Did anyone else hear the Elliot in the Morning show in the DC area today?
It was painful to listen to them talk about horseracing and it was clear that he had been reading the NY Times articles and unfortunately his trips to Belmont Park on a weekday, and Pimlico during the Preakness, didn't help any to form a more positive opinion. It went far beyond doped and broken down horses -- the idea that all tracks are dirty, the patrons are drugged degenerates, the game robs people etc. A lot of my friends ride horses and have seen the "thrown away" thoroughbred and unfortunately that is the image that they base the entire industry on. The game needs a major image rehaul and is doing a terrible job of getting the entire story out. Our own instruments of exposing people to the game are even working against us...was it necessary for NBC to reshow and isolate on Giant Ryan breaking down? Or the tracks that think they are doing a service by providing 3 or 4 horses by their on-track experts -- what does that provide? A quick way to lose money is what is provides. Honestly, figuring out who the best horse is is pretty easy -- it's figuring out how to use that horse to make good money is what is going to attract people.
|