this is in a way rather funny. it sounds like siskel and ebert. not to make light of the topic or the feelings we have one way or the other.
i read every one of your posts thoroughly especially the last few a couple of times...making sure i came away with your exact perspective.
i cannot deny for one minute that the tracks have bad management ...you are correct.
as far as the usta they don't want to hear ideas unless you come face to face with them and then you are correct. they only care about stats and record keeping and they will tell anyone who wants to attend a usta district meeting. they will say flat out we are in the business of record keeping not in the business of changing rules or solving problems tracks are facing concerning... just about everything.
you are correct about the racinos making a separate entrance and sectioning it off from the general view of the infield and the racing surface. it is totally stupid and i agree. however, that being said first, the corporate people behind the slots could give one rats ass about the track, the horses, the horsemen, the owners, etc, etc. they don't want to lose one gambling dollar to the horses because that would be horsemen money and that would not be in their interest. the track is just a device to get their slots in. they don't want to share that gambler with them betting on the horses. like a mouse maze with the cheese on the other side. one way in and one way out. when dover got approval for slots they built the building directly behind the track. most of the people going there don't have a clue there is even a racetrack there. i haven't been to every track in the country but, i am almost positive every one of these facilities has the same general idea. the new track the are proposing to be built north of the meadows in western, pa. is only being built because they received approval for slots. the key is slots. it will be fine to get this revenue for the harness business for awhile. but, if the corporate cats ever decide to pull the plug it will get pretty messy. of coarse probably not in our time. so, i guess who cares.
i agree about testing and never once said to abolish it. the fact remains the people who use are smarter, more responsive and adapt quicker than the our governing bodies that test. so, they will always be behind....not only behind way behind the times. just look at the soda rules. they were using soda over 10 years before any governing body caught on and started testing for it. epo, levamisole, and steroids. the rules will come eventually but, ever so slow. funding for testing needs to be increased but, probably can't due to fiscal constraints. it is all we have at this point. that being said, we need to do more. maybe go in a different direction.
i already know your stance on this subject and everyone is entitled to their opinion and i respect the fact....you as an owner, you don't want to be punished for something you had no knowledge of. i can accept that. of coarse there are some owners who have only one objective in mind. and as the business gets more competitive more owners will take this stance. if we can't stop trainers from being righteous then maybe the state should save the testing money and let anyone use anything....especially, morphine. hell.. i seen so, many horses just in the past couple of years who should be scratched from a race that warmed up real sore before the race and in the post parade and should be on the vets list. not happening. the horse has no choice in this matter so, if they are gonna let them go to the gate like this at least they should let them be pain free for a few hours. at least it would level the playing field too and we all ( including, especially, me ) could quit *** about this subject. we could all have the same attitude about our horse flesh....just a piece of meat. when they are done get another. and it would also work saving time and trouble for all people involved who have to go to test barn and be there for at least 90 minutes. we could actually race more horses because we would have more time to devote to racing. time is money ... think of all that money the state would save not having test barns anymore. MORBID as it sounds it's just a thought.
if we can't punish the horse either ( which was on the table to be ruled on in kentucky ) which wasn't my idea an won't claim any credit for it. then we have to come right back around the board again and point the finger at the trainer when and IF he gets caught. and we are back to square one with the rules that are in place.
don't get the wrong idea. i am not an idealist. not that it is a bad thing but, it doesn't happen. maybe more of a realist and figure it won't change for the better even if i want it to. so, i guess that's it. back to the silent majority of horsemen who work hard on a daily basis that complain while nothing gets positively accomplished. they want change so bad and want everyone to have a fair shot at racing.
i know there are alot of honest horsemen read this site and these threads but, they will not respond whatever view, opinion, or stance they have. hence, the silent majority. i guess they feel it's HOPELESS and like the the song says ROLL WITH IT BABY. ( artist steve winwood )
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