Mr. Waldrop Goes to Washington

It almost had to happen. Congress has decided to investigate thoroughbred racing. According to the Louisville Courier Journal, "a House panel has demanded that state racing commissions provide information on breakdowns, drug use and breeding." The U. S. House subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection is requesting the hearing and Senator Ed Whitfield of Kentucky is leading the charge.

Whitfield, you may remember, is both anti-slaughter and anti-steroid and quite frankly, in my opinion, the investigation could not be in better hands. The question, however, is whether or not any good will truly come out of what he is sure to uncover. Whitfield along with subcommittee Chairman Bobby Rush of Chicago demanded that the Lexington-based Association of Racing Commissioners International identify by name every trainer "who has been sanctioned for medication infractions during the past five years and for a list of the nature and severity of the injuries of every horse over that period."

The purpose of this investigation is to determine whether or not "the special status of the sport under federal law is still warranted." That special status refers to the Interstate Horseracing Act passed in 1978 that permitted simulcasting to off-track locations for wagering and the subsequent one in 2002 that permitted wagering over the phone and internet.

It is not presumptuous to note that the economic viability of horseracing depends significantly on both pieces of legislation and that those bills were brought about with a fair degree of arm twisting on the part of the powers that be in the industry. If the ability to bet on races long distance is denied, I think you might as well kiss the sport goodbye. And the success of that practice depends entirely on individual states being able to control their piece of the pie.

Which is why Alex Waldrop, chief executive of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, is so vehemently opposed to the creation of a central national body to govern the sport, another issue that the House Committee wants to investigate. "We believe that states are the right places to govern these issues," he said.

It should make for some interesting discussion and a lot of behind the scenes lobbying on both sides. How do I think it will play out? Maybe something significant will happen in the steroid issue such as a national ban on performance enhancing medication and I think that would be absolutely amazing. But if that is achieved it will most likely be at the expense of the creation of a national racing czar.

Tit for tat and remember you heard it here first!