Bobbo is 81, Fluff is dead — and we’re in trouble

I’m not sure how many of you Harnesslink devotees have ever heard of Bob Marks, but make no mistake, his contributions to harness racing over the past half century have been noteworthy and outstanding.

If you get to Goshen, New York, you will see that Bob Marks is in the hallowed Hall of Fame…right in the Communicator’s section…where some of the greatest contributors to our sport are honored.

His exploits are not for what he did on the track but, rather, for making others look great on the track.

His insight as a handicapper was iconic and his chart comments aided many a handicapper in cashing tickets when they had “live” pari-mutuel windows at The Meadowlands and Roosevelt Raceway.

He’s in his 80’s now and, from his exploits with the Trotter Magazine, Trotter Weekly, Top Trotter, Sports Eye, Hub Rail, Hoof Beats and cable vision shows from The Meadowlands and Roosevelt Raceway, his career is iconic.

The great Murray Brown, whose captivating columns are weekly traditions on Harness Racing Update, also in his 80’s, affectionately refers to Marks as ,”Bobbo,” quite possibly after the grand near-million dollar winning trotter of the 1980’s.

(Others say it could be a play on the last name Marks…in addition to GrouchO, HarpO, ZeppO, GummO, and ChicO (Marx).

In any event, “Bobbo” called the other day, and we got to talking about the heart of the racing season for our two-year-olds and three-year-olds, you know stakes races this past this season and the ones that lie ahead over the next couple of months.

These races mean millions of dollars to the owners, breeders and farms of these horses that reign supreme…and it all comes down to the next few weeks both in the U.S.A. and north of the border, as well.

We’re talking about Stakes like the Champlain and Simcoe at Woodbine, the Peter Haughton at Hoosier…the Jim Doherty, too…the Jug…the Jugette…the Bluegrass…International Stallion Stake…Breeders Crown events…

And let’s not forget the MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in Sire Stakes in places like Kentucky, where the finals go for $400,000…and Ontario, where the legs alone may be up to $190,000…

And we’ve just had the Sire Stakes Finals in New Jersey at $250,000 a pop…with New York’s at $225,000 finals 24 hours later!!

The Hambletonian and all the other great events on that day also come into play at season’s end with all the glory and gold up for grabs.

Geez, I almost forgot the Metro Pace, Mohawk Million, Canadian Trotting Classic, She’s A Great Lady and Elegantimage…that another $3.5 million…

And that hardly scratches the surface of the ones that are $50,000 and up throughout North America that have been contested already of the future ones that will play “second fiddle” to those mentioned above.

It’s really a staggering program available to our beloved trotters and pacers at two and three…and even stretching a “bit” further in age.

Yes, it must be noted that the aged events aren’t included here like the Miss Versatility, the Ewert, Charlie Hill…and also not counted are the Stakes that are 3 AND UP at Dayton, for example, and the Red Mile and Three Rivers in Canada.

Let’s not forget Minnesota with their stakes for horses four and up.

Yes, there is plenty of opportunity for the lucky few that have the capital to own the champions that emerge to the top of their respective classes.

And “Bobbo’s” phone call pointed that out, as well as one other glaring omission that continues day-after-day-after day.

Bobbo was watching FanDuel TV, the network originally established as TVG and “rebranded” in 2022.

Believe it or not, it’s 25-years-old now and, in May of 2006, TVG introduced new programming to build their television audience with programs like Morning Line, Handicapping and Drive Time, to name a trio of them.

So, where was harness racing when this all happened?

It was left at the starting gate!

To this very day, a $5,000 or $8,000 claimer or the lowest class in thoroughbred racing takes precedent over an $80,000 Sire Stake at The Red Mile or every other feature race at one of our harness tracks during the days and nights.

AND WE AREN’T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT!

“Bobbo” said, “It really ruffles my feathers to see this happening.

“We used to be a viable industry standing on its own two feet and, now, we have to rely on casinos and legislatures as crutches to hold us up.

“We, absolutely, must have a worldwide presence—and I mean a 24 hour presence—covering our sport.

“When we aren’t racing in North America, we should be covering Europe or Down Under (Australia and New Zealand).

“We are doing nothing about it. Yes, it’s great to be able to make a bet at a simulcasting facility or from the comfort of your home but, c’mon, we need, at the very least, national programming covering our sport and, at the most, world-wide coverage.

“There’s no excuse that it can’t be done. THE THOROUGHBRED INDUSTRY HAVE DONE IT!

“I cringe when I see a $100,000 stake for trotters with a post time two minutes away looking at the television and seeing the post parade for seven thoroughbreds going six furlongs in a claiming race!

“We’ve come so far over the years perfecting the breed for speed…but we’re way behind in speed for getting the publicity to keep this sport alive—in fact, 25 YEARS BEHIND!

Bob Marks has very valid thoughts here and also notices the aging of our fan base.

“Another thing,” he noticed, “once in a blue moon, I get up to a simulcast venue…and it’s not for the races. It’s for looking at a the crowd.

“I read a Mane Attraction article a while back that showed the aging crowd at a simulcasting place and they hit the nail right on the head!

“I could not find ANYONE that looked under 40…much less 65.”

“We are doing NOTHING about it…NOTHING…and it boils my blood.

Marks then asked about some of the aging stalwarts of the past.

“Where’s ‘Fluff?,” he asked.

I answered, “he’s dead!”

(Fluff, by the way, was a long-time trainer that came to the races every night!.)

“Bob R?”

“He passed, too!”

“How about big JB?”

“He’s here 60 pounds lighter after an illness and doesn’t get here much!”

“Rich from Chicago?

“Lives too far away to go to Hawthorne.”

Warner Phil?

“Passed on?”

There are hundreds more. We’re losing fans like the pedals falling off the aging rose.

As Ted Hirsch said in an interview in Hub Rail about 40 years ago, “Every year we get new foals…and we need new fools to bet on these foals!”

But that’s not happening.

See, our sport is no longer a spectator sport and soon, as we age even further, there won’t be anyone left to champion our cause.

Still, May the Horse Be With You.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink