Andy,
Great post that really got me thinking.
I don't know exactly what word I would use to describe my feelings for this weekend's events. I think it is fair to say that, going into this year's race, there was a palpable sense of indifference about the Derby among racing fans. I read many such posts on this board. Perhaps it was the mediocrity of the field; perhaps it was the questions surrounding the favorite and his connections. I guess the problem is that, on a day that should be a celebration for the sport, it's that several of the problems that have haunted racing for the past few years came to the fore in the triumph of Big Brown and the tragedy of Eight Belles.
For example, we have a winning trainer who, if the people running racing were serious about cleaning it up, wouldn't have a trainer's license let alone be training a marvelously-talented horse possibly on the verge of racing immortality. (Having Richard Dutrow train a Triple Crown winner would be racing's equivalent of Barry Bonds holding the home run record.) In IEAH Stable, we have an example of yet another group of well-heeled owners who appear to have cast a blind eye towards their trainer's past misdeeds and, given their prior affiliation with Greg Martin, were probably drawn to Mr. Dutrow because of that reputation.
On yet another major race day, we have racing conducted on an artificially-created "fast" track that could only be described as a paved freeway (whether that contributed to Eight Belles' demise can't be stated for certain, but it probably didn't help). And for the past 72 hours, we have heard one commentator after another bemoan both the manner in which thoroughbreds are bred in this country and the permissive medication rules that apply to racing on a daily basis. These have been familiar refrains for years yet all that is generated seems to be talk and more talk; little meaningful action occurs.
I understand that, for now, there is a need to "circle the wagons" to denounce the misguided and ill-informed attacks from groups like PETA. But what happens after this "storm" passes? Perhaps Saturday's events will prove to be a wake-up call for the industry. In recent times, incidents such as Barbaro's death and the Breeders' Cup pic-6 scandal were also supposed to result in significant industry changes. However, if that history is any guide, industry leaders will hope that this "storm" too will pass and then go back to their comfortable ways. After all, if you were making a lot of money the way things are now, why would you want to meaningfully change anything?
As a lifelong fan of this great sport and a participant for the past five years as an owner and breeder, I am always hopeful that the good people in the sport - and I believe that they far outnumber the bad - will reclaim the high ground that constantly seems to be slipping away. Given the high takeout that we face as bettors and the tough financial odds that we face as owners (running for $1.2 billion in purses while spending over $2 billion in care for the horses), there is a certain level of irrational optimism that anyone associated with the game must possess. (Racing certainly isn't a place for those with a "glass half empty" perspective on life.) I simply hope that, at this critical juncture, we get more than "just words" from those leading our sport.
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05-06-2008, 07:40 AM
Hybrid Mode
