseplayers and owners were all virtually a polar opposite. I was quite honestly shocked that with headlines of handles falling, racedates falling, tracks closing, and an industry on unsustainable government life-support that so many at the grassroots level could think everything is just fine.
Another disconnect that was interesting was drugs. Drivers and trainers as a group said it was 5-1 that drugs would be eliminated by 2050. Racetrack execs and horseplayers said it would be 45-1. The malaise of track operators and horseplayers with the issue is readily apparent. We think it can not possibly be fixed.
It is an issue well worth the read.
1 comment:
Why does this surprise you. The trainers are getting their large slot infused purses now and don't care about the future. It is all about 'me'. This is not just harness racing, it is our society as a whole. What racing needs is a modern day Moses to lead them to the promised land. In fact, what we have are the lemmings heading for the cliff.
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