Originally Posted by Kasept

That's easy to say given what appear to be a laundry list of issues facing the game. But let me ask this... I'm all for a central, governing body for racing, but if a "league office" is such a panacea, how did steroids EVER BECOME a problem in Major League Baseball and the National Football League? Here you had powerful league offices and the issue festered for years... According to these hand-picked 'witnesses', a league office would mandate X-Y-Z and problems magically disappear. Didn't happen that way in baseball and football, did it?

Originally Posted by Jax Cajun

The NFL and MLB have offices that work for the owners. Horse racing is a little different where a central office would police the trainers.

Baseball ignored the steriods because they were coming off a strike and attendance/ratings were way down. The club owners and the player's union never wanted to stop it because HR's were up. Bud Selig was an owner and never had any eggs to do anything until Congress forced him. The NFL has a policy against steroids and they suspend players all the time. Whether or not their 3 strikes and you're out stop it is another story, players seem to be 1 step ahead of testing.

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

Regarding 8 Belles:

"While tests have shown that the filly was not racing with steroids in her system, Schakowsky traced the filly’s genetic background, citing examples of fragility within the family that may have contributed to the tragedy."

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/45791.htm


I can see this now. Congress - "We now declare Unbridled's Song uneligible to reproduce........as well as all sires that throw fragile offspring"

Originally Posted by Jax Cajun

The NFL and MLB have offices that work for the owners. Horse racing is a little different where a central office would police the trainers.

Baseball ignored the steriods because they were coming off a strike and attendance/ratings were way down. The club owners and the player's union never wanted to stop it because HR's were up. Bud Selig was an owner and never had any eggs to do anything until Congress forced him. The NFL has a policy against steroids and they suspend players all the time. Whether or not their 3 strikes and you're out stop it is another story, players seem to be 1 step ahead of testing.

Originally Posted by TheSpyder

Steve,

Do you know where the written testimony they asked to be included in the record cn be found?

Spyder

Originally Posted by Kasept

All over! Well.. That was pleasant.. A lot like Dean Wormer visiting the Delta House...

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Why doesnt the Conrad lady just come out and ask for federal funding? In my opinion, in my opinion, in my opinion...why dont they get people who have facts? Who can say what IS happening instead of what they believe to be happening or what they heard is happening. All these vet types yet not one person who actually works in the position that they are asking about. Not one racetrack vet among the whole group? It is like calling a hearing about baseball and inviting football players because they are all athletes.

Originally Posted by Kasept

So in other words, 'league office efficacy' is subject to social, economic and political pressures and circumstances. Hmmm. This differs tremendously from the way racing is run how?

Originally Posted by Kasept

Jackson may be suffering from dementia.

Originally Posted by otisotisotis

But Steve, this segmented, fractious industry does nothing but encourage outside pressures because of a percieved (and I think, real) disconnect with any solid, central orgizational structure.

Many people on this board beat up politicians and political groups for their self-interested points of view, and at the same time only wonder what this industry can do for them.

The time is long passed for a national regulating authority to oversee all things thoroughbred, and maybe the threat to put an end to interstate wagering would be the best motivator to make groups work together.

Then again, I may win the lottery tonight...