More Positive Racing News From Mountaineer

[Kasept]

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

I agree that there are several concerns with the proposed federal legislation, but the current system of state regulation is not working and needs to be overhauled or, at a minimum, improved dramatically. Of the four most significant racing jurisdictions (New York, Kentucky, California, Florida), how many of their racing boards are doing an adequate job of oversight? Not a majority. And things don't get better with many of the smaller jurisdictions.

It's definitely a mixed bag of adequate, passive, zealous, overzealous, indifferent.

One element of the state regulatory body discussion that is difficult to navigate is the political appointee v. industry participant. People attack agencies like California/CHRB over the abundance of interest-conflicted, but there's equal disdain for bureaucrat functionaires who land on commissions and are without a clue about what they're commissioning. So, what's the answer?

Florida, bizarrely, has virtually no commission and is regularly the most difficult place to get things like the model rules initiative implemented.

ARCI does the best job it can to promote responsible, active regulation. Understand first and foremost that the states are not going to relinquish their control because it means a loss of significant revenues. And you have to work within those parameters to shore up deficiencies in the jurisdictions.

[richard burch]

This isn't the first horror story abut Mountaineer so I'm not shocked. If you search you can find a lot of these stories from many tracks over the years. I learned my lesson. The answer to this dilemma is about as easy to solve as an Israel / Arab peace negotiation.

Very unlikely to change.

Sad and it pisses me off to no end.

[Alabama Stakes]

Pete ? Pete Zagarine !

[richard burch]

Since nobody has any suggestions I'll throw one out there to get the ball rolling. Feel free to tell me what a dumb idea it is and how it will never work because I expect it.

How about...

In each state where horse racing exists, there is one business, entity, company (whatever) that handles all bodies of any horse that has to be put down in their state. The business will have one headquarters who handles all the individual states. I think having a governing body is better than having everyone playing by different rules. This will be funded by the state tracks and would include thoroughbreds, harness, quarters. If a horse needs to go, they call one place.

Any deaths would include racing, works, sickness and any other reason that a horse has to be put down at a track. That facility can euthanize and take the body for proper burial or cremation. They handle it from beginning to end and record everything including the connections, the reason, the condition of the animal, where it was buried, etc... Careful record keeping can be used so there is not an abuse of this service by shady owners. It may also be informative and this may help in keeping injured horses out of slaughter houses. This isn't going to be a glamorous job but someone will do it.

I'm one who believes in saving horses, not killing them. However if it has to happen then lets do it. People need to step up and stop bullshitting and treat these animals with the respect they deserve.