Is the Big M about to commit a “Coke” blunder?

Harness racing – I believe it was April 23, 1985…

The undeniably most popular soft drink in the world decided to change its 99-year-old formula for “new Coke” and created a consumer backlash that was unprecedented in history.

Hoarding “old” Coca-Cola began with some consumers putting away, literally, hundreds of bottles in their basements.

It was reported that one gent from Texas drove to a local bottler and bought $1,000 worth of Coca-Cola. Depression was reported among some persons over the loss of this iconic drink.

The company was receiving some 1,500 calls a day and protesters with signs were convening in downtown Atlanta, Coke’s headquarters.

By July 11 of that same year, “new Coke” was put to bed for good—or, maybe, for bad—with the “classic” Coca-Cola returning to the shelves.

Is The Meadowlands about to strictly enforce new rules that could cause a racing backlash…or even a strike? Rumors have it that they have already begun to do so.

The new rules involve strategy moves within a race, as well as how to sit in the sulky and other things to make the racing “more competitive.”

Will this turn out to be a “Coke” blunder?

Of course, many drivers won’t openly comment on the new rules, but rumor has it that one of the best drivers in the business received a “first offense” warning with expulsion just two more infractions away.

Expulsion?

Are you kidding?

One said, “I have heard that the “enforcer” will be looking for violations from his television set in Florida and, if that’s the case, you’ll have a bag of worms worse than the Trump situation.”

With a “Yankees” lineup of, alphabetically, Jason Bartlett, Joe Bongiorno, Dexter Dunn, Yannick Gingras, the McCarthy brothers, Mark McDonald, Andy Miller, David Miller, Steve Smith, Jordan Stratton, Tim Tetrick, Lauren Tritton, and Scott Zeron, among others, it’s difficult to see how a track that has been handling $3 to $4 million a card could improve in the eyes of the patrons that have made that possible.

One astute bettor said, “I have been a harness bettor since The Meadowlands opened in 1976 and I know a lot of people and I find it hard to believe that someone who has NEVER been in a sulky (according to HRU) can enforce the new rules—which are ludicrous in the first place—from a television set in Florida!”

Another driver said, “I find it hard to believe that you can become a judge by just passing a written test and without the experience of being in the sulky and having to deal with situations that, in a split second, can cause a disaster.

“We’re here on behalf of the owners who support this industry and keep it alive and I’ll be damned if I am going to think about whether I should or shouldn’t let a guy in. It all depends on the feel of your horse. Sometimes they have it…sometimes not.

“I’ve driven 50,000 races and I don’t think I should have to explain myself to someone who has never been in a sulky!

“We have a great group of horsemen here and our careers should speak for this!”

Good point!

The drivers listed above competing on Saturday night have won over 72,000 races accounting for almost $1.5 BILLION in earnings for owners.

By the way, some of these listed are seasoned veterans and some in their ’20’s, carrying the torch for the future greatness of our sport.

It’s one thing to tweak something that needs attention to prevent situations that have arisen or threaten the general public and its users.

The internet has updates on its apps all the time to keep the public safer.

Professional sports reviews and either adds or tweaks rules to make the games better.

Racing has done the same during its long history began over two centuries ago…the bicycle wheel sulky, the starting gate, the pari-mutuel system, from soft hats to helmets for drivers, exotic wagering and, now, hopefully, sports betting and props.

But, as my old friend once said while watching television, “I know it’s an ugly looking antenna, but it gets the job done. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!!

And I don’t see any other tracks handling anything close to $3 million a night like The Meadowlands…so, the question is…Why fix it, if it ain’t broke?

by John Berry, for Harnesslink