The Harness Racing Bubble

Finley wrote a blurb on the Tetrick Meadowlands interview from Friday.

• Some four months after being fined for kicking Captaintreacherous in the stretch drive of the Tattersalls at the Red Mile Tim Tetrick still isn't apologizing for his actions. Appearing on the Meadowlands' "In the Sulky" program Friday night with Sam McKee Tetrick said the anti-kicking rules in the sport need to be changed. ""The way the rule is written now, I think we need to change the rule," Tetrick said.

Interviewed on a major telecast, a harness driver said he thinks kicking, nudging, striking a horse with his boot, or whatever you want to call it, is not only no big deal, it should be allowed. And amazingly, the interviewer seems to be just fine with it.

Outside the bubble, "boot" and "horse" should never be used in the same sentence.

Harness racing is not a popular sport. If it was, the New York Times would have a story this morning titled "Racing's Leading Driver Thinks Kicking Horses Should Be Allowed", or some such other "big headline"

But it's not a popular sport. The paradox is, that those inside the bubble continue to be oblivious that they're a reason why it isn't.