Two sides to every coin

My recent Mane Attraction column brought out some very interesting comments—all valid points—which accentuates the dilemma in harness racing which we face today.

Money and speed are on one side of the coin while equine health and longevity are on the other side of the coin.

Toss in the continual threat of what can happen to members of our equine family and the dilemma deepens.

There is no doubt that economics plays a major role with owners looking to start chipping away at their huge investments which may or may not ever turn fruitful…most of them not so fruitful.

From the days of driver-trainers with their stopwatches in hand glancing down trying to put something over on their competition by going the first three-eighths in “48 and change” to today’s catch-drivers that care only about the next minute and 52 seconds (or faster) trying to get to the head of the class.

Seems funny that drivers, trainers and owners mostly wish to remain “anonymous” with their thoughts so as not to ruffle any feathers…but that’s exactly what this sport needs now…someone…some group…some uprising to speak up and try and get something done that will benefit all participants in our grand sport.

One very prominent trainer didn’t want to post his thoughts on the subject but, reluctantly, agreed to share on the condition of anonymity.

“The transformation from owners and trainers driving their own horses to the catch-driving tactics of today has put the owner-driver and trainer-driver at a distinct disadvantage.

“Catch drivers have no investment in any horse and really don’t care if they lame it up because they’ll get put on another one this week.

“Some of these elite drivers make a half-million dollars or more a year without any risk—unless there’s a wreck on the track, of course—while only a very few horses can earn that kind of money.

“C’mon, you have a horse that can go in (1):50 and earn nothing or next to nothing and that leaves us wondering why we can’t more owners interested in investing in horses.

“You see the “top 10” list every week and, not too far below that is a (1):47 of (1):48 performer that can’t come close to earning its way out and wouldn’t be in the top 100!

“We used to respect post position a little more than we do today. Almost every race there is a torrid pace set up with outside horses having to gun off the gate just to get into the ballgame.

“Today, not so much.

“We have a speed problem today because these catch-drivers are hired to get the bucks without regard to the pressure put on the horse or its health.

“If a horse doesn’t perform, the catch-driver is just as much likely to throw the lines at the trainer and say, ‘he was no good tonight.’ End of story.

“In other words, catch-drivers believe that they have to give a horse any chance to get a big check…even if it means the death of it!”

On the other side of the coin, one owner sees this predicament in another way.

“This all really started to take hold some years ago when Billy (Haughton) turned the lines of Nihilator to O’Donnell and I was pleased to see that move back then.

“We have hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in these horses as yearlings and we would like to see some return on our investments.

“There are those that oppose racing two-year-olds but there is a lot of purse money available to those horses and we, as owners, want some of it…and we don’t want to wait forever.

“Otherwise, the investment wouldn’t be worth a nickel as there are only a few really lucrative events for anything over the age of, say, five.”

Then there are those that are looking to find a happy median to the issue with one middle-of-the-ground owner saying, “Maybe there is a bit of common ground here if, say, the two-year-olds start in August and race their stakes during a four-month span.

“At least, it gives them aa bit more time to mature.

“A youngster going (1):53 in May or June means little or nothing. In the latter months to the Breeders Crown and stakes for $300,000 or $500,000…now THAT means something.

“Maybe a mandate that two-year-olds cannot start more than 10 times or 12 times in their first season.

“I heard a suggestion recently that, maybe, two-year-old races could be scheduled 10 days apart instead of the usual seven days.

“I don’t know the answers to this stuff but I do know that racing careers are getting shorter and shorter and so are the fields when it comes to overnight races for the older horses.

“If we had the same number of tracks we had 30 years ago, the field sizes would be four or five…and then we wouldn’t have any punters left!

“Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that they all closed up!”

These are just a handful of the comments reflecting all sides of this important issue.

My concern is that, with speed taking its toll on horses much earlier than in the past, many more horses will be put in harm’s way with the threat of kill pens and other unpleasant endings awaiting.

We have enough problems today in finding aftercare surroundings for our heroic athletes. If speed kills and careers are shortened by two or three or four seasons, how many more horses will be in danger.

There certainly aren’t enough facilities around to absorb the expected influx of horses that can no longer compete on our lightning-fast racetracks.

Yes, it’s great to see them race and exciting when the times produce yet another world record…but we aren’t around when the vans come around to give them a final ride to their final destination.

All we’re left with are the memories.

by John Berry, for Harnesslink