The flaws of being an optimist

Admittedly, I am an optimist. I search for the good in this world.

I’ve witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly but, all things considered, I am glad I am an optimist and not a pessimist.

This topic started when a television news network aired about whether President Biden should run for re-election, as he is now 80 years of age.

I’m just months away from that same number but, as an optimist, I prefer to tell everyone I am 27 Celsius (not 79 Fahrenheit). After all, we are our energy, not our age.

But, in speaking with some participants from drivers and trainers to owners and   bettors in our grand sport, they have come up with some very valid points to “dull my optimistic sword.”

Said one owner, “While, from a speed point-of-view, the sport has come a long, long way and is as great as ever, the vast majority of the personnel who have the iron hand for the progression of the sport, are in the thinking mode of the sulkies from the 1960’s.”

Another owner thought “we’re in a tough spot as far as progress goes because the vast majority of the USTA Board of Directors are satisfied with the status-quo and are very resistant to change…after all, 75 percent of them were ‘foaled’ before 1960 themselves!”

But, in reality, it’s been, pretty much, the same for the past half century with most of the USTA Board of Directors back then over 50 with Stanley Dancer the youngest at 37.

That spawned another longtime participant to chime in saying, “That’s exactly the reason I don’t submit any rules changes to the committees anymore…they are never going to approve anything we send in—only the things THEY want, like that new breeding rule stretching the stranglehold breeders have by yet another year!

“Who knows whether they have semen stored on ‘some beach somewhere’ for use in the future. We’ll never know.”

Of course, that’s very unlikely but perception and openness is everything and the public really never knows too much about the ‘inside’ track happenings in our sport.

Yet another Midwest owner agreed blurting, “I remember way back when when there was a top trotter in Illinois that ‘sired’ a very good pacer and I swore he looked just like Strike Out…and that’s maybe 50 years ago.

So why is “new young blood” not joining the fray to insure the future of our sport?

Time and money!

With under 3,500 trainers and drivers competing to make a living in our sport, maybe 5%—and that’s stretching it—make a very comfortable living…and they aren’t about to give up the roost they rule ON the racetrack.

For 1:45 4/5 seconds, do you think Dex, Timmy, Yannick, Jason Bartlett, Dave Miller, the McCarthy Brothers, Matt and Aaron are willing to give up their top 10 status as drivers without a fight? Not for even “1/5th” of a second!

It’s even more difficult for trainers as only 15 eclipsed the $3 million mark in that category…and they are at the barn seven days a week before the light of day and, when racing, not leaving until the darkest portion of the night.

Success in harness racing is hard…VERY hard!

So, who has time to help our sport along?

That’s a problem.

Major sports have personnel doing that…making Aaron Judge look as great as he is…making LeBron looking like the “King” he claims to be…making the number “15” synonymous with Mahomes.

Harness racing needs a top public relations firm to take the lines and show the world just how great this sport is to its community, city, State and, with simulcasting, the world and bring it to the forefront like other sports. A cable television exclusively for harness racing would help and we have some great talent to showcase start to finish—both equine and human!

Can it be done?

Who knows, it’s never been tried!!!!!!!!

by John Berry, for Harnesslink